East Kazakhstan Region ( kk, Шығыс Қазақстан облысы, translit=Şyğys Qazaqstan oblysy; russian: Восточно-Казахстанская область, Vostochno-Kazakhstanskaya oblast) is a
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...
of
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
. It occupies the easternmost part of Kazakhstan, and includes parts of the
Irtysh River
The Irtysh ( otk, 𐰼𐱅𐰾:𐰇𐰏𐰕𐰏, Ertis ügüzüg, mn, Эрчис мөрөн, ''Erchis mörön'', "erchleh", "twirl"; russian: Иртыш; kk, Ертіс, Ertis, ; Chinese: 额尔齐斯河, pinyin: ''É'ěrqísī hé'', Xiao'e ...
,
Lake Markakol, and
Lake Zaysan.
Its administrative center is
Oskemen
Oskemen ( kk, Өскемен, translit=Öskemen ), or Ust-Kamenogorsk (russian: Усть-Каменого́рск), is the administrative center of East Kazakhstan Region of Kazakhstan. Population:
Name
The city has two official names. In th ...
(also known as Ust'-Kamenogorsk).
The region borders
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...
in the north and northeast and the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...
, via
Xinjiang
Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwes ...
, in the south and southeast. The easternmost point of the Oblast is within about 50 kilometres of the westernmost tip of
Mongolia
Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million ...
; however, Kazakhstan and Mongolia do not share a common border, the two countries being separated by a small part of Russia and China.
The region was created by the merger of two Soviet-era Kazakhstan
oblast
An oblast (; ; Cyrillic (in most languages, including Russian and Ukrainian): , Bulgarian: ) is a type of administrative division of Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Ukraine, as well as the Soviet Union and the Kingdo ...
s: the old Vostochno-Kazakhstanskaya (East Kazakhstan) Oblast and
Semipalatinsk Oblast. On 17 March 2022, it was announced that East Kazakhstan region would be divided, creating the
Abai Region. This came into force on 8 June 2022, with eight districts of East Kazakhstan Region being transferred to the new region. The new border dividing Abai Region and East Kazakhstan region roughly corresponds to the border that existed between the two Soviet-era Oblasts.
Geography
East Kazakhstan Region borders the Kazakh regions of
Pavlodar Region to the northwest,
Karaganda Region
Karaganda Region ( kk, Qarağandy oblysy; russian: Карагандинская область, translit=Karagandinskaja oblast′), also spelled Qaraghandy Region, is a region of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Karaganda.
On 17 March 2022 it was a ...
to the west,
Almaty Region
Almaty Region ( kk, Алматы облысы, Almaty oblysy; russian: Алматинская область, Almatinskaya oblast) is a region in Kazakhstan, located in the southeastern part of the country. Its capital, from 1997 to 2022 was the ...
to the south, Russia's
Altai Krai
Altai Krai (russian: Алта́йский край, r=Altaysky kray, p=ɐlˈtajskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subject of Russia (a krai). It borders clockwise from the west, Kazakhstan ( East Kazakhstan Region and Pavlodar Region), Novosibirsk an ...
and
Altai Republic
The Altai Republic (; russian: Респу́блика Алта́й, Respublika Altay, ; Altai: , ''Altay Respublika''), also known as Gorno-Altai Republic, and colloquially, and primarily referred to in Russian to distinguish from the neighbour ...
to the north and China's
Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwest ...
to the east.
The region occupies a very diverse range of geographic and climatic regions with the
Altai Mountains
The Altai Mountains (), also spelled Altay Mountains, are a mountain range in Central and East Asia, where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan converge, and where the rivers Irtysh and Ob have their headwaters. The massif merges with the ...
in the east and the eastern margins of the
Kazakh Steppe in the west of the region.
Demographics
As of 2020, the East Kazakhstan Region has a population of 1,369,597.
