Climate: continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and
semiarid
Terrain: extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains in western Siberia to oasis and desert in Central Asia lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m highest point: Zhengis Shingy 7,439 m
Natural resources: major deposits of petroleum, coal, iron ore, manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium
Land use:
arable land: 15%
permanent crops: NEGL%
meadows and pastures: 57%
forest and woodland: 4%
other: 24%
Irrigated land: 23,080 sq km (1990)
Environment:
current issues: radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with
its former defense industries and test ranges are found throughout
the country and pose health risks for humans and animals; industrial
pollution is severe in some cities; because the two main rivers
which flowed into the Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it
is drying up and leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical
pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then picked up by
the wind and blown into noxious dust storms; pollution in the
Caspian Sea; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals
and salinization from faulty irrigation practices
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Desertification
Geographic note: landlocked
People ———
Population: 16,916,463 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 30% (male 2,576,204; female 2,486,937)
15-64 years: 63% (male 5,203,035; female 5,451,404)
65 years and over: 7% (male 384,341; female 814,542) (July 1996 est.)