Western Kazakhstan
Western Kazakhstan includes West-Kazakhstani, Atirau, Mangistau and Aktyubinsk Oblasts. The region is situated in the utmost west and south-west of the Republic. Its vast territory stretches for 1200 km from the north to the south and for 1300 km from the west to the east.
The main rivers are the Ural, the Emba. The largest lakes are Inder, Aralsor, Kamis-Samarskiye. The most important role is played by the Caspian Sea. Oil production has been developing for 100 years in this region. Atirau is the centre for the production and conservation of the black caviar. The climate here is sharply continental, dry.
The Great Silk Road passed through the whole territory of Mangistau for 2000 years. Now it has become a very interesting tourist route. The presence of the attractive landscapes, along with a great diversity of fauna of the Usturt Reserve, the unique historical and cultural as well as natural monuments in which Mangistau abounds, the picturesque places of the Caspian area represent a considerable interest for a potential tourist.
Aktyube Region is one of the most significant indus trial areas of Kazakhstan. It occupies the area of ap proximately 300,000 sq. km. Aktyube Region bor ders on Russia in the north and Uzbekistan in the south. It is interesting that in the east and west three Kazakhsta ni regions on each side adjoin this area. In the east these are Kostanai, Karaganda and Kyzylorda Regions; in the west - Atyrau, Mangistau and West Kazakhstan Regions.
Atyrau Region is the kingdom of steep 400-m slopes (chinks) and absolutely white, perfectly shaped stone spheres of about 2 m in diameter. This reserved land represents a limestone plateau, once the bottom of a prehistoric ocean. The Caspian and Aral seas are its remains. Arid steppe zone meets with flow-lands of the Ural river (Zhaik in Kazakh) which here and there resembles the swamps of Flori da. This is truly a heaven for various waterfowl. Only air cushion watercraft are permitted here. Flocks of swans, ducks and geese sweep over the heads of astonished tourists who are struck by the greatness of their number.
The Treasure Peninsula.. .This is how people call one of the richest areas of Kazakhstan. - Mangistau Region. This land is rich in oil, gas, construction materials, various ores and minerals. It is also true that the present-day Mangistau is called the land of tourism and recreation resources with rich cultural heritage.
Archaeological Monuments
Ancient burial sites were found to the north of Kizan, on the bank of the Dead Kultuk.
They go back as far as IV-V centuries BC. Experts acknowledge that this discovery may convey new data about ancient peoples of the Sako-Massaget period who used to live in this area.
Situated in 18 km from Shetpe, Akmish area enchants tourists not only with its beauty but also with its historical sites of ancient Kizil-Kala (which stands for a ‘red town' in Kazakh). Three kilometres from Akmishsay will bring tourists to the picturesque canyons Samal and Sazanbay. Hanga-Baba Tract, another attractive place, is situated in 30 km from Fort-Shevchenko. Here one can find spring water, hawthorn and blackberry bushes, mulberry , elm and poplar groves. Ancient Hanga-Baba Necropolis with a mosque is also situated here.
Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea is the largest closed reservoir in the world, which washes the western part of Kazaklhstan. The name of the Sea is connected with the Caspii tribes who had settled shores from time immemorial. It had had such names as Girkanskoye, Khazarskoye, Khvalynskoye. The first mentions about Caspian Sea and its tribes were in the works of Gerodot. The document about the Russian navigators’ visit of Caspian Sea and theirs boating is dated back to IX-X centuries. At the beginning of XVIII century Peter-I had begun the constant research of the Caspian Sea (expeditions of Bekovich-Cherkasky A. and others). Then Soimonov I.F., Ivashinsev N.A., Pallas P.S., Gmelin S.G., Karelin G.S., and others researched the Caspian Sea.
The Caspian Sea is stretched from north to south to 1200km; the medium width is 320km, the length of the shore line is about 7000km (6000km of which in the territory of Russia and other countries). The area of waterland is 371000sqkm; the sea level is lower than ocean’s level to 28,5 (1971). The max depth is 1025m (in the southern part); the Kazakhstan part is not deep, the depth of the north Caspii is about 15-20m. The largest gulfs are: Komsomolets, Mangyshlaksky (Magystau), Kenderli, Kazakhsky, Kara-Bogas-Gol, etc. The total territory of the 50 islands is about 350sqkm. The rivers Volga, Ural and Emba flow into the Caspian Sea from the north side. By the bottom relief and hydrological features we can distinguish the Northern, the Middle and the Southern Caspii.
At the bottom of the Caspian Sea there are deposits of oil and gas.
The Caspian Sea crosses some climate zones:in the northern part - the continental, on the western – the temperate-warm, in the south-western – wet-subtropical, on the east – dry-steppe zone. The northern part differentiates by the sudden changeability of the air temperature and insufficiency of atmospheric precipitation. In the northern and middle parts in October-April the wind blows from the east, in May-September the monsoon wind blows from the north-western part to the south, on the eastern middle parts, in the north-western and north parts there are such winds the speed of which exceeds 24m/s. Average temperature of July and August is +24+26’C, the absolute maximum is +44’C on the east. In winter months the temperature changes from –10’C in the north and to –12’C in the south. About 200mm of atmospheric precipitation fall over the Sea. Average value of evaporation is 1000mm per year. Average temperature of the water surface is +24+26’C in summer, in the southern part is +29’C. Average temperature of the water in the north is –0,5’C in winter, in the middle part from –3’C to –7’C, and in the south –8-10’C. In the north the water surface freezes from November to March, the ice is 2m thick. Average water salty is 12,7-12,8%, on the eastern coast is 13,2%, in the closest parts of Volga and Ural mouth is 0,1-0,2%. The sea level sometimes rises to 2-2,5m and falls to 2m. The total season fluctuation is about 30cm. It is known, that the lowest sea level was in VII-XI centuries (to 2-4m lower than nowadays). The last falling of the sea level continued from 1929 to 1057. The falling of the sea level is the result of dry climate, and the building of the largest hydrotechnic and irrigation buildings on the river. Flora and fauna of the Caspian Sea are comparatively poor. More than 500 kinds of plants, 854 kinds of fishes and animals, some kinds of aquatic birds dwell here. There are large populated areas near the Caspian Sea such as: Guriev, Shevchenko, Eraliev, Balykshy, Ganushkino, etc and important economic regions.
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