Emba River

The Emba River (Kazakh: Ембі or Kazakh: Жем, Russian: Эмба) in west Kazakhstan rises in the Mugodzhar Hills and flows some 400 miles (640 km) southwest into the Caspian Sea. It flows through the north of the Ust-Urt plateau, and reaches the Caspian by a series of shallow lagoons, which were navigable in the 18th century. The lower course traverses an area of salt domes and the petroleum-rich Emba fields. It is considered by some experts as a boundary between Asia and Europe and was first proposed as such by Philip Johan von Strahlenberg.

In its upper course, the Emba is a small river, its valley barely over 2000 meters wide. Lower down, after the waters of the Temir River flow into it, the Emba's valleys widen to almost seven kilometers. The Emba flows in a single channel, only breaking off into little arms in places. But around 100 before it enters the Caspian Sea, it breaks off in places to form several lakes, which are connected to each other through slender channels that only run during flooding. The Emba is a snow-fed river. It freezes over in winter, a process that begins in November and lasts until March.^[1]

Emba Oil Basin

The oil basin of the Emba lies between the Mugodzhar Hills in the east and the Volga in the west. This area was known since olden days as 'maily kiyan,' which means the land blessed with miracle oil. The British merchant Gok mentioned it in the mid-seventeenth century that during his travels he came to a spring near the Emba River that sprouted oil instead of water.^[1]

References

See also

• Embi town

Coordinates: 46°37′42″N 53°19′02″E / 46.62833°N 53.31722°E / 46.62833; 53.31722

v t e Rivers of Kazakhstan Rivers Ajaguz River Akan-Burluk River Arys River Asa River Aschiagar River Ayat River Badam River Bolshoy Uzen River Borolday River Bugun River Bukhtarma River Byan River Charyn River Chu River Emba River Emil River Ilek River Iman-Burluk River Irgiz River Ili River Irtysh River Ishim River Karatal River Kigach River Keles River Koksu River Koluton River Kurchum River Lukina River Maly Uzen River Narym River Nura River O River Qapal River Sagyz River Sarisu River Shiderti River Sytasty River Syr Darya Talas River Tersakkan River Tobol River Tuolba River Turgai River Ural River Uba River Ubagan River Uil River Ulba River