Tselinograd region: description, features, areas and interesting facts

The Tselinograd region is located in the northern part of Kazakhstan. The administration of the region is located in the city of Kokshetau. The region is agrarian-industrial, but the main specialization is agriculture and processing of its products.

The mining industry (mining of uranium, gold-bearing ores), machine building, production of building materials is developed. There is a chemical and pharmaceutical industry.

Geography of the region

Akmola (Tselinograd) region is located between Kokshetau heights (the north of the region) and the Ulytau mountain massif (south-west of the region). Rounded hills are formed by granites, pointed - by quartzites.

The region is crossed by the Ishim River. The north-east of the region enters the West Siberian lowland.

The climate is characterized as sharply continental, in which there is heat in summer, and in winter - severe frost. By the number of sunny days, the region is comparable to the tropics. Snow lasts an average of almost six months. The temperature fluctuations, both annual and per diem, are quite substantial.

It has three contrasts from the point of view of geographers: southern, middle and northern.

The northern part has a flat relief. The soil, especially the Irtysh, is sandy. Often there are solonchaks and, accordingly, salt lakes, in particular, Lake Dengiz (Tengiz).

The middle part is rugged by low mountains. The Ishim, Nura and Sarah-Su rivers flow. The region is not suitable for human habitation, although in some places it is still possible. Here are concentrated deposits of gold, copper, and coal.

The southern part of the region is the waterless desolate steppe. Its borders extend from the sources of the Sary-Su River to the Chu River. This part is called Bed-nak-dola, which means "Hungry Steppe".

Neighbors of the region are: from the east - Pavlodar region, from the west - Kostanay, in the north - North Kazakhstan, in the south - Karaganda.

The region covers an area of 146.2 thousand square meters. Km.

History of the Tselinograd region

The Tselinograd region has a rich history, during which it has undergone repeated changes, both territorial and in name.

For the first time the region is mentioned in 1868 as "Provisional Provision on Governance in the Steppe Regions of the Orenburg and West Siberian Governor-General", when six regions were formed on the territory of Kazakhstan. One of them was the Akmola region (the center was in the city of Omsk). The counties included Akmola, Petropavlovsk, Atbasar, Omsk and Kokchetav.

In 1928 the Akmola region was transformed into the Akmola district, but two years later it was liquidated in connection with the new administrative-territorial division.

In October 1939, the Akmola region was again restored. Its center was the city of Akmolinsk. The administrative area consisted of fifteen districts and existed until 1960. On December 26, 1960 the region was again abolished, and its capital, Akmolinsk, received the status of the center of the virgin land. But three months later Akmolinsk was named Tselinograd (in honor of the virgin lands cultivation), and on April 24 the region is again being formed, but already called Tselinograd, which includes 17 districts.

The collapse of the Soviet Union caused new transformations in Kazakhstan. In April 1992, Tselinograd was again renamed to Akmola, and the region to Akmola. The former Tselinograd region, whose districts underwent changes under the presidential decree of April 8, 1999, moved its capital from the city of Astana (formerly Akmolinsk) to the city of Kokshetau.

The executive power of the region

Akimat is a regional executive body of the republic. The head of akimat (akim) is appointed by the president of the republic.

The Akimat of the Tselinograd region is represented by eleven departments in various spheres of the economy and the life of the region and two state institutions (the Department of Tourism and the Office of Passenger Transport and Highways).

The administration of the akimat carries out planning and use of the regional budget, organization of economic activity of the region. Their competence includes issues of transport, land management, use of resources, observance of law and order, etc.

Currently the oblast akim is Sergey Vitalievich Kulagin. The head of the region was born and raised in Akmola (Tselinograd) region. He was appointed to the post of akim of the region twice: in September 1998 and in May 2014.

Shortandinsky district

As a result of the last transformations of 1939, the Tselinograd region territorially grew: the Shortandinsky district became its new administrative entity.

There are 29,362 people living in the district. The population density is 6.2 people per square meter. Km. 37% of Russians, 31.7% of Kazakhs, 8.3% of Ukrainians, and 7% of Germans live in the Shortandy region. The remaining nationalities are represented by 16 percent. The administrative center of the district is in the town of Shortandy.

