§ 17. Railway and automobile transport

Railway transportation. Being a front view of transport ­ of Kazakhstan with its extensive territory, the railway transportation carries out 56 % of passenger transportations. On a goods traffic ­ it takes the second place after automobile transport.

Before revolution extent of the railways of Kazakhstan made ­ 2000 km. In 1905-1907 the railway Orenburg - Tashkent has been laid. On northern suburb of the country, through Petropavlov, there passes the Great Siberian highway. Now ­ extent of the railways of Kazakhstan exceeds ­ 15,1 thousand in km that corresponds to the third place in the CIS after Russia and the Ukraine. Frequency of trunk-railways in Kazakhstan ­ on each one thousand kilometres makes 5,3 km.

Prominent feature of the railway that it can be built in any direction - for this purpose the republic lay of land is very convenient. The railway transportation does not depend ­ on environmental conditions, works all year long and delivers ­ passengers and cargoes to a long distance.

In days of the Soviet power on all territory of the country railroad lines have been spent. From the basic highways short branches to industrial regions in republic are laid, to mineral deposits, agricultural ­ areas.

Among the railways in territory of the country it is possible to name highways in the meridian direction having interrepublican ­ value.

The railway Orenburg - Tashkent is one of the oldest and passes through the western areas of the country. Connecting the western ­ and southern areas of Kazakhstan, it is of great importance in natural resources development of these regions, in formation and development of economic branches. Besides, through territory of Kazakhstan communication between areas of the European part of Russia, the Ukraine and the countries of the Central Asia is carried out. On these directions it is necessary the maximum volume of goods traffics. By the European part ­ of the country cars, the equipment, production of the easy and chemical industry are transported. In the southern countries of the Central ­ Asia from Kazakhstan the clap, agricultural raw materials and other products arrive. In internal goods traffics of Kazakhstan the leading place is occupied with transportation of oil and its products.

From the northeast on the southwest there passes the railway of Semei ­ - Almaty - Kulan - Taraz - Shymkent - Arys. The site of this road between stations Kulan - Semei is called Turkestan-Siberian railway (Turksib). Turksib has been constructed in 1930, workers-Kazakhs for the first time took part in railway building. This highway has impulsed development of power ­ and nonferrous metallurgy on Ore Altai and in Zhongar Alatau. From Turksib through station the Lokot the branch line ­ is spent­ to Ust Kamenogorsk, Ridder and Zyrjanov. Soon ­ Ust Kamenogorsk will be connected to station Shar, the general extent of road - about 160 km. Road building Ust Kamenogorsk - Shar comes to the end.

Turksib has created possibilities for development of phosphorites of Karatau, has rendered a great influence on formation Zhambyl-Karatau territorial and production complex, on development of the old cities located along railway system.

Through the central part of Kazakhstan from the north to the south there passes the Transkazakhstan railway Petropavl - Astana - Karaganda - Mojynty - Shu which connects northern, central ­ and southern areas of the country. From the basic highway ­ railroad lines are spent ­ to internal areas of the Central ­ Kazakhstan - through station Zharyk to Zhezkazgan, through Mojynty to stations Balkhash, by Sajak and Aktogaj. Besides, for the purpose of ­ development of deposits of polymetallic and iron ores the branch line Karaganda - Karagajly here is spent.

For maintenance of the Karaganda metallurgical industrial complex ­ with iron and manganous ores from the cities of Aktau, Karazhal, Zhezkazgan to manganous ores in Zhezdy also are stretched railroad lines. It has created conditions for development of an industrial ­ network Zhezkazgan - Karsakpai and development Atasu deposit iron-manganous.

The main appointment of the Transkazakhstan railway - to promote development of the Karaganda coal basin and the copper industry in the Central Kazakhstan, to provide southern areas of Kazakhstan and the Central Asia with the Siberian wood, the North Kazakhstan grain and the Karaganda coal.

For northern and the central regions of Kazakhstan the major are two latitude highways which begin with station Kartaly ­(the Ural economic region of Russia), pass through Astana and Pavlodar, through Barnaul and in the East Siberian Taishet incorporate to the Great Siberian highway.

The first highway is called as South Siberian. It promotes ­ development of Ekibastuz coal basin in the Pavlodar ­ area. Use of its coal and energy thermal power stations ­ will accelerate formation of the Pavlodar-Ekibastuz territorial and production complex. Besides, the loop road on which the Karaganda ­ coal is delivered to Magnitogorsk metallurgical ­ industrial complex was reduced to 928 km­­. Favorable conditions for development of copper ore in Bozshakol, coal - in Majkoben are created.

