View source for Kazakh Steppe

{{Unreferenced|date=December 2007}}
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[[Image:AltynEmeil.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The steppes of Eastern Kazakhstan in Altyn Emeil National Park]]
The '''Kazakh Steppe''', also called the Great '''[[Betpak-Dala|Dala]]''', [[ecoregion]], of the [[Palearctic]] [[temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands]] [[biome]], is a vast region of open [[grassland]] in northern [[Kazakhstan]] and adjacent portions of [[Russia]], extending to the east of the [[Pontic steppe]] and to the west of the [[Emin Valley steppe]], with which it forms part of the [[Eurasian steppe]]. Before the mid-nineteenth century it was called the Kirghiz steppe, 'Kirghiz' being an old name for the Kazakhs. 

==Setting==
The [[steppe]] extends more than 2,200&nbsp;km 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]]. Much of the steppe is considered to be semi-desert, grading into desert as one goes further south. 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.

The [[Pontic Steppe]] lies to the west and northwest. To the north and northeast of the Kazakh Steppe lies the [[Kazakh forest steppe]], an ecoregion of pine groves interspersed with grasslands that forms a transition between the Kazakh steppe and the forests of Siberia. To the south lies the [[Kazakh semi-desert]] and the [[Kazakh upland]] ecoregions. The [[Kokchetav Massif]] in north-central Kazakhstan harbors an enclave of the Kazakh upland, distinct from the Kazakh steppe which surrounds it at lower elevations.

===Climate===
The region has a [[Semi-arid climate|semi-arid]], [[Continentality|continental]] climate, with most of the area falling under the "[[Semi-arid climate#Cold Semi-arid climates|BSk]]" classification under the [[Köppen climate classification]] system. The steppe receives from 200mm to 400mm of [[Precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]] in an average year, with more falling in the northern areas of the steppe. Average temperatures in July range from 20C to 26C, and -12C to -18C in January. Very high winds sweep across the plains at times.

{{Weather box
|location = [[Astana]]
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 4
|Feb record high C = 5
|Mar record high C = 22
|Apr record high C = 30
|May record high C = 36
|Jun record high C = 40
|Jul record high C = 42
|Aug record high C = 39
|Sep record high C = 36
|Oct record high C = 27
|Nov record high C = 19
|Dec record high C = 5
|year record high C = 42
|Jan high C = -12
|Feb high C = -11
|Mar high C = -4
|Apr high C = 9
|May high C = 19
|Jun high C = 25
|Jul high C = 27
|Aug high C = 24
|Sep high C = 18
|Oct high C = 8
|Nov high C = -2
|Dec high C = -9
|year high C = 7
|Jan mean C = -15
|Feb mean C = -15
|Mar mean C = -9
|Apr mean C = 5
|May mean C = 13
|Jun mean C = 19
|Jul mean C = 21
|Aug mean C = 18
|Sep mean C = 12
|Oct mean C = 4
|Nov mean C = -6
|Dec mean C = -12
|year mean C = 3
|Jan low C = -21
|Feb low C = -21
|Mar low C = -15
|Apr low C = -2
|May low C = 5
|Jun low C = 11
|Jul low C = 13
|Aug low C = 11
|Sep low C = 5
|Oct low C = -1
|Nov low C = -11
|Dec low C = -18
|year low C = -3
|Jan record low C = -52
|Feb record low C = -49
|Mar record low C = -38
|Apr record low C = -28
|May record low C = -11
|Jun record low C = -2
|Jul record low C = 2
|Aug record low C = -2
|Sep record low C = -8
|Oct record low C = -26
|Nov record low C = -39
|Dec record low C = -44
|year record low C = -52
|Jan precipitation mm = 22
|Feb precipitation mm = 14
|Mar precipitation mm = 19
|Apr precipitation mm = 21
|May precipitation mm = 31
|Jun precipitation mm = 40
|Jul precipitation mm = 50
|Aug precipitation mm = 37
|Sep precipitation mm = 26
|Oct precipitation mm = 27
|Nov precipitation mm = 20
|Dec precipitation mm = 22
|year precipitation mm = 327
|date=August 2010
}}

==Flora==
Because of low rainfall, the steppe has few trees, and consists of mostly [[grassland]]s and large, sandy areas.

==Fauna==
Animals that can be found in the steppes of Kazakhstan include the [[Saiga Antelope]], [[Siberian Roe Deer]], [[wolve]]s, [[fox]]es, [[badger]]s, [[Mongolian gerbil]]s and [[Russian tortoise|steppe tortoise]]s.

==People==
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. [[Kazakhs|Kazakh]] people make up the majority of the people living in the area. Russia leases approximately 7,360 square kilometers in the southern region of the steppe for the world's oldest [[space launch facility]], [[Baikonur Cosmodrome]].

==In popular culture==

The movie [[Tulpan]] was shot and set in the Kazakh Steppe.

==See also==
*[[Saryarka — Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan]]
*[[West Siberian Plain]]
*[[:Category:Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands|Category - Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands]]

==External links==
* CIA, The World Factbook, 2004
* {{NatGeo ecoregion|id=pa0810|name=Kazakh steppe}}
* {{WWF ecoregion|name=Kazakh steppe|id=pa0810}}
* Saudi Aramco World, [http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200303/the.soul.of.kazakhstan.htm]
* surfbirds.com, [http://www.surfbirds.com/mb/trips/kazak-jj-0204.html]
*Map of the Kazakh Steppe, [http://edcintl.cr.usgs.gov/carbon_cycle/images/FluxesResearchActivities2.jpg]
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* [http://www.wildnatures.com Holidays in Kazakhstan]
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{{Paleartic temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands}}
{{Geography topics}}
{{Physical geography topics}}
{{Kazakhstan topics}}

{{Coord missing|Kazakhstan}}

[[Category:Eurasian Steppe]]
[[Category:Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands]]
[[Category:Grasslands of Kazakhstan|Steppe]]
[[Category:Grasslands of Russia|Steppe]]
[[Category:Ecoregions of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Ecoregions of Russia]]
[[Category:Physiographic provinces]]
[[Category:Ecoregions of Asia]]
[[Category:Palearctic ecozone]]