The area is 4700 square kilometers.

Arshaly district

Vishnevsky district of the Tselinograd region - this was the name until today of the present Arshaly district.

The area occupied by the district is 5,800 square kilometers, with 27,081 inhabitants. The population density is 4.7 people per square meter. Km.

In the region, in addition to Kazakhs (37.3%), Russians (43.4%), Ukrainians (5.7%), Germans (5.5%), Belarusians, Tatars (less than 2%), Poles, Moldovans, Ingush, Chechens, Bashkirs (less than 1%).

Sandyktau district

This area was able to "survive" several transformations together with the Akmola region. It was established in 1928, when the Akmola region was transformed into the Akmola district. Then from 1936 it was called the Molotov district. And in 1957 on the map of the Akmola region (three years later already referred to as the Tselinograd region), the Balkashinsky district was replaced, in turn, by Molotovsky. Under this name, the district existed until 1997, when it was returned to its historical name - Sandyktau district.

The area covers an area of 6,400 square kilometers. Km. On its territory there are 20 010 people, density - 3.1 people per square meter. Km. In the district there are mainly Kazakhs (20.13%), Russians (56.67%) and Germans (6.62%).

Cities that were not on the map

Stepnogorsk (Tselinograd region - now Akmolinskaya) was founded in 1959, 199 km from Astana, but it appeared on maps only in the second half of the 80's. The secrecy of the settlement was explained by the location in it of the "Tselinnogo Mining and Chemical Combine" and the "Stepnogorsk Scientific Experimental Base". The first was involved in the processing of uranium ore, and the "base" - the development and production of bacteriological weapons.

The population of the city is multinational (over 70 nationalities). Russians make up more than 50% of the population, Kazakhs - 34.5%.

At present, city enterprises produce gold, uranium, molybdenum.

The town of Alekseevka of the Tselinograd region (now Akmolinskaya) was founded in 1965. In its limits is the railway station Ak-Kul. From industrial enterprises there is a creamery and a plant for the production of building materials. The rest of the enterprises are railroad transport.

The city itself is more associated with the Ak-Kul railway station, since it was considered a closed object since its inception. This was due to the alleged fall in the UFO and work to investigate the place of its fall.

At present the city is called Akkol.

Interesting Facts

The end of the XVIII - the beginning of the XIX century - a period extremely difficult for the Kazakh Khanates of the Younger and Middle Zhuz: constant raids from the neighbors did not give rest to the Kazakhs, forced to seek protection from their northern neighbor - Russia.

The formation of the Tselinograd region is directly connected with the struggle of the Kazakhs for independence, which led them to Russian patronage.

In Stepnogorsk worked Kanatzhan Alibekov - a well-known microbiologist, an expert in the field of infectious diseases, biotechnology, immunology. Under his leadership, the production of a fighting strain of such a terrible disease as anthrax was organized.

In 1990-1991, Alibekov supervised the closure of the program for the development and production of bacteriological weapons.

On the territory of the region there is the famous State national natural park "Burabai", created in 2000. The park occupies 83.5 thousand hectares. On its territory there are 14 lakes. On one of them (Lake Borovoe) is a resort of national importance. Around the lake there are mountains with forests and, of course, boundless Kazakh steppes. For its beauty the park was called "Kazakh Switzerland". In the local forests you can meet wild animals: lynx, wolf, wild boar, elk, deer and other animals.

Next to the capital of the region is the second National National Natural Park - Kokshetau. It occupies an area of 182 thousand hectares larger than Burabai. Its territory has many lakes, mountains, forests, steppes. In the lakes there are whitefish and ripus - valuable breeds of fish. Visitors are offered both hiking and horse routes, as well as the opportunity to stay in a traditional Kazakh dwelling.

Finally

Akmola (Tselinograd) region occupies an advantageous position: there are such developed regions of Russia as the Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Tyumen, Omsk regions, as well as the Urals.

At present, the old ones are being strengthened and new economic ties are being established with the Russian regions. There is an expansion of the market for the sale of goods and products produced in the region.