The first associations that an unenlightened person encounters when mentioning this country are the steppes, sand, the sun, sheep and, possibly, mountains ... However, the lakes of Kazakhstan are what, in principle, should primarily be associated with this republic. After all, here they are no less than 48,262! Impressive?
But that is 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 southeastern Kazakhstan and, after the Caspian Sea, is considered the second largest non-perennial salt lake. However, its feature is that it is not completely salty. A narrow strait divides this reservoir into two parts. One of them consists of salt water, the second of fresh water. In the list of the largest lakes in the world, Balkhash occupies the thirteenth place.
Lakes of Kazakhstan are located on the territory of the republic somewhat unevenly. So, in the north there are most of them - 45%, in the south and in the center - 36%, in other regions - only 19%. The largest of them is the Aral Sea, 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 shallow somewhat, and in 1989 it completely fell apart into two separate reservoirs from each other - the North and South Aral Sea. The first is much smaller than the second, therefore it is called the Small, and the South - the Great Aral Sea.
The largest inland lake, called the Caspian Sea, for more than two thousand kilometers washes the north, northeast and east of Kazakhstan. But the lakes located inside the republic are also striking in their size. So, for example, Lake Alakol, located in the southeast of the republic, has an area of about 2.2 thousand square kilometers. The water in it is salty, 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 tourist infrastructure in these places. Today, resorts on the coastal line 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 boast 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 thanks to the incredibly bright and rich colors of the water surface. Today the mountain lakes of Kazakhstan, whose photos amaze the imagination of the most sophisticated tourists, attract the attention of thousands of travelers. Incredibly beautiful wildlife, living flora and fauna and hospitable residents provide vacationers with an unforgettable vacation experience.
Today, the republic’s authorities are beginning to pay more attention to the possibility of developing tourism infrastructure in Kazakhstan, using the wealth and attractiveness of its lakes. And this means that soon the majority of people unfamiliar with this country, when remembering it, will have associations primarily with the clear blue water of its vast reservoirs.