Dispatches from the former Soviet Bloc nation behind Borat, Baikonur Cosmodrome, and Astana cycling team :)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/LocationKazakhstan.png/800px-LocationKazakhstan.png

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View of central Almaty, the nation's capital from 1929 to 1998. Despite losing its status as the capital, Almaty remains the major commercial center of Kazakhstan.


http://s58.radikal.ru/i159/0908/ed/010682eb6f17.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/photos-by-naz/3650483863/)
by NZR (http://s58.radikal.ru/i159/0908/ed/010682eb6f17.jpg)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/Astana_p.svg/120px-Astana_p.svg.png

Lightning touches the ground in Kazakhstan's new capital, Astana.

http://img-6.photosight.ru/93b/2817354_large.jpg
photo by Никончук Алексей

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Unusual sandstone formations welcome an occasional traveler to Mangystau Peninsula in the Western Kazakhstan.

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photo by nub1an (http://nub1an.mylj.ru/)

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Salty deserts cover much of Western Kazakhstan.

http://nub1an.ru/img/IMG_4754.jpg

Ust-Urt Plateu is a central Asian plateau in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, between the Aral Sea and the Caspian Sea. It extents 200,000 km² and boasts a variety of landscapes, elevations, and natural scenery.

http://nub1an.ru/img/IMG_4812.jpg

Many among the rare inhabitants of Ust-Urt Plateu still lead a partially nomadic way of life.

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Rocky Caspian Sea shore

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http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3574/3407486418_8401f8b5c6_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/31604297@N05/3407486418/in/pool-520093@N23)
by ReVaVle (http://www.flickr.com/photos/31604297@N05/)

http://www.asia-travel.uz/photogallery/schemes/en/EXP4-EXP5.gif

This view from a mountain climbers' base camp offers breathtaking overlook of Kazakhstan's highest and most revered Khan Tengri pike. At 7000 meters even, Khan Tengri is the second-highest mountain in the Tian Shan.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/fotonik22/Rzsq1XiPk0I/AAAAAAAAAgw/NYlt-qFeeWg/KZN010017.jpg?imgmax=720
by Nikolay Kuznetsov (http://picasaweb.google.com/fotonik22/KhanOfTheSky)

click for more Khan Tengri photos (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=536379&page=2)

wow stunning pics excellent photos

Wonderful pictures. I'm sure Kazakhstan has to show more than expected, whatever that means :D

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Mang_obl.svg/120px-Mang_obl.svg.png


Unusual sandstone formations welcome an occasional traveler to Mangystau Peninsula in the Western Kazakhstan.

http://nub1an.ru/img/IMG_4871.jpg
photo by nub1an (http://nub1an.mylj.ru/)


wow, looks like a decoration for western movie))) i like it

Stunnig pics! :applause:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Kazakhstan-East_Kazakhstan.png/120px-Kazakhstan-East_Kazakhstan.png


Deep valleys hide many isolated pastoral settlements on the Kazakhstani side of the Altay mountains.

http://i011.radikal.ru/0806/dd/292a2fe4ae8f.jpg (http://www.radikal.ru/)
(Enlarge photo (http://i014.radikal.ru/0806/96/ff03f4ef73a3.jpg))

http://i015.radikal.ru/0806/b1/4b7a4ad5cc1d.jpg (http://www.radikal.ru/)

Yazevoe Village, Portrait of a man standing on the main road in the village, in this very remote part of eastern Kazakhstan near to the borders of Russia, Mongolia and China.

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Military jeep driving on a dirt road with Altay mountains in background which stretch across the borders of Kazakhstan, Russia, Mongolia and China.

http://i033.radikal.ru/0806/54/3aba88bc1ff0.jpg (http://www.radikal.ru/)

http://i013.radikal.ru/0806/e9/627de9c1b0e8.jpg (http://www.radikal.ru/)

http://s15.radikal.ru/i189/0908/16/ddd35478988f.jpg (http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/photo881204.htm)
by phototurk (http://www.trekearth.com/members/phototurk/)

http://www.medeu.almaty.kz/admin/upload/images/169.JPG
Author unknown

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/12/fotonik22.7/0_40c7_f6c73e39_XL.jpg
by Nikolay Kuznetsov

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3042/2820821002_dc08600607_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/29266110@N07/2820821002/sizes/l/)
by zinkirina (http://zinkirina.ya.ru/go.xml)

http://i038.radikal.ru/0810/55/33f34175c8db.jpg (http://banyanman.blogspot.com/2008/0...maty-lake.html)

http://www.np.kz/uploads/posts/1207903132_is3e.jpg
(http://www.np.kz/index.php?newsid=792)
Source: Gazeta Novoe Pokolenie
http://www.np.kz/index.php?newsid=792

