The Ustyurt Plateau is a desert and a plateau located in the west of Central Asia on the territory of Kazakhstan (Mangystau region), Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, between Mangyshlak and the Gulf of Kara-Bogaz-Gol in the west, the Aral Sea and the Amu Darya River delta in the east.

What a stunningly beautiful place! Photo by Ne Horoshiy

Tags: landscapes · Mangystau oblast

Shergala (Sherkala) is a lonely standing mountain of unusual shape, located about 170 km from Aktau, a popular tourist destination. On the one hand it resembles a huge white tent, on the other – a sleeping lion.

“Shergala” means “Lion Mountain” in Turkmen language. There are a lot of various legends related to this unique place. Sometimes local landscapes look as if you are on another planet. Around Shergala you can see a scattering of spherical boulders. Photos by Denis Frantsouzov

very unusual place

Tags: landscapes · Mangystau oblast

Mangyshlak Peninsula is located on the east coast of the Caspian Sea. It is a unique natural reserve having the entire arsenal of different manifestations of nature of the desert.

Mangystau region of Kazakhstan is located on the peninsula. Video by Denis Frantsouzov

Tags: landscapes · Mangystau oblast

The Ustyurt Plateau is located between the Aral Sea and the Caspian Sea on the territory of Kazakhstan (Mangystau region) and Uzbekistan.

With an average elevation of 150 meters, it consists primarily of stony desert but there are some exceptions like this one. Photo by Ne Horoshiy

Tags: landscapes · Mangystau oblast

A lot of people think that Kazakhstan is one huge flat steppe, but there are places in the country that are true natural wonders, for example, the tract of Boszhira, a mountain range located on the Ustyurt plateau in south-western Kazakhstan.

So far, this place is little known and inaccessible to tourists. Everything is white here – canyons, peaks, mountains. Distance from Zhanaozen to Boszhira – 148 km, from Aktau to Boszhira – 298 km. Boszhira location on Google Maps. Photos by Ilia Afanasieff

great nature views

Tags: landscapes · Mangystau oblast

Mangystau region is the province in the south-western Kazakhstan, located to the east of the Caspian Sea on the plateau Mangyshla (Mangystau). It is an industrial region – 25% of Kazakhstan oil is extracted in the area (about 20 million tons).

The region is a country of ancient civilization, archaeological reserve in the open air. The peninsula is famous for interesting landscape diversity. Photos by Constantine Kikvidze

enjoy the beautiful scenery

Tags: landscapes · Mangystau oblast

December 16, Zhanauzen (Mangystau oblast) became the place of serious riots that began during the rally of oilmen. The city is a center of oil industry workers strike that has been lasting for 7 months.

The workers gathered at the day of 20th anniversary of independence of Kazakhstan to require the resumption of the negotiations and demanded the release of their leaders who were arrested and convicted. The action involved more than five thousand people.

As a result the buildings of city administration and oil company as well as a police bus were burned. According to first information about 20 people were killed and a lot of wounded. Local websites, online newspapers, Twitter were shut down in the whole region. The internal troops were moved to the city to suppress the riots.

Tags: Mangystau oblast · riots · Zhanauzen

The following nice photos were taken in Mangystau oblast near the cities of Aktau and Beyneu. Unfortunately the author of the photos is unknown.

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Tags: Mangystau oblast

Koshkar-Ata necropolis is located in Mangystau oblast of Kazakhstan and has the status of the monument of 10th-19th centuries protected by the state. The photos were captured by Ruprix.

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Tags: Mangystau oblast · necropolis