Oskemen, Industrial center in East Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan
Oskemen is a big city in Oskemen municipality in eastern Kazakhstan. It sits where the Ulba River joins the Irtysh, surrounded by the Rudny Altai mountains at 283 meters (928 feet) elevation.
Russian forces built a fortress here in 1720 under orders from Tsar Peter the Great during expeditions searching for gold deposits. The settlement grew into an industrial center for metal processing during the 20th century.
The architecture reflects mid-20th-century Soviet urban planning, with wide avenues and multi-story residential blocks from that era. Local markets sell Kazakh handicrafts alongside Russian products, showing the bilingual tradition of the region.
An international airport connects the city to other destinations, while trams serve local transport within the city. Regional buses run to places in Kazakhstan and into neighboring Russia.
A metal processing plant houses an International Atomic Energy Agency uranium bank with reserves for several years of energy supply. The ice hockey arena carries the name of a Russian composer and conductor.
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