From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mangystau (Kazakh: Маңғыстау облысы, Mañğıstaw oblısı) is a province of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Aktau (a seaport), which has a population of 154,500 (2004 census); the entire Mangystau province has a population of 373,400.
[edit] Geography
The province is located in the southwest of the country, and includes Mangyshlak Peninsula. It has much of Kazakhstan's Caspian Shore. It also borders neighboring countries Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Mangystau also borders two other Kazakh provinces: Aktobe Province and Atyrau Province. The area of the province is 165,600 square kilometers. Engineers discovered petroleum in the area in the days of the Soviet Union, drilling commenced, and much of the area was built up around the industry.
The territory of Mangystau includes lots of different landscapes and desert lands: Caspian lowland, platos - Usturt, Mangyshlak, Kendirli-Kayasan, mountains - Aktau, Karatau, cavities, desert, mountains and mountain ridges. That kind of landscape forms an original multigraded labyrinth, painted with green, yellow, pink and red sediment of loam. The highest points is Otpan mountain - 556 m. The lowest point is the bottom of Karagie cavity - 132 metres below sea level.
[edit] Climate
Due to its vast territory, the province has a wide variety of climate conditions. The climate of north Mangystau is cold in winter due to its settlement in Usturt plateau, the location of the plateau is mainly above sea level. In the whole, the climate is continental with cold winter and mild summer. The average temperature on January is- -3°C, on July - +26°C. Average annual rainfall - 150mm.
[edit] History
The first written sources about ancient territory of Mangystau province dates back to the 1890's.
[edit] Demographics
According to the 1999 Census, Kazakhs (50.9%) outnumbered ethnic Russians (32.9%) by a wide margin. [1]
Mangystau Province in winter times
[edit] External links
[edit] References
 Mangystau Province |
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Kazakhstan
