Editing Kazakhstan (section)

== Geography ==

{{Main|Geography of Kazakhstan|List of cities in Kazakhstan}}
[[File:Kazakhstan BMNG.jpg|thumb|right|Satellite image of Kazakhstan (November 2004)]]

As it extends across both sides of the [[Ural River]], considered the dividing line separating Europe and Asia, Kazakhstan is one of only two [[Landlocked country|landlocked countries]] in the world that [[transcontinental countries|has territory in two continents]] (the other is [[Azerbaijan]]).

With an area of {{convert|2700000|km2}}<!--per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->—equivalent in size to Western Europe—Kazakhstan is the ninth-largest country and largest landlocked country in the world. While it was part of the [[Russian Empire]], Kazakhstan lost some of its territory to China's [[Xinjiang]] province,<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i1SpCwAAQBAJ&q=kazakhstan%2Blost%2Bsome%2Bof%2Bits%2Bterritory%2Bto%2Brussia%2Band%2Bchina&pg=PT85|title=Xinjiang – China's Northwest Frontier|last=Warikoo|first=K.|date=2 March 2016|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-29028-5|language=en|access-date=14 November 2020|archive-date=17 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417184150/https://books.google.com/books?id=i1SpCwAAQBAJ&q=kazakhstan+lost+some+of+its+territory+to+russia+and+china&pg=PT85|url-status=live}}</ref> and some to Uzbekistan's [[Karakalpakstan]] autonomous republic during Soviet years.

[[File:Eurasian steppe belt.jpg|thumb|The [[Kazakh Steppe]] is part of the [[Eurasian Steppe]] Belt (in {{Colorsample|#AAEEFF}} on the map).]]

It shares borders of {{convert|6846|km}}<!--per [[WP:MOSNUM]]--> with Russia, {{convert|2203|km}} with [[Uzbekistan]], {{convert|1533|km}} with China, {{convert|1051|km}} with [[Kyrgyzstan]], and {{convert|379|km}} with [[Turkmenistan]]. Major cities include [[Almaty]], [[Astana]], [[Shymkent]], [[Aktobe|Aktöbe]] and [[Karaganda|Karagandy]]. It lies between latitudes [[40th parallel north|40°]] and [[56th parallel north|56° N]], and longitudes [[46th meridian east|46°]] and [[88th meridian east|88° E]]. While located primarily in Asia, a [[European Kazakhstan|small portion]] of Kazakhstan is also located west of the [[Urals]] in Eastern Europe.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Kazakhstan – MSN Encarta |url=http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle.aspx?refid=761566451 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080601203047/http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle.aspx?refid=761566451 |archive-date= 1 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Kazakhstan's terrain extends west to east from the [[Caspian Sea]] to the [[Altay Mountains]] and north to south from the plains of [[Siberia|Western Siberia]] to the oases and deserts of Central Asia. The [[Kazakh Steppe]] (plain), with an area of around {{convert|804500|km2}}, occupies one-third of the country and is the world's largest dry [[steppe]] region. The steppe is characterised by large areas of [[grassland]]s and sandy regions. Major seas, lakes and rivers include [[Lake Balkhash]], [[Lake Zaysan]], the [[Charyn Canyon|Charyn River and gorge]], the [[Ili River|Ili]], [[Irtysh River|Irtysh]], [[Ishim River|Ishim]], [[Ural River|Ural]] and [[Syr Darya]] rivers, and the [[Aral Sea]] until it largely dried up in one of the world's worst environmental disasters.<ref>{{cite news|author=Daily Telegraph|title=Aral Sea 'one of the planet's worst environmental disasters'| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/7554679/Aral-Sea-one-of-the-planets-worst-environmental-disasters.html|date=5 April 2010|access-date=1 May 2010| location=London|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100408214552/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/7554679/Aral-Sea-one-of-the-planets-worst-environmental-disasters.html|archive-date=8 April 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[File:Steppe of western Kazakhstan in the early spring.jpg|thumb|The Kazakh Steppe in the early spring]]
The [[Charyn Canyon]] is {{convert|80|km}} long, cutting through a red [[sandstone]] plateau and stretching along the Charyn River gorge in northern [[Tian Shan]] ("Heavenly Mountains", {{convert|200|km|0|abbr=on}} east of Almaty) at {{coord|43|21|1.16|N|79|4|49.28|E|}}. The steep canyon slopes, columns and arches rise to heights of between {{convert|150|and|300|m|ft|abbr=off}}. The inaccessibility of the canyon provided a safe haven for a rare [[ash tree]], ''[[Fraxinus sogdiana]]'', which survived the [[Last Glacial Period|Ice Age]] there and has now also grown in some other areas.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.3390/d15060769|title=Anatomical Structure and Phytochemical Composition of a Rare Species Fraxinus sogdiana Bunge (Oleaceae) Growing in Different Soils in Kazakhstan|journal=Diversity|date=2023 |doi-access=free |last1=Aldibekova |first1=Almagul |last2=Kurmanbayeva |first2=Meruyert |last3=Aksoy |first3=Ahmet |last4=Permitina |first4=Valeria |last5=Dimeyeva |first5=Liliya |last6=Zverev |first6=Nikolai |volume=15 |issue=6 |page=769 |bibcode=2023Diver..15..769A }}</ref> [[Bigach crater]], at {{coord|48|30|N|82|00|E|}}, is a [[Pliocene]] or [[Miocene]] [[asteroid]] [[impact crater]], {{convert|8|km|0|abbr=on}} in diameter and estimated to be 5±3&nbsp;million years old.

