Kazakh Steppe

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The Kazakh Steppe or "Kirgiz Steppe", is a vast region of open plains in Kazakhstan. The steppe extends more than 2,200km 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. The region receives from 200mm to 400mm of rainfall in an average year, with more rain falling in the northern areas of the steppe. Because of low rainfall, the steppe has few trees, and consists of mostly grasslands and large, sandy areas. The Kazakh Steppe is part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome. Much of the steppe is considered to be either semi-desert or desert. Very high winds sweep across the plains at times—sometimes strong enough to knock a person over.

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. 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. 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. Russia leases approximately 7,360 square kilometers in the southern region of the steppe for the world's oldest space launch facility, Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Animals that can be found in the steppes of Kazakstan include: The Saiga Antelope, Siberian Roe Deer, wolves, foxes and badgers.