Betpak Dala Desert

Betpak-Dala Desert is located in the central part of Kazakhstan. Its area is 75,000 km2. The desert has many names, for example, Dzungar basin, Alakol depression, Karakum. In the west it borders with Ustyurt, in the north - with Turgai, in the east - with the Janybek steppes, and in the south - with the semi-deserts and deserts of Central Asia. Here are salt lakes Zhalanashkol, Borovoe, zetigen, Uyali, Borovoe, Baskunchak, Baikal, Balkhash. There are also hot springs - Kaindy, Kyzyltau, Issyk, Zharkent, Tentek-bulak and others.

Translated from Kazakh language – “yellow land”. The name has two meanings: “fertile” and “raw”. The etymology of this name is not entirely clear. From the Turkic language "betpak" - "gold" or "silver". There is a version that the name of the desert is associated with the legend of its origin. According to this version, once lived here a powerful old woman-giant. Climbing a mountain path, she tripped and crushed a handful of land, which turned into a huge sandy scum. The old woman crumbled, and the sand began to fall from the mountain ledges and cover the ground. So, due to the careless movement of the old woman, a desert was formed, which has since been called Betpak-dala.