Arkalyk
Encyclopedia
Arkalyk is a city in Kostanay Province
, northern Kazakhstan
. Earlier, it was the centre of Torgay province, which was abolished in 1997. Today, it is the administrative centre of Torgay region, Kostanay province.
Established in 1956, it acquired the status of the city in 1965. The distance from the town of Arkalyk to Kostanay
is 480 km (298 mi), to Astana
is 670 km (416 mi).
As of 2005, around 45,000 people lived in the city. The population for 2006 is 42,000 people. (including: direct town - 26,000 people. within the city limits of 14 villages and 3 rural districts - 16,000.).
The Arkalyk Business Centre describes today's Arkalyk as "a city of miners, of regional administrators, and people excited to live in a regional center". Historically Arkalyk was a centre for the Soviet space programme. Cosmonauts would land on the huge central Kazakh steppe and come back to Arkalyk before heading to the Baikonur
, the Soviet Union's premier "space city". Arkalyk is served by Arkalyk Airport
.
The city is linked by rail communication with the regional center (terminal station on a branch Esil - Derzhavinsk - Arkalyk). Roads Kostanay - Arkalyk tarmac, but is severely broken in the state. Roads Zhezkazgan - Arkalyk ground, in the wet weather becomes difficult even for freight transport because of mud. There is an airport (located 6 kilometers north-east of the city), capable of class aircraft Tu-154, Tu-134, etc. In Soviet times, it carried out flights to many cities in Kazakhstan, but since the mid-1990s an airport has been practically abandoned and used only sporadically during the search and rescue for the planting of manned spaceaids.
In the 1980s the city reached its peak: it produced meat, poultry, and dairy. It functioned grain elevator, ceramic factory, sewing factory, the factory radio, factory built Aviamotornaya, Turgay bauxite mine (TBRU), which extracted up to 20% of bauxite ores in the USSR. But despite the industrial production, the economy of Turgay region was behind other regions of Kazakhstan due to large agricultural sector which was 90%. The region constantly demanded subsidies from the national budget, so in June 1988 it was dissolved and its territory was divided between Kostanai and Aqmola areas. When the city stopped to be a regional center, some parts of the infrastructure was evacuated (for example, regional radio station), and a number of potential industrial sites was frozen.
In 1989, active inhabitants of Arkalyk organized committee to restore Turgay area. In August 1990, Turgay region was formed again and Arkalyk become the regional center again.
Degradation of the city began in 1993-1994: production fell into decay. Migration began to other regions of Kazakhstan, Russia and Germany. Consequently, population of the city reduced. In 1991 it was 65,000 people, in 1999 it was 61,000, now it is 42,000 people. During 90s there were disrupted public services such as lengthy interruption of electricity, heat and water. In 1997, Turgay area has been disbanded again, and its territory was again moved into Kostanai and Akmola areas.
Some of the city districts as a part of #6, all of #7 and #9 were completely abandoned by the 2000s. Migration from the city was a complicated process which started in 90s. Full optimization stopped in 2000-2001. Enterprising businessmen from other regions of Kazakhstan dismantled the houses by removing building materials.
At the turn of 20th and 21st century, local authorities organized a campaign to relocate the remaining residents from the abandoned districts to the older city center, so the cost for municipal services would be reduced and communication would be significantly improved.
Currently, the city of Arkalyk is included in the list of depressed cities of Kazakhstan due to a very high level of unemployment. Industry in the city is virtually non-existent, except for maintaining the life of city and Torgayskogo bauxite mine, which is housed in SC «Aluminum of Kazakhstan». All produced bauxiteore is sent to the aluminum plant in Pavlodar, and other regions. Establishment of an aluminum smelter in Arkalyk is difficult due to lack of water.
Prospectives of Arkalyk are dual. On the one hand, the town has the bauxite mine which over the next 15–20 years will exhaust deposits and it will be possible to extract refractory clay only. On the other hand, there are a number of other minerals such as Jean-Arkalykskoe field has the shallow bed (up to 50 meters); Akzhalskoe field nefritoidov has the jewelry and raw materials; Akbulakskoe field has white marble; Agyrzhalskoe field has black marble; Jean-Arkalykskoe has deposits of therapeutic mineral waters. Development of these fields could lead to the economic and social revival of the region.
The natural reservoirs are not numerous, except for two drying creeks Akjar (in the northern part of town)and Arkalyksay (in the southern part of town), running from the East to the West.
Kostanay Province
Kostanay Province is a province of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Kostanay City. The population of the province is 900,300. Population living in Kostanay is 207,000 that makes 23 % of the population of province...
, northern Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
. Earlier, it was the centre of Torgay province, which was abolished in 1997. Today, it is the administrative centre of Torgay region, Kostanay province.
Established in 1956, it acquired the status of the city in 1965. The distance from the town of Arkalyk to Kostanay
Kostanay
Kostanay , formerly known as Kustanay and Nikolayevsk , is a city located in the northern part of Kazakhstan at the Tobol River. The population living in Kostanay is 301,317 people. Kostanay is the capital of Kostanay Province.-Public institutions:In Kostanay there are 8 higher educational...
is 480 km (298 mi), to Astana
Astana
Astana , formerly known as Akmola , Tselinograd and Akmolinsk , is the capital and second largest city of Kazakhstan, with an officially estimated population of 708,794 as of 1 August 2010...
is 670 km (416 mi).
As of 2005, around 45,000 people lived in the city. The population for 2006 is 42,000 people. (including: direct town - 26,000 people. within the city limits of 14 villages and 3 rural districts - 16,000.).