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/3512/m-magik.0/0_2fa94_a3b9c05d_XL
by m-magik (http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/m-magik/view/195220?page=0)

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/3507/thundermax.15/0_2d8a9_20d1f14f_XL
by thundermax (http://thundermax.ya.ru/go.xml)

Cool Country!Beautifuul Places!I Like!:D

^^breath taking pics

beautiful

http://s51.radikal.ru/i132/0908/d7/14ebd27e414c.jpg
by herwigphoto.com (http://www.flickr.com/photos/herwigphoto/)

Part of a large complex where Kazakhstan's favorite writer Abay Kuabaev is buried. Located south of Semey near the geographic center of Eurasia.

http://i073.radikal.ru/0908/31/244de9748773.jpg
by herwigphoto.com (http://www.flickr.com/photos/herwigphoto/)

Karaolen is a tiny village near what used to be Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site in East Kazakhstan. The photo was taken from atop radio tower, which provides contact to the outside world through the town's only phone.


http://s12.radikal.ru/i185/0908/81/313ce65af128.jpg
by herwigphoto.com (http://www.flickr.com/photos/herwigphoto/)

Empty homes with brick-filled windows is a common site in rural Kazakhstan. Shortly after the breakup of the Soviet Union millions of Kazakhstanis have left the cash-strapped country for Russia and Western Europe.


http://farm1.static.flickr.com/81/280442818_17d5181951_b.jpg
by herwigphoto.com (http://www.flickr.com/photos/herwigphoto/)

Portrait of the Soviet nuclear tests survivor dressed in traditional clothing.

http://i059.radikal.ru/0908/4c/539fcbd3bd2a.jpg
by herwigphoto.com (http://www.flickr.com/photos/herwigphoto/)

The wild ancestors of Malus domestica (domestic Apples) are Malus sieversii, which are found growing in the mountains of Central Asia in southern Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Xinjiang, China. Kazakhstan's biggest city, Almaty (literally "Appled"), is commonly accepted as the birthplace of the modern apple.


http://i001.radikal.ru/0908/35/b6655a1d633b.jpg
by herwigphoto.com

http://tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:v483V8b3zsaB6M:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/Aktau_p.svg/658px-Aktau_p.svg.png

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2642/3680696249_bd05dff562.jpg
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafone/3680696249/)
by al cafone (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafone/)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3604/3684031228_ac8622c534.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafone/3684031228/in/photostream/)

by al cafone (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafone/)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2656/3681207936_4a857a21a1.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafone/3681207936/in/photostream/)

by al cafone (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafone/)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2627/3675498572_851335c48a.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafone/3675498572/in/photostream/)

by al cafone (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafone/)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2582/3693069475_755a4c8312.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafone/3693069475/)

by al cafone (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafone/)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3434/3696835929_912a6a9baf.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafone/3696835929/in/photostream/)

by al cafone (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafone/)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2517/3684400114_ca03f15cca.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafone/3684400114/in/photostream/)

by al cafone (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafone/)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3463/3771367807_442f8e17a0.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafone/3771367807/)

by al cafone (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafone/)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3517/3702095888_4c7c3bce7a.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafone/3702095888/)

by al cafone (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafone/)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2674/3809492684_c85ece99e6_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielalecks/3809492684/)


by Daniel Alecks (http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielalecks/)

Very beautiful pics, Major Deegan!
First question: Are they all yours?
Second question: From what I can see, there are very dry and also very green parts in your country. How much surface (%) do you estimate each one takes up?
Greetings from Spain.

Very beautiful pics, Major Deegan!
First question: Are they all yours?


Thanks. Unfortunately, residing abroad I'm unable to take my own pictures. All of the photos presented here were mostly pulled from Flickr.

VHow much surface (%) do you estimate each one takes up?

I don't know what the exact numbers are, but the interior of the country are mostly dry, arid or semi-arid lands, while you might find northern, eastern, and south-eastern frontiers to be much more hospitable in terms of both climate and natural environment. Hope this answers your question well.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2570/3817126002_808d27cf49_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kseniyafree/3817126002/in/photostream/)
by kseniyafree (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kseniyafree/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/173/375546551_c9fc4b4220.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/elenasenao/375546551/in/set-72157600933885626/)
by Elena Senao (http://www.flickr.com/photos/elenasenao/)

Former aral sea in Aralsk.The Aral Sea lies on the border between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and it was the world's fourth-largest lake until the Soviets decided that the two rivers that fed the Aral Sea, the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya, would be diverted for irrigating the desert in order to grow rice, melons, cereal, and specially thirsty cotton crops.

