Contents
- 10 One of the world leaders in metal mining
- 9. Second place in world uranium reserves
- 8. Longest land border in the world (Kazakhstan and Russia)
- 7. The first horses were domesticated in the country
- 6. Baikonur – the world’s first and largest cosmodrome
- 5. Temperature fluctuations during the year can be up to 100 degrees
- 4. The world’s largest high-mountain skating rink “Medeo”
- 3. Kok-Tobe is the tallest TV tower in the world
- 2. “Khan-Shatyr” – the largest tent in the world
- 1. In Lake Balkhash, half of the water is fresh, the other is salty
Kazakhstan is located in the central part of the Eurasian continent and covers an area of 2,72 million km2. The population of the country is 18,59 million people, of which more than 1,8 million live in the capital. The history of the state dates back to the Paleolithic.
Kazakhstan borders on China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Russia. This country can rightfully be considered modern and original, with a rich history and culture.
The Great Steppe is considered to be the century-old historical heritage and the so-called “visiting card” of the country. Kazakhstan is a country in which an untouched civilization with its steppe beauty, taiga, mountains and national parks of the ancient Tien Shan and a modern capital with high technologies coexist absolutely calmly.
In this article, we will talk about 10 interesting facts about Kazakhstan.
10 One of the world leaders in metal mining
Kazakhstan is one of the world leaders in metal mining. According to estimates, the state has the second largest reserves of lead, chromium, uranium, zinc; the third – manganese; fifth – copper. In addition, the country is among the top ten in the extraction of iron and coal, ranks eleventh in terms of oil and natural gas reserves.
The republic is one of the three leaders in the extraction of non-ferrous metals in the CIS countries and is in 10th place in the world in terms of discovered gold deposits. There are about 190 deposits of silver, gold and diamonds, 160 oil deposits on the territory of the country.
9. Second place in world uranium reserves
Uranium is the main element used in nuclear power. The reserves of this substance are found only in a few deposits on Earth.
Kazakhstan ranks second in world uranium reserves. The total volume of this element is 629 tons, which is about 11,8% of the total terrestrial reserve. In total, there are 16 developed deposits in the country. Mining is carried out under the control of the Kazatoprom company.
8. Longest land border in the world (Kazakhstan and Russia)
Each state has borders with its neighbors. Between Kazakhstan and Russia is the longest land border in the world. Its length is 7512,8 km.
7. The first horses were domesticated in the country
During the Paleolithic era, images of horses were common on cave walls. However, these were wild animals, and they were drawn as an object of hunting.
The process of taming horses for the purpose of using them in agriculture and household chores is a significant and important event. According to historical data, this happened by the beginning of the 4th millennium BC in the Botai culture (modern Kazakhstan). That is the first horses were domesticated in this country.
From the second half of the 4th millennium to the end of the 3rd millennium, the domestic horse became an integral part of the culture of the peoples living on the territory of Eurasia. Horses were used in agriculture and military affairs.
6. Baikonur – the world’s first and largest cosmodrome
On the territory of Kazakhstan there is a cosmodrome built in the days of the USSR. The object became the property of the independent Republic of Kazakhstan after the collapse of the Union, at the moment it is leased by Russia.
Baikonur – the world’s first and largest cosmodrome. Translated from the Kazakh language, its name means “rich valley».
For many years, Baikonur has been the leading cosmodrome in terms of the number of rocket launches for various purposes. For example, in 2015, 18 rocket launches were made from Baikonur. But since 2016, the US spaceport Cape Canaveral has become a leader.
5. Temperature fluctuations during the year can be up to 100 degrees
The country is located in the center of the land and away from the seas, therefore it has a sharply continental climate with pronounced four seasons. Temperature fluctuations during the year can be up to 100 degrees.
In the north of the country there is a winter with a harsh climate and a short summer. In the south of the country, the situation is exactly the opposite, there is a short winter period, but a long and hot summer.
Due to this difference, a significant difference in temperature conditions is recorded on the territory of the country. In winter, degrees drop to -40 – -50ºС, and in summer the temperature reaches +40 – + 50ºС.
4. The world’s largest high-mountain skating rink “Medeo”
Near the capital of the country, the city of Nar-Sultan, is located the world’s largest high-mountain skating rink “Medeo”. Translated from the Kazakh language, this name means “support” or “support”. The skating rink was built at an altitude of 1691 m above sea level.
This building is part of a high-altitude complex designed for winter sports. The skating rink was opened on December 28, 1972. The area of this artificial ice rink is 10,5 thousand m2.
Pure mountain water is used to fill the entire area of the skating rink, which may be why this arena has become a forge of records. Over the entire history of the skating rink, more than 200 world records in speed skating at various distances have been set.
3. Kok-Tobe is the tallest TV tower in the world
Kok-Tobe is a mountain 1130 meters above sea level, which is located near the capital of the country. The famous Alma-Ata television tower is located on the slope of this mountain. “Kok-Tobe” – the highest TV tower in the world. Its own height is 372 meters. And the total height due to its location on the mountain is 1452 meters above sea level.
The construction of the tower was carried out from 1975 to 1983, the official commissioning took place on June 1, 1984. The total weight of the tower is about 7 thousand tons. Given the location in a mountainous area, the design of the tower is made with a 10-point seismic resistance.
2. “Khan-Shatyr” – the largest tent in the world
“Khan-Shatyr” – the largest tent in the world. This facility was built in the capital of Nar-Sultan and houses a modern shopping and entertainment complex, which is included in the Guinness Book of Records for its huge size. The world-famous tent opened on July 6, 2010. The total area of the center is 127 thousand m2.
Khan-Shatyr houses entertainment venues and retail outlets. There you can find cafes and restaurants, a supermarket, cinemas, various sports halls, a park for joint family entertainment, an aqua park with various types of pools, as well as utility rooms and a car park with 700 parking spaces.
The main attraction of the tent is the beach resort inside. A tropical climate has been recreated indoors, plants have been planted, and the temperature is maintained at +35 degrees all year round.
Artificial sandy beaches are equipped with a heating system that allows you to create the absolute reality of the sea coast. Sand for this beach resort was specially brought from the Maldives.
1. In Lake Balkhash, half of the water is fresh, the other is salty
Balkhash is a never-ending salt lake. It ranks second in size after the Caspian Sea. This lake is one of the largest lakes in the world and ranks 14th in the general list. Balkhash is located in the southeast of the country and belongs to closed lakes. Its uniqueness is that half of the water is fresh, the other is salty.
The lake is divided into two parts by a strait, in each of the parts a different chemical composition of water is observed. In the eastern part, the water is brackish in composition, and in its western part, the water is almost fresh.