Ethnic groups (2020):
*
Kazakh: 61.08%
*
Russian: 35.56%
*
Tatar
The Tatars ()[Tatar]
in the Collins English Dictionary is an umbrella term for different : 1.16%
*
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
: 0.92%
*Others: 1.28%
Administrative divisions
The region is administratively divided into fifteen districts and the cities of
Oskemen
Oskemen ( kk, Өскемен, translit=Öskemen ), or Ust-Kamenogorsk (russian: Усть-Каменого́рск), is the administrative center of East Kazakhstan Region of Kazakhstan. Population:
Name
The city has two official names. In th ...
(Ust-Kamenogorsk),
Ayagoz,
Kurchatov,
Ridder,
Semey
Semey ( kk, Семей, Semei, سەمەي; cyrl, Семей ), until 2007 known as Semipalatinsk (russian: Семипала́тинск) and in 1917–1920 as Alash-kala ( kk, Алаш-қала, ''Alaş-qala''), is a city in eastern Kazakhs ...
(Semipalatinsk), and
Zyryanovsk
Altai ( kk, Алтай, translit=Altai, russian: Алтай, translit=Altai), until 2019 known as Zyryan ( kk, Зырян, ''Zyrian'') or Zyryanovsk (russian: Зыряновск) is a town of regional significance in East Kazakhstan Region of ...
.
#
Abay District, with the administrative center in the
selo of
Karauyl;
#
Ayagoz District
Ayagoz ( kk, Аякөз ауданы, ; اياكٶز اۋدانى) is a district of Abai Region in eastern Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and part ...
, the town of
Ayagoz;
#
Beskaragay District, the selo of
Beskaragay;
#
Borodulikha District, the selo of
Borodulikha;
#
Glubokoye District, the settlement of
Glubokoye;
#
Katonkaragay District
Katonkaragay, also spelled Katon-Karagay ( kk, Қатонқарағай ауданы, translit=Qatonqarağai audany) is a district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. A ...
, the selo of
Ulken Narym;
#
Kokpekti District
Kokpekti ( kk, Көкпекті ауданы, translit=Kökpektı audany) is a district of the East Kazakhstan & Abai
Abai or ABAI may refer to:
People
* Abai (martyr) (died 363), saint of the Syrian Church
* Abai Ikwechegh (born 1923), Nigeria ...
, the selo of
Kokpekti;
#
Kurshim District, the selo of
Kurshim;
#
Shemonaikha District
Shemonaikha ( kk, Шемонаиха ауданы, ) is a district of East Kazakhstan Region in eastern Kazakhstan. The administrative center of the district is the town of Shemonaikha. Population:
Geography
Located in the north of East Kaz ...
, the town of
Shemonaikha;
#
Tarbagatay District
Tarbagatay ( kk, Тарбағатай ауданы, ) is a district of the East Kazakhstan and Abai
regions in eastern Kazakhstan. The administrative center of the district is the selo of Aksuat. Population:
Climate
Very continental. Win ...
, the selo of
Aksuat;
#
Ulan District
Ulan ( kk, Ұлан ауданы, ) is a district of Abai Region in eastern Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borde ...
, the settlement of
Molodyozhny;
#
Urzhar District, the selo of
Urzhar
Urzhar ( kk, Үржар, ''Úrjar'') is a village in the Urzhar river valley and the administrative center of Urzhar District in the Abai Region of Kazakhstan. Population:
Notable residents
* Almat Kebispayev (born 1987) - Kazakh wrestler, ...
;
#
Zaysan District
Zaysan ( kk, Зайсан ауданы, ) is a district of East Kazakhstan Region in eastern Kazakhstan. The administrative center of the district is the town of Zaysan Zaysan or Zaisan (Cyrillic: Зайсан) can refer to:
*Lake Zaysan
Lake Zay ...
, the town of
Zaysan;
#
Zharma District, the selo of
Kalbatau (Georgiyevka);
#
Zyryan District
Altai ( kk, Алтай ауданы, translit=Altai audany; russian: Район Алтай, translit=Raion Altai), until 2019 known as Zyryan ( kk, Зырян ауданы, ) or Zyryanovsk (russian: Зыряновский район) is a distric ...