Kazakhstan's [[Almaty]] region is also home to the [[Mynzhylky mountain plateau]].

=== Natural resources ===
{{See also|Energy in Kazakhstan}}
[[File:Reserve Karkaraly.jpg|thumb|[[Qarağandy Region]]]]

Kazakhstan has an abundant supply of accessible mineral and fossil fuel resources. Development of petroleum, natural gas, and mineral extractions has attracted most of the over $40&nbsp;billion in foreign investment in Kazakhstan since 1993 and accounts for some 57 percent of the nation's industrial output (or approximately 13 percent of gross domestic product). According to some estimates,<ref name="Homestead">[https://web.archive.org/web/20070507024507/http://www.homestead.com/prosites-kazakhembus/MineralWealth.html Mineral Wealth]. homestead.com</ref> Kazakhstan has the second largest [[uranium]], [[chromium]], lead, and [[zinc]] reserves; the third largest [[manganese]] reserves; the fifth largest copper reserves; and ranks in the top ten for coal, iron, and gold. In 2015, Kazakhstan's gold production is 64 metric tonnes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gold production |url=https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/gold-production?tab=table |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129233804/https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/gold-production?tab=table |archive-date=29 November 2023 |access-date=2024-12-17 |website=Our World in Data |url-status=live }}</ref> It is also an exporter of diamonds. Perhaps most significant for economic development, Kazakhstan also has the 11th largest proven reserves of both petroleum and natural gas.<ref>International Crisis Group. (May 2007). [http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/asia/central-asia/133-central-asias-energy-risks.aspx Central Asia's Energy Risks, Asia Report No. 133] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225435/http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/asia/central-asia/133-central-asias-energy-risks.aspx |date=3 March 2016 }}</ref> One such location is the [[Tokarevskoye gas condensate field]].

