South Kazakhstan travel guide

South Kazakhstan (Оңтүстік Қазақстан) is the southernmost province of Kazakhstan, with a population of 1,644,000 people. Its capital is Shymkent, with 840,000 people. Other cities in South Kazakhstan include Turkestan, Sayram, Kentau, Arys, Shardara, Jetisay, Saryag'ash and Lenger. This province and Atyrau Province are Kazakhstan's two smallest provinces; both are about 118,600 square kilometers in area. South Kazakhstan borders the neighboring country of Uzbekistan, (and is very near the Uzbek capital Tashkent) as well as three other Kazakh provinces: Karagandy Province, Kyzylorda Province, and Zhambyl Province. The Syr Darya passes through the province, on its way to the Aral Sea. Also, an oil pipeline runs from Turkmenabat, Turkmenistan to Omsk, Russia (where it connects with a larger, Siberian pipeline) through South Kazakhstan. Oil, lead, and zinc are refined in Shymkent. (...) more....