, the town of
Zyryanovsk
Altai ( kk, Алтай, translit=Altai, russian: Алтай, translit=Altai), until 2019 known as Zyryan ( kk, Зырян, ''Zyrian'') or Zyryanovsk (russian: Зыряновск) is a town of regional significance in East Kazakhstan Region of ...
.
* The following ten localities in East Kazakhstan Region have town status:
Oskemen
Oskemen ( kk, Өскемен, translit=Öskemen ), or Ust-Kamenogorsk (russian: Усть-Каменого́рск), is the administrative center of East Kazakhstan Region of Kazakhstan. Population:
Name
The city has two official names. In th ...
(Ust-Kamenogorsk),
Ayagoz,
Charsk (Shar),
Kurchatov,
Ridder,
Semey
Semey ( kk, Семей, Semei, سەمەي; cyrl, Семей ), until 2007 known as Semipalatinsk (russian: Семипала́тинск) and in 1917–1920 as Alash-kala ( kk, Алаш-қала, ''Alaş-qala''), is a city in eastern Kazakhs ...
(Semipalatinsk),
Serebryansk
Serebryansk ( kz, Серебрянск, ''Serebriansk''; russian: Серебрянск) is a town in Zyryan District in East Kazakhstan Region of eastern Kazakhstan. Population: The town is located on the right bank of the Irtysh River, downstr ...
,
Shemonaikha,
Zaysan, and
Zyryanovsk
Altai ( kk, Алтай, translit=Altai, russian: Алтай, translit=Altai), until 2019 known as Zyryan ( kk, Зырян, ''Zyrian'') or Zyryanovsk (russian: Зыряновск) is a town of regional significance in East Kazakhstan Region of ...
.
Economy
East Kazakhstan Region's economy is dominated by industry, particularly the
metallurgy industry, although the region also has a significant
energy industry
The energy industry is the totality of all of the industries involved in the production and sale of energy, including fuel extraction, manufacturing, refining and distribution. Modern society consumes large amounts of fuel, and the energy indus ...
,
forestry
Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. ...
industry,
food industry
The food industry is a complex, global network of diverse businesses that supplies most of the food consumed by the world's population. The food industry today has become highly diversified, with manufacturing ranging from small, traditional, ...
, and various
light industries.
₸619.4 billion was invested in the regional economy, an increase of 23.0%. A significant increase in investment was observed in industry (30.6%), transport and warehousing (36.2%), agriculture (13.8%), and construction (7.2%). Investments in fixed assets increased by 5.4% to ₸59.7 billion.
Since 2010, 74 investment projects have been implemented, at a value of ₸1.3 trillion, creating 17,600 jobs, including 3 projects of national significance.
For the period from 2010 to 2019, 50 projects were commissioned for a total of ₸731.4 billion, creating 8,600 jobs, including 4 projects in 2019 for a total of ₸24.1 billion, creating 164 jobs.
In 2020, the region plans to implement 5 projects totaling ₸16.0 billion, creating 610 jobs.
From 2021 to 2025, the region plans to implement 19 projects with a total investment of ₸555.0 billion and the creation of 8.4 thousand new jobs.
Significant industrial projects planned by the region include the construction of an automobile plant and industrial park for the production of automotive components in
Oskemen
Oskemen ( kk, Өскемен, translit=Öskemen ), or Ust-Kamenogorsk (russian: Усть-Каменого́рск), is the administrative center of East Kazakhstan Region of Kazakhstan. Population:
Name
The city has two official names. In th ...
under the
joint-stock company
A joint-stock company is a business entity in which shares of the company's stock can be bought and sold by shareholders. Each shareholder owns company stock in proportion, evidenced by their shares (certificates of ownership). Shareholders a ...
"Asia Auto Kazakhstan" in 2021, and the expansion of processing capacities of Aktogay GOK by duplicating the existing sulfide factory run by KAZ Minerals Aktogay LLP in 2021.
In January–February 2020, ₸59.7 billion was invested in the regional economy, with an increase of 105.4%.
Agriculture
During the first half of 2020, the region's agricultural output totaled ₸157.1 billion, of which, ₸155.9 billion came from cattle breeding, and ₸1.1 billion came from crop growing.
