Uralsk is the administrative, industrial, historical and cultural center of the West Kazakhstan region. The city was founded in 1613 and is located in the northern part of the Caspian lowland on a picturesque steppe plain. It is located on the right bank of the middle reaches of the Ural (Zhaiyk) River, which is 1082 km long within the Republic of Kazakhstan, and on the left bank of the lower reaches of the Chagan River.
The city of Uralsk has long been a kind of trade gateway from Asia to Europe and vice versa. One of the branches of the Great Silk Road passed here.
The vegetation is typical mainly for the steppe and forest-steppe zones. The climate is sharply continental.
The territory of the city with its suburbs is more than 70 km2.
The population is about 300 thousand people, representing 83 different nationalities and ethnic groups.
The look of Uralsk is unique and unrepeatable and, above all, for its historical monuments of the 18th-19th centuries: the house of E. Pugachev, the Old Cathedral, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the house of the chief chieftain, the house of Karev (Philharmonic), the building of the regional akimat (former empire).
The visits of the heirs to the Russian throne became important events in the history of the city. In 1837, the future Emperor Alexander II visited Uralsk. In 1891, the future Emperor Nicholas II visited Uralsk to participate in the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Ural Cossack Host.
The names of many famous figures of culture and art are associated with Uralsk. The childhood years of the fabulist I.A. Krylov. In September 1833, in order to collect materials about Pugachev, Uralsk was visited by A.S. Pushkin. In June 1837, accompanying the future emperor, V.A. Zhukovsky. For 8 years V.I. Dahl. In different years the city was visited by G.R. Derzhavin, A.M. Pleshcheev, T.G. Shevchenko, L.N. Tolstoy, V.G. Korolenko. The outstanding Tatar poet G. Tukai lived in Uralsk. In 1834 the composer A.A. Alyabyev organized a brass band in Uralsk. In 1891, at the beginning of his career, F.I. Chaliapin. The famous Kazakh musician Kurmangazy performed in Uralsk.
During the years of the revolution and civil war, Uralsk is associated with such names as V.I. Chapaev, D.A. Furmanov, M.V. Frunze, D.M. Karbyshev, G.K. Zhukov.
In 1920, by decree of V.I. Lenin's Ural region was included in the Kyrgyz Territory (later the Kazakh SSR), now the Republic of Kazakhstan.