Since large scale irrigation began in the 1960s, the sea's surface area has shrunk more than 60 percent, and its volume by almost 80 percent. Former fishing villages as Muynak and Aralsk are now dozens of kilometres away from the shoreline.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Aral-Sea-1989-2008.jpg/654px-Aral-Sea-1989-2008.jpg

Source: Wikimedia.org (http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/File:Aral-Sea-1989-2008.jpg)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3349/3534929109_5e108aa691_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/yha229/3534929109/)

by Akitoshi IIO (http://www.flickr.com/photos/yha229/)

^^
picturesque place

http://img-2008-02.photosight.ru/23/2563011.jpg (http://www.photosight.ru/photos/2563011/?from_member)
by leonid dyachenko

http://img-d.photosight.ru/935/2962317_large.jpg (http://www.photosight.ru/photos/2962317/?from_member)
by leonid dyachenko

http://img-a.photosight.ru/e19/2971315_large.jpg (http://www.photosight.ru/photos/2971315/?from_member)
by leonid dyachenko

good shots :applause:

Amazing! I hadn't seen any pic of kazakhstan before, loved it.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3651/3569456373_947ebf6c67_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ayazad73/3569456373/)
by ayazad73

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by ayazad73

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by ayazad73

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by ayazad73

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by ayazad73

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by ayazad73

Great shots! Keep 'em coming.

http://s39.radikal.ru/i084/0908/be/0dbd671ddcd6.jpg (http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/zinkirina/view/295015?page=0)
by ZINKIRINA (http://zinkirina.ya.ru/go.xml)

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/3612/ultrapro.8/0_2863a_e8a826f3_XL (http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/ultrapro/view/165434?page=0)
by Nikk (http://ultrapro.ya.ru/go.xml)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/Karaganda_p.svg/120px-Karaganda_p.svg.png

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/3602/gornoaleksandr.6/0_102c5_24c1d7ee_XL
by gornoaleksandr

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Atirau_p.svg/120px-Atirau_p.svg.png

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3246/2526983007_50f0aee5ab_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/elexpatriado/2526983007/)
by Xpa (http://www.flickr.com/photos/elexpatriado/)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2237/2322950197_8e505c39c0_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/elexpatriado/2322950197/in/set-72157594513613021/)
by Xpa

nice country, keep on posting! :)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Atirau_p.svg/120px-Atirau_p.svg.png

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3246/2526983007_50f0aee5ab_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/elexpatriado/2526983007/)
by Xpa (http://www.flickr.com/photos/elexpatriado/)

Nice City!:)

there's good looking people :)

http://i011.radikal.ru/0908/76/efc27165a108.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/38188263@N07/3839412564/)
by kostyukov

Russian Soyuz space capsule with Russian cosmonauts Sergei Volkov and Oleg Kononenko and US space tourist Richard Garriott on board goes down before landing not far from the Kazakh town of Arkalyk, in northern Kazakhstan (some 300 kms from the capital Astana)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3568/3382108756_b1af8e1958_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kielbryant/3799494133/)

by Kiel Bryant

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3554/3382108084_223d286465_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto/3382108084/)

The Soyuz rocket is rolled out to the launch pad Tuesday, March 24, 2009 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

by nasa hq photo

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3449/3382107824_0069661b57_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto/3382107824/in/photostream/)
by nasa hq photo

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3661/3382103354_3ed42e261b_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto/3382103354/)
by nasa hq photo

The Soyuz launch pad is seen about an hour before the Soyuz rocket is rolled out to the launch pad.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3419/3398453337_cb80ef9b04_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto/3398453337/)

The Soyuz TMA-14 launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Thursday, March 26, 2009 carrying Expedition 19 Commander Gennady I. Padalka, Flight Engineer Michael R. Barratt and Spaceflight Participant Charles Simonyi to the International Space Station.

(Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)

http://i46.tinypic.com/10r8ubs.jpg

Original: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/27905020
by *Andrew* (http://www.panoramio.com/user/1348107?with_photo_id=27905020)

^^ Nice looking city.

Kazakhstan - miracle in the Centre of Eurasia! Thank you for the beautiful photoreporting!

Alingan caiti: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alextur/5721513529/sizes/l/in/set-72157626724385138/
Aftordin ecimi: Alex Tur



http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2031/5721514683_b6e8d8dee9_b.jpg
..

^^ keep this thread alive man ..Kazakhstan is realy worth the view on the first page of the pohtography section! :cheers:

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/4407/gelionsk.ea/0_5121b_d3cb8903_orig

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/4910/gelionsk.ea/0_51204_49482f37_orig





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http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/5110/gelionsk.eb/0_514dd_70c4ae59_orig
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Beautiful photos. Kazakhstan I think a country very interesting.