In total, there are 160 deposits with over {{convert|2.7|e9t|e9lt|abbr=off}} of petroleum. Oil explorations have shown that the deposits on the [[Caspian Sea|Caspian shore]] are only a small part of a much larger deposit. It is said that {{convert|3.5|e9t|e9lt|abbr=off}} of oil and {{convert|2.5|e9m3|e9cuft|abbr=off}} of gas could be found in that area. Overall the estimate of Kazakhstan's oil deposits is {{convert|6.1|e9t|e9lt|abbr=off}}. However, there are only three [[Oil refinery|refineries]] within the country, situated in [[Atirau|Atyrau]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kazworld.info/?p=58130|title=Company Overview of Atyrau Refinery LLP – KazWorld.info|work=kazworld.info|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026232217/http://kazworld.info/?p=58130|archive-date=26 October 2016}}</ref> [[Pavlodar]], and [[Şymkent]]. These are not capable of processing the total crude output, so much of it is exported to Russia. According to the US [[Energy Information Administration]], Kazakhstan was producing approximately {{convert|1540000|oilbbl}} of oil per day in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/cfapps/STEO_Query/steotables.cfm?periodType=Annual&startYear=2005&startMonth=1&endYear=2009&endMonth=12&tableNumber=29 |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20090409081928/http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/cfapps/STEO_Query/steotables.cfm?periodType=Annual&startYear=2005&startMonth=1&endYear=2009&endMonth=12&tableNumber=29 |archive-date= 9 April 2009 |title=Table 3b. Non-OPEC Petroleum Supply |work=U.S. Energy Information Administration. Independent Statistics and Analysis. |publisher=Tonto.eia.doe.gov |date=11 May 2010 |access-date=1 June 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Kazakhstan also possesses large deposits of [[phosphorite]]. Two of the largest deposits include the Karatau basin with 650 million tonnes of P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> and the Chilisai deposit of the [[:ru:Актобинский фосфоритоносный бассейн|Aqtobe phosphorite basin]] located in northwestern Kazakhstan, with resources of 500–800{{nbsp}}million tonnes of 9 percent ore.<ref>[http://www.sunkarresources.com/en/news/chilisai_Phosphate_Project_ore_reserve_update/ Chilisai Phosphate Project Ore Reserve Update] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402211127/http://www.sunkarresources.com/en/news/chilisai_phosphate_project_ore_reserve_update |date=2 April 2016 }} // SUNKAR RESOURCES PLC</ref><ref>[http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/country/1997/9422097.pdf#page=7 THE MINERAL INDUSTRY OF KAZAKHSTAN—1997] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130303091425/http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/country/1997/9422097.pdf |date=3 March 2013 }} // USGS: Phosphate Rock – Reserves</ref>

On 17 October 2013, the [[Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative]] (EITI) accepted Kazakhstan as "EITI Compliant", meaning that the country has a basic and functional process to ensure the regular disclosure of natural resource revenues.<ref>[http://eiti.org/news/kazakhstan-accepted-eiti-compliant Kazakhstan accepted as 'EITI Compliant'] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101051159/https://eiti.org/news/kazakhstan-accepted-eiti-compliant |date=1 January 2016 }}. EITI (17 October 2013). Retrieved 8 March 2014.</ref>

=== Climate ===
[[File:Koppen-Geiger Map v2 KAZ 1991–2020.svg|thumb|328x328px|Köppen–Geiger climate classification map at 1-km resolution for Kazakhstan 1991–2020]]
Kazakhstan has an "extreme" [[Continental climate|continental]] and [[Cold steppe|cold steppe climate]], and sits solidly inside the [[Eurasian Steppe|Eurasian steppe]], featuring the [[Kazakh Steppe|Kazakh steppe]], with hot summers and cold winters. Indeed, Astana is the second coldest capital city in the world, after [[Ulaanbaatar]]. [[Precipitation (meteorology)|Precipitation]] varies between arid and semi-arid conditions, the winter being particularly dry.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Coldest Capital Cities In The World|url=http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-coldest-capital-cities-in-the-world.html|website=WorldAtlas.com|access-date=15 January 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170108040732/http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-coldest-capital-cities-in-the-world.html|archive-date=8 January 2017}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto;"
|+Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for large cities in Kazakhstan<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/city.php3?c=KZ&name=Kazakhstan|title=Kazakhstan climate information|publisher=Weatherbase|access-date=4 February 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102193331/http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/city.php3?c=KZ&name=Kazakhstan|archive-date=2 January 2016}}</ref>
|-
!Location
!July (°C)
!July (°F)
!January (°C)
!January (°F)
|-
|[[Almaty]] || 30/18 || 86/64 || 0/−8 || 33/17
|-
|[[Şymkent]] || 32/17 || 91/66 || 4/−4 || 39/23
|-
|[[Qarağandy]] || 27/14 || 80/57 || −8/−17 || 16/1
|-
|[[Astana]]|| 27/15 || 80/59 || −10/−18 || 14/−1
|-
|[[Pavlodar]] || 28/15 || 82/59 || −11/−20 || 12/−5
|-
|[[Aqtobe]] || 30/15 || 86/61 || −8/−16 || 17/2
|}

=== Wildlife ===
{{Main|Wildlife of Kazakhstan}}
[[File:Vulpes corsac.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Corsac fox]]]]