Investments in agricultural fixed assets in the first half of 2020 totaled to ₸14.7 billion.
In the first half of 2020, 1.371. million hectares of crops were sown.
During that time, the region recorded 1.2777 million heads of cattle, 477.4 thousand heads of horses, and 2.1759 million heads of sheep and goats.
Industry
In the first half of 2020, the region's industrial output totaled ₸1.0973 trillion.
During this period, the region's
mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the econom ...
industry accounted for ₸286.7 billion in output, the
metallurgy industry accounted for ₸489.5 billion, the
machine-building industry accounted for ₸120.4 billion, the
chemicals industry accounted for ₸10.9 billion,
woodworking
Woodworking is the skill of making items from wood, and includes cabinet making (cabinetry and furniture), wood carving, joinery, carpentry, and woodturning.
History
Along with stone, clay and animal parts, wood was one of the first mate ...
accounted for ₸2.5 billion,
light industry
Light industry are industries that usually are less capital-intensive than heavy industry and are more consumer-oriented than business-oriented, as they typically produce smaller consumer goods. Most light industry products are produced for ...
accounted for ₸2.3 billion, and another ₸185 billion came from other industries.
The bulk of the region's metallurgical products are exported.
The region's machine-building industry mostly produces mining equipment, equipment for
mineral processing, oil and gas production, industrial capacitors, cables and wires, and vehicles.
Education
As of 2019, the region has 312 libraries, 10 museums, and 1 "institution for the protection of historical and cultural heritage".
Culture
As of 2019, the region has 301 culture clubs, 2 theaters, a zoo, 9 "houses of friendship", 6 cinemas, and 3 parks.
In 2018, the
Kazakhstan Ministry of Culture has funded archaeological excavations into the and other nearby sites in the region to uncover cultural artifacts.
Tourism
The East Kazakhstan Region and neighboring
Almaty Region
Almaty Region ( kk, Алматы облысы, Almaty oblysy; russian: Алматинская область, Almatinskaya oblast) is a region in Kazakhstan, located in the southeastern part of the country. Its capital, from 1997 to 2022 was the ...
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Lake Alakol, a major domestic tourist site. In 2013,
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...
established the
Alakol Biosphere Reserve
The Alakol Biosphere Reserve (established 2013) is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve located in Kazakhstan, within the desert zone of Eurasia in the central part of the Alakol inter-mountain depression. The reserve lies on the Central Asian–Indian b ...
, stating that the lake and its surroundings are an important part of the
Central Asian Flyway.
Birds native to the lake include the
Dalmatian Pelican, the
Eurasian Spoonbill, the
Greater Flamingo, and the
Ferruginous Duck.
The lake's color changes during the day, from azure-blue in the morning to purple at sunset. On sunny days the lake has a notably bright color, and on cloudy days the water is dark grey. The improvement of infrastructure near the lake, as well as its alleged medicinal properties, have led to increased tourism in recent years.
The
Altai Alps ski resort, in the town of approximately 24 kilometres east of
Oskemen
Oskemen ( kk, Өскемен, translit=Öskemen ), or Ust-Kamenogorsk (russian: Усть-Каменого́рск), is the administrative center of East Kazakhstan Region of Kazakhstan. Population:
Name
The city has two official names. In th ...
, serves as a popular skiing destination.
The and the
Katon-Karagay National Park
Katon-Karagay National Park ( kk, Катонқараға́й мемлекетті́к ұлтты́қ табиғи́ паркі́, ''Katonqarağai memlekettık ūlttyq tabiği parkı'') is the largest national park in Kazakhstan, located on the eas ...
are both located in the
Katonkaragay District
Katonkaragay, also spelled Katon-Karagay ( kk, Қатонқарағай ауданы, translit=Qatonqarağai audany) is a district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. A ...
in the northeastern part of the region.
Sport
The region sent a
bandy team to the
Spartakiade 2009 and finished third.
See also
*
Semipalatinsk Test Site
References
External links
Official regional administration website
{{Authority control
Regions of Kazakhstan