European Kazakhstan
European Kazakhstan | |
|---|---|
| Largest city | Oral |
| Ethnic groups | |
| Demonym | Kazakh |
| Regions of Kazakhstan | |
| Area | |
• Total | 148,000 km2 (57,000 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Census | ~1 million |
• Density | 6.7/km2 (17.4/sq mi) |
European Kazakhstan (Kazakh: Еуропалық Қазақстан, romanized: Europalyq Qazaqstan, Қазақстанның еуропалық бөлігі, Qazaqstannyñ europalyq bölıgı, Russian: Европейская часть Казахстана) comprises the territory of Kazakhstan that lies west of the Ural River. The area includes the westernmost parts of West Kazakhstan and Atyrau regions. It is geographically situated in Europe, as opposed to the country's sparsely populated and vastly larger eastern part, which is situated in Central Asia. The Ural River divides Kazakhstan into two parts, bisecting the Eurasian mainland. Oral, the capital of West Kazakhstan Region, is located in the European part of Kazakhstan, while Atyrau, the capital of Atyrau Region, is a transcontinental city.
Despite containing only 5% of Kazakhstan's overall territory, European Kazakhstan's area of 148,000 km2 makes Kazakhstan the 14th-largest country in Europe, slightly larger than Greece.