There are ten [[List of protected areas of Kazakhstan|nature reserves]] and ten [[List of national parks of Kazakhstan|national parks]] in Kazakhstan that provide safe haven for many rare and endangered plants and animals. In total there are twenty five [[Conservancy areas of Kazakhstan|areas of conservancy]]. Common plants are ''[[Astragalus (plant)|Astragalus]]'', ''[[Gagea]]'', ''[[Allium]]'', ''[[Carex]]'' and ''[[Oxytropis]]''; endangered plant species include native wild apple (''[[Malus sieversii]]''), wild grape (''[[Vitis vinifera]]'') and several wild [[tulip]] species (e.g., ''[[Tulipa greigii]]'') and rare onion species ''[[Allium karataviense]]'', also ''[[Iris willmottiana]]'' and ''[[Tulipa kaufmanniana]]''.<ref>A.F. Kovshar (Ed.): ''Monitoring biologicheskogo raznoobraziya Zapovednika Aksu-Dzhabagly''. In: ''Tethys Biodiversity Research''. Tom 1, S. 17–21.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Celestial Silk Road 5th–21st June 2016 |url=http://www.viranatura.com/Product_100001_Celestial-Silk-Road-5th-21st-June-2016 |publisher=viranatura.com |access-date=26 May 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305045058/http://www.viranatura.com/Product_100001_Celestial-Silk-Road-5th-21st-June-2016 |archive-date=5 March 2016}}</ref> Kazakhstan had a 2019 [[Forest Landscape Integrity Index]] mean score of 8.23/10, ranking it 26th globally out of 172 countries.<ref name="FLII-Supplementary">{{cite journal|last1=Grantham|first1=H. S.|last2=Duncan|first2=A.|last3=Evans|first3=T. D.|last4=Jones|first4=K. R.|last5=Beyer|first5=H. L.|last6=Schuster|first6=R.|last7=Walston|first7=J.|last8=Ray|first8=J. C.|last9=Robinson|first9=J. G.|last10=Callow|first10=M.|last11=Clements|first11=T.|last12=Costa|first12=H. M.|last13=DeGemmis|first13=A.|last14=Elsen|first14=P. R.|last15=Ervin|first15=J.|last16=Franco|first16=P.|last17=Goldman|first17=E.|last18=Goetz|first18=S.|last19=Hansen|first19=A.|last20=Hofsvang|first20=E.|last21=Jantz|first21=P.|last22=Jupiter|first22=S.|last23=Kang|first23=A.|last24=Langhammer|first24=P.|last25=Laurance|first25=W. F.|last26=Lieberman|first26=S.|last27=Linkie|first27=M.|last28=Malhi|first28=Y.|last29=Maxwell|first29=S.|last30=Mendez|first30=M.|last31=Mittermeier|first31=R.|last32=Murray|first32=N. J.|last33=Possingham|first33=H.|last34=Radachowsky|first34=J.|last35=Saatchi|first35=S.|last36=Samper|first36=C.|last37=Silverman|first37=J.|last38=Shapiro|first38=A.|last39=Strassburg|first39=B.|last40=Stevens|first40=T.|last41=Stokes|first41=E.|last42=Taylor|first42=R.|last43=Tear|first43=T.|last44=Tizard|first44=R.|last45=Venter|first45=O.|last46=Visconti|first46=P.|last47=Wang|first47=S.|last48=Watson|first48=J. E. M.|title=Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity – Supplementary Material|journal=Nature Communications|volume=11|issue=1|year=2020|page=5978|issn=2041-1723|doi=10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3|pmid=33293507|pmc=7723057|bibcode=2020NatCo..11.5978G |doi-access=free}}</ref>

Common mammals include the [[wolf]], [[red fox]], [[corsac fox]], [[moose]], [[argali]] (the largest species of sheep), [[Eurasian lynx]], [[Pallas's cat]], and [[snow leopards]], several of which are protected.
Kazakhstan's Red Book of Protected Species lists 125 vertebrates including many birds and mammals, and 404 plants including fungi, algae and lichens.<ref>{{cite web|title=Red Book|url=http://enrin.grida.no/biodiv/biodiv/national/kazakh/nav/species/red.htm|publisher=[[United Nations Environment Programme]] (UNEP)|access-date=8 December 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205173757/http://enrin.grida.no/biodiv/biodiv/national/kazakh/nav/species/red.htm|archive-date=5 February 2017}}</ref>

[[Przewalski's horse]] has been reintroduced to the steppes after nearly 200 years.<ref>{{cite web |date=14 June 2024 |title=Wild Przewalski's horses return to Kazakhstan after 200 years |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/6/14/wild-przewalskis-horses-return-to-kazakhstan-after-200-years}}</ref>