Physical Geography
Kazakhstan is a country that lies largely in west-central Asia.Nearly half of Kazakhstan is made up of hills and plateaus. In the west, especially along the shore of the Caspian Sea, are lowlands. Mountains lie in the east and southeast. The country's highest point, 22,949 feet (6,995 m), lies in the extreme southeast, near the Kyrgyz border. Deserts prevail in the south-central part of the country. Kazakhstan's climate is continental and very dry, with great variations in temperature. The main rivers include the Ural, Irtysh. Syr Darya, Ili, and Ishim. Bodies of water include Lake Balkhash and, on the borders, the Caspian and Aral seas.
