The first associations that arise in an unenlightened person at the mention of this country are steppes, sand, sun, sheep and, possibly, mountains … However, the lakes of Kazakhstan are what, in principle, should first of all be associated with this republic. After all, there are neither more nor less of them - 48,262! Impressive?
But that's not all. Twenty-one of them have an area of more than one hundred square kilometers. The Caspian and Aral Seas are the lakes of Kazakhstan that wash the republic. On its territory there is also one of the largest lakes in the world in terms of area - Balkhash. It is located in the southeast of Kazakhstan and after the Caspian Sea is considered the second largest non-drying s alt lake. However, its peculiarity is that it is not quite s alty. A narrow strait divides this reservoir into two parts. One of them is s alt water, the other is fresh water. In the list of the largest lakes in the world, Balkhash ranks thirteenth.
The lakes of Kazakhstan are located somewhat unevenly across the territory of the republic. So, in the north they are the most - 45%, in the south and in the center - 36%, in other regions - only 19%. The largest area of them is the Aralsea, which is located on the border of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Until 1960, this reservoir was considered the fourth largest in the world. Since that time, the lake has become somewhat shallow, and in 1989 it completely split into two separate reservoirs - the North and South Aral Seas. The first is much smaller than the second, which is why it is called the Small, and the South - the Big Aral Sea.
The world's largest closed lake, called the Caspian Sea, washes the north, northeast and east of Kazakhstan for more than two thousand kilometers. But the lakes located inside the republic are also striking in their size. For example, Lake Alakol, located in the south-east of the republic, has an area of about 2.2 thousand square kilometers. The water in it is s alty, its composition is sodium chloride.
The swimming season on Alakol lasts more than three months, the water is considered healing, which stimulated the development of tourism infrastructure in these places. Today, resorts on the coastline of this lake are very popular not only among Kazakhs, but also among foreigners.
All lakes of Kazakhstan are conditionally divided into steppe and mountain. The former can boast of unique migratory birds, of which there are hundreds of species. The second are the so-called blue lakes of Kazakhstan, the map of which is combined with the mountain ranges of the republic. They got their name due to the incredibly bright and rich colors of the water surface. Today, the mountain lakes of Kazakhstan, the photos of which amaze the imagination of the most sophisticated tourists, attractto the attention of thousands of travelers. Incredibly beautiful wildlife, vibrant flora and fauna and hospitable residents provide vacationers with an unforgettable holiday experience.
Today, the authorities of the republic are increasingly beginning to pay attention to the possibility of developing tourism infrastructure in Kazakhstan, using the we alth and attractiveness of its lakes. And this means that soon the majority of people unfamiliar with this country, when remembering it, will first of all associate with the clear blue water of its endless reservoirs.
