Geography

Kazakhstan (or Kazakstan) is located in Central Asia, northwest of the People's Republic of China. With an area of about 2,717,300 square kilometres, Kazakhstan is more than twice the combined size of the other four Central Asian states, and over ten times the size of the UK. It shares borders of 6,846 kilometres (4,254 mi) with Russia to the north, 2,203 kilometres (1,369 mi) with Uzbekistan to the south, 1,533 kilometres (953 mi) with the People's Republic of China to the east, 1,051 kilometres (653 mi) with Kyrgyzstan to the south, and 379 kilometres (235 mi) with Turkmenistan, also to the south. Major cities include Astana (capital since December 1997), Almaty (the former capital), Karaganda, Shymkent (Chimkent), Semey (Semipalatinsk) and Turkestan.

The terrain extends west to east from the Caspian Sea to the Altay Mountains and north to south from the plains of Western Siberia to the oases and deserts of Central Asia. The Kazakh Steppe, with an area of around 804,500 square kilometres (310,600 sq mi), occupies one-third of the country and is the world's largest dry steppe region. The steppe is characterised by large areas of grasslands and sandy regions.

Topography

There is considerable topographical variation within Kazakhstan. Some 9.4 % of Kazakhstan's land is mixed prairie and forest or treeless prairie, primarily in the north or in the basin of the Ural River in the west. More than three-quarters of the country, including the entire west and most of the south, is either semi-desert (33.2 %) or desert (44 %). The terrain in these regions is bare, eroded, broken uplands, with sand dunes in the Qizilqum (red sand; in the Russian form, Kyzylkum) and Moyunqum (in the Russian form, Moin Kum) deserts, which occupy south-central Kazakhstan. Most of the country lies at between 200 and 300 metres above sea level, but Kazakhstan's Caspian shore includes some of the lowest elevations on Earth. The highest elevation, Khan Tengri Mountain, on the Kyrgyz border in the Tian Shan range, is 7,010 metres; the lowest point, at Vpadina Kaundy is at -132 m.

Drainage

Many of the peaks of the Altay and Tian Shan ranges are snow covered year-round, and their run-off is the source for most of Kazakhstan's rivers and streams.

Except for the Tobol (Tobyl), Ishim (Esil), and Irtysh (Ertis ) rivers, portions of which flow through Kazakhstan, all of Kazakhstan's rivers and streams are part of landlocked systems. They either flow into isolated bodies of water such as the Caspian Sea or simply disappear into the steppes and deserts of central and southern Kazakhstan. Many rivers, streams and lakes are seasonal, evaporating in summer. The three largest bodies of water are Lake Balkhash, a partially fresh, partially saline lake in the east, near Almaty, and the Caspian and Aral seas, both of which lie partially within Kazakhstan.

Facts and Figures

• Location: Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural River in eastern-most Europe
• Geographic coordinates: 48 00 N, 68 00 E
• Area:
  • Total: 2,717,300 sq km
  • Land: 2,669,800 sq km
  • Water: 47,500 sq km
• Land boundaries: total: 12,012 km
• Border countries:
  • China 1,533 km
  • Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km
  • Russia 6,846 km
  • Turkmenistan 379 km
  • Uzbekistan 2,203 km
• Coastline:
  • 0 km (landlocked)
  • Note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral Sea, now split into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian Sea (1,894 km)
• Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
• Climate: continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid
• Terrain: extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia
• Elevation extremes:
  • Lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m
  • Highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m
• Natural resources:
  • Major deposits of petroleum
  • Natural gas
  • Coal
  • Iron ore
  • Manganese
  • Chrome ore
  • Nickel
  • Cobalt
  • Copper
  • Molybdenum
  • Lead
  • Zinc
  • Bauxite
  • Gold
  • Uranium
• Land use:
  • Arable land: 8.28%
  • Permanent crops: 0.05%
  • Other: 91.67%
• Irrigated land: 35,560 sq km
• Natural hazards:
  • Earthquakes in the south
  • Mudslides around Almaty
• Environmental Issues:
  • Radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with former defence industries and test ranges scattered throughout the country pose health risks for humans and animals
  • Industrial pollution is severe in some cities
  • The Aral Sea is drying up as the two main rivers which flowed into have been diverted for irrigation; as it dries it is leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then picked up by the wind and blown into noxious dust storms
  • Pollution in the Caspian Sea
  • Soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals
  • Salination from poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation practices