Everything about The Kazakh Steppe totally explained
The
Kazakh Steppe or
Kirghiz Steppe, is a vast region of open grassland in northern
Kazakhstan and adjacent portions of
Russia, extending to the east of the
Pontic steppe and to the west of the
Emin Valley steppe, with which it forms part of the
Eurasian steppe.
Setting
The
steppe extends more than 2,200 km from the area east of the
Caspian Depression and north of the
Aral Sea, all the way to the
Altai Mountains. It is the largest dry steppe region on earth, covering approximately 804,500 square kilometers. The Kazakh Steppe lies at the southern end of the
Ural Mountains, the traditional dividing line between
Europe and
Asia. Much of the steppe is considered to be either semi-desert or desert. The
Turan Lowland lies in the southwestern part of the steppe, but elevation increases as one travels east or to the northern parts of the steppe, with a few exceptions.
The
Pontic Steppe lies to the west and northwest. To the north and northeast of the Kazakh Steppe lies the
Kazakh forest steppe, an ecoregion of pine groves interspersed with grasslands that forms a transition between the Kazakh steppe and the forests of Siberia. To the south lies the
Kazakh semi-desert and the
Kazakh upland ecoregions. The
Kokchetav Massif in north-central Kazakhstan harbors an enclave of the Kazakh upland, distinct from the Kazakh steppe which surrounds it at lower elevations.
Climate
The region receives from 200mm to 400mm of rainfall in an average year, with more rain falling in the northern areas of the steppe. Average temperatures in July range from 20C to 26C, and -12C to -18C in January. The climate can be compared to that of the Canadian Prairies. Very high winds sweep across the plains at times.
Flora
Because of low rainfall, the steppe has few trees, and consists of mostly grasslands and large, sandy areas.
Fauna
Animals that can be found in the steppes of Kazakhstan include the
Saiga Antelope,
Siberian Roe Deer,
wolves,
foxes and
badgers.
People
The western part of the Kazakh Steppe is very sparsely populated, with between two and three people per square kilometer. As one heads east across the plains, the population density increases to between four and seven people per square kilometer.
Kazakh people make up the majority of the people living in the area. Russia leases approximately 7,360 square kilometers in the southern region of the steppe for the world's oldest
space launch facility,
Baikonur Cosmodrome.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Kazakh Steppe'.
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