Atyrau, Industrial center at Ural River and Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan
Atyrau sits on both banks of the Ural River, with the right bank belonging to Europe and the left bank to Asia. The terrain lies roughly 20 meters below sea level near the Caspian Sea, and several bridges connect the two halves of the city across the water.
A Russian trader named Gury Nazarov founded a wooden outpost here in 1640 under the name Nizhny Yaitzky Gorodok. The settlement grew over the centuries into a center for fishing and trade along routes between Asia and Europe.
The regional museums preserve artifacts from ancient civilizations and display collections representing the traditions of Kazakhs, Russians, Koreans, Tatars, and Uzbeks living in the area.
The airport lies outside the center and connects the region with other cities. Buses run through both districts and cross the boundary between Europe and Asia multiple times each day.
The nearby Tengiz oil field was discovered in 1979 and ranks among the largest petroleum deposits in all of Central Asia. The refinery in town processes large amounts of crude oil daily and has shaped the local economy for decades.
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