Natural areas of the state of Kazakhstan. The natural zone of the forest-steppe, its characteristics and features

What are the natural zones of Kazakhstan geographers? How many are there? What are the natural and landscape features of the territory of this state? This will be discussed in our article.

Landscapes of Kazakhstan and the main features of nature

The largest state of Central Asia is Kazakhstan. The natural zone, which occupies most of it, is a zone of deserts and semi-deserts. The country has no access to the World Ocean, but it is washed by the waters of the inland seas (Aral and Caspian).

The nature of Kazakhstan is unusual, diverse and in its own way magnificent, even in spite of its general severity. The country's territory is mostly flat, with mountain ranges only in the extreme west (the Urals) and the east (Altai). Almost half of the area of Kazakhstan is occupied by desert and semi-desert landscapes. But forest landscapes are extremely rare.

The climate of the country is distinguished by its considerable continentality. So, in winter in some regions of Kazakhstan the air temperature can drop to 50 degrees with a minus sign, and in the summer rise to +50.

Natural Zones and their features: Kazakhstan

The natural zone is a fairly large natural complex, which is characterized by the generality of such conditions as:

• Temperature regime;
• Coefficient of moistening;
• Soil;
• vegetable world;
• animal world.

Does Kazakhstan have such natural complexes?

The natural zone in any part of the planet is determined by the ratio of heat and moisture. Kazakhstan has a significant landscape diversity. Here you can see huge massifs of deserts, wild vast steppes, harsh mountain peaks and even forests.

The natural zones of Kazakhstan differ in terms of climatic characteristics, soil, flora and fauna. Very often within a single zone there are small areas, similar in physical and geographical characteristics to another natural area of the country. Typically, this is due to the increased continentality of the climate or changes in the relief.

A more detailed description of the natural zones of Kazakhstan is given in the following sections of the article.

Forest-steppe natural zone of Kazakhstan

Forest-steppe occupies no more than 5% of the total area of the state of Kazakhstan. The natural zone is located in the form of a narrow strip in the far north of the country.

The Kazakhstan forest-steppe has the appearance of separate arrays of tree formations that are scattered within the steppe landscapes. These arrays are called pins. The relief in this natural zone is mostly flat, there are small depressions occupied by lakes. The climate is relatively favorable for human life, there is much more precipitation here than in other regions of Kazakhstan.

In the forest-steppe zone there are large rivers - Irtysh, Ishim, Tobol and others. Local water resources are used not only in domestic, but also for industrial purposes. Gray forest soils, as well as chernozems, are widespread in the Kazakhstan forest-steppe. With the advance to the south, the content of humus in soils decreases. Accordingly, in this direction, the overall fertility of soils also declines.

Flora of the natural steppe zone and meadow-steppe. Here grows feather grass, fescue, wheatgrass, rump. Forest "islets" consist of birch, oak, linden and aspen. In the undergrowth grows dogrose, hawthorn and bird cherry. On forest glades there is strawberries and bones.

Forest steppe in Kazakhstan is a natural zone, which is most developed by man in economic terms.

Forests of Kazakhstan

There are few forests in Kazakhstan. Most of them grow in the Altai and Tien-Shan mountains. In the rocky gorges you can see thickets of apple and walnut. Among the representatives of fauna here you can find wood grouse, hazel grouse, snow leopard, mountain goat and even brown bear.

Forests are also common in the south of Kazakhstan, mainly along river valleys. Thus, small forest "islands" can be seen on the shores of the Irtysh and the Urals. Pine forests are common on the granite massifs of Saryarka and Karkaraly. The latter are very picturesquely distinguished against the background of the wild and lifeless Kazakh steppe.

The total forest wealth of the country is estimated at about ten million hectares. In a number of natural reserves of Kazakhstan forests are protected by the state.

The Kazakh steppes

The Kazakhstan steppe is a delightful and spectacular sight. It is unique in terms of relief and flora, a natural complex, within which zoologists number several hundred species of birds. Birds live on numerous lakes, saline and fresh. Here you can meet the world's most beautiful bird - a pink flamingo.

In the Kazakhstan steppe, almost all types of steppe vegetation are present: mixed-grass-feather grass, fescue-feather grass and wormwood-fescue-feather grass. The feather grass, which creeks under the dry wind, is a symbol of the Kazakh steppe. And its typical resident is a saiga. True, recently, with the active development of the steppe by man, the population of these cloven-hoofed animals decreases.

In the Kazakhstan steppe, you can find a bustard, a crane, a black lark and a huge number of starlings. Of predatory birds, it is necessary to distinguish a kite and a steppe eagle.

At present, the UN is implementing one of its environmental projects in Kazakhstan. According to him, the organization plans to allocate a total of about 24 million dollars for the development and conservation of the steppe ecosystems of the state. The main part of these funds will be directed to financing and expanding the country's protected facilities.

Kazakhstan: a natural zone of deserts and semi-deserts

The natural zone of semi-deserts and deserts covers almost 60% of the country's territory. Semideserts are natural complexes that are traditionally distinguished as transitional between the steppe and the desert. Here, respectively, there can be plants and animals from both natural zones.

The southern border of the semi-deserts in Kazakhstan is about 48 degrees north latitude. The climate here is dry, with little precipitation (no more than 300 mm). Most of the rivers and watercourses dry up in the summer. The flora of the semi-deserts is represented by wormwood, fescue, feather grass. On this monotonous vegetative background there is a camomile, a quinoa, a kohia.

Deserts are a natural zone of Southern Kazakhstan. They stretch a continuous wide strip from the Caspian to Tarbagatai. Here one can single out the following desert arrays: Betpak-Dala, Moyunkum, Kyzylkum and Karakum.

The vegetation of the desert zone is extremely scarce. However, nature has created conditions for the cultivation of cotton, melons and some fruits (subject to additional irrigation). The Kazakhstani desert is the land of reptiles. Here live vipers, who actively hunt jerboa and gazelles, as well as 16 other species of other snakes. Another representative of this natural zone is the gray monitor.

Conclusion

The natural zones of Kazakhstan are the steppe, the forest-steppe, as well as the zone of deserts and semi-deserts. The latter occupies most of the territory of the country (about 60%). Forest-steppes occupy only 5% of the area of Kazakhstan, the steppe - about 35%. For this country forests are not characteristic. Individual forest massifs are found only on the slopes of the Altai and Tien-Shan mountains.