The Arkalyk Business Centre describes today's Arkalyk as "a city of miners, of regional administrators, and people excited to live in a regional center". Historically Arkalyk was a centre for the Soviet space programme. Cosmonauts would land on the huge central Kazakh steppe and come back to Arkalyk before heading to the Baikonur
Baikonur
Baikonur , formerly known as Leninsk, is a city in Kyzylorda Province of Kazakhstan, rented and administered by the Russian Federation. It was constructed to service the Baikonur Cosmodrome and was officially renamed Baikonur by Russian president Boris Yeltsin on December 20, 1995.The shape of the...
, the Soviet Union's premier "space city". Arkalyk is served by Arkalyk Airport
Arkalyk Airport
Arkalyk Airport is an airport in Kazakhstan located 9 km north of Arkalyk. It is a small civilian airport built during the Soviet era, and has a sizeable asphalt apron and passenger terminal. The terminal building is in a state of disrepair, and may be completely disused, and the apron and...
.
The city is linked by rail communication with the regional center (terminal station on a branch Esil - Derzhavinsk - Arkalyk). Roads Kostanay - Arkalyk tarmac, but is severely broken in the state. Roads Zhezkazgan - Arkalyk ground, in the wet weather becomes difficult even for freight transport because of mud. There is an airport (located 6 kilometers north-east of the city), capable of class aircraft Tu-154, Tu-134, etc. In Soviet times, it carried out flights to many cities in Kazakhstan, but since the mid-1990s an airport has been practically abandoned and used only sporadically during the search and rescue for the planting of manned spaceaids.
History
Arkalyk was founded in 1956 as a settlement of geologists and builders. By birth, it was obliged to open after the war for deposits of bauxite (raw material for aluminum production). On May 17, 1956, in a joint decree of the CPSU Central Committee and USSR Council of Ministers a separate line was written: «On the basis of Amangeldy bauxite deposits construct and put into operation Torghay bauxite mines ». In the 1960s Arkalyk was declared the All-Union shock Komsomol building, there was the young people flock from all over the USSR. In 1965 Arkalyk received city status and in 1971 became the center of the newly created Torghay area.In the 1980s the city reached its peak: it produced meat, poultry, and dairy. It functioned grain elevator, ceramic factory, sewing factory, the factory radio, factory built Aviamotornaya, Turgay bauxite mine (TBRU), which extracted up to 20% of bauxite ores in the USSR. But despite the industrial production, the economy of Turgay region was behind other regions of Kazakhstan due to large agricultural sector which was 90%. The region constantly demanded subsidies from the national budget, so in June 1988 it was dissolved and its territory was divided between Kostanai and Aqmola areas. When the city stopped to be a regional center, some parts of the infrastructure was evacuated (for example, regional radio station), and a number of potential industrial sites was frozen.
In 1989, active inhabitants of Arkalyk organized committee to restore Turgay area. In August 1990, Turgay region was formed again and Arkalyk become the regional center again.
Degradation of the city began in 1993-1994: production fell into decay. Migration began to other regions of Kazakhstan, Russia and Germany. Consequently, population of the city reduced. In 1991 it was 65,000 people, in 1999 it was 61,000, now it is 42,000 people. During 90s there were disrupted public services such as lengthy interruption of electricity, heat and water. In 1997, Turgay area has been disbanded again, and its territory was again moved into Kostanai and Akmola areas.
Some of the city districts as a part of #6, all of #7 and #9 were completely abandoned by the 2000s. Migration from the city was a complicated process which started in 90s. Full optimization stopped in 2000-2001. Enterprising businessmen from other regions of Kazakhstan dismantled the houses by removing building materials.
At the turn of 20th and 21st century, local authorities organized a campaign to relocate the remaining residents from the abandoned districts to the older city center, so the cost for municipal services would be reduced and communication would be significantly improved.
Currently, the city of Arkalyk is included in the list of depressed cities of Kazakhstan due to a very high level of unemployment. Industry in the city is virtually non-existent, except for maintaining the life of city and Torgayskogo bauxite mine, which is housed in SC «Aluminum of Kazakhstan». All produced bauxiteore is sent to the aluminum plant in Pavlodar, and other regions. Establishment of an aluminum smelter in Arkalyk is difficult due to lack of water.
Prospectives of Arkalyk are dual. On the one hand, the town has the bauxite mine which over the next 15–20 years will exhaust deposits and it will be possible to extract refractory clay only. On the other hand, there are a number of other minerals such as Jean-Arkalykskoe field has the shallow bed (up to 50 meters); Akzhalskoe field nefritoidov has the jewelry and raw materials; Akbulakskoe field has white marble; Agyrzhalskoe field has black marble; Jean-Arkalykskoe has deposits of therapeutic mineral waters. Development of these fields could lead to the economic and social revival of the region.
Educational Institution City
- Arkalyk pedogogical Institute named I. Altynsarin.
- Torghay humanities college.
- Torghay Agro-Technical College.
- Arkalyk Medical College.
- Arkalyk College of Economics and Law \Kazpotrebsoyuz\
- Arkalyk Kazakh-Turkish High School
Nature
Area is a hilly terrain with absolute marks 320–360 meters north of the city up to 390 m (1,280 ft). The radius of 6 km (4 mi) from the city are extensive mining (related to mining bauxite ore), the depth of 20–50 m.The natural reservoirs are not numerous, except for two drying creeks Akjar (in the northern part of town)and Arkalyksay (in the southern part of town), running from the East to the West.