The second highway passes on territory of Northern Kazakhstan­: Komsomolsk - Kostanai - Kokshetau, further through Karasu and the Stone-on-Ob to Taishet where incorporates to the Great Siberian highway which is a part of the Average Siberian highway. From it following branch lines are spent: Kostanai - Tobol - Lisakovsk necessary for development of Kostanai iron-ore pool in the Turgai hollow; Tobol - Zhitikara conducting on the Zhitikara asbestine deposit; Ishim - Arkalyk, the leader to turgai bauxites.

The average Siberian highway has created possibilities for development virgin and laylands in the north of Kazakhstan, development of a grain husbandry, export from the North Kazakhstan areas ­ of grain, agricultural production, cars, the equipment­, combustible, fuel, fertilizers, wood, building materials­, products of national consumption.

In other areas of the country the railways having the big economic value also are laid. The railway Atyrau - Kandyagash - Orsk connects the Western Kazakhstan with the Ural ­ economic region of Russia. From station Makat of this highway railway Bejneu - Aktau - New Uzen which creates possibilities for oil and gas development in Mangistau area is laid. Station Bejneu connected to station Konyrat in Kara-Kalpak opens an exit to the countries of the Central Asia through the second branch in the European part of Russia. The railway connecting Atyrau with Astrakhan connects the Western Kazakhstan with the countries of the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia.

Because the industrial and agricultural enterprises ­ are located far apart, value of intrarepublican transport-economic relations increases.

In the near future it is planned to spend railroad lines which will connect Kyzylorda to Zhezkazgan, Saksaul to Bejneu of Atyrau area.

In 1990 there is begun building of a site of the road connecting Kazakhstan with China that confirms a role of Kazakhstan as the transit state. In connection with operation of this highway ­ through China in Asian-Pacific region the track has been opened. Since 1992 between Kazakhstan and China steady railway communication was generated.

On the site between Tedzhen (Turkmenia) and Meshed (Iran) is constructed the 320-kilometre road which was a missing link of a trunk-railway Beijing - Istanbul. With use of the Japanese easy loan strengthening of the site of Aktogai- Friendship has begun. On the Chinese site building of the Trans-Asiatic trunk-railway having important political ­ and economic value has ended­.

The railway Meshed - Teheran is the basic way of realisation of trade relations for the countries of the Central Asia. It passes along the southwest branch of the Great Silk way.

Automobile transport. The automobile transport is a ­ fast, most economic type of transport. It transports cargoes and passengers on short distances and is irreplaceable ­ in the mountain areas not accessible to other type of transport­.

Highways of Kazakhstan share on roads republican ­(22,2 %) and local value (77,8 %). Extent of roads of the international value makes 12,4 thousand in km.

On country highways transit transportation in five international directions which connect ­ Europe with Asia and Russia with the Central Asia is made­.

The highway of Almaty - Astana is reconstructed according to requirements of the international standards. On it transit cargoes from Russia to China and back are transported; except that, the road connects Kazakhstan with India (through Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan). In the future this road will turn to the large highway uniting ­ many states.

For an establishment of communication with Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and China ­(through the Karakorym highway) building ­ of a highway of Almaty - Karachi is planned­. For its building Pakistan has already allocated 500 million dollars.

Besides, there is an interest in restoration of some directions of the Great Silk way.

On the general extent of highways Kazakhstan is ­ on the third place among the CIS countries, on density of roads - on one of last places. The length of highways of Kazakhstan makes 95 thousand in km, roads with a firm covering make ­ 84,0 thousand in km of them­.

Density of roads is the extent of road having on 1000 km2 of territory.

The highway of Almaty - Bishkek - Taraz - Shymkent - Tashkent is one of the largest in republic. Other large highway is the road from Almaty in the direction Semei and Ust Kamenogorsk which then branches off on Zharkent, Taldykorgan, Tekeli and around railway station of Zhalgyztobe incorporates to the highway named "East ­ ring".

Besides the republican there are highways of local value­: Karaganda - Temirtau - Astana; Semei - Pavlodar - Omsk; Ural - Atyrau; Kostanai - Arkalyk; Karaganda - Zhezkazgan; Almaty - Shelek - Narynkol; Taraz - Ulanbel, etc.

In connection with development of oil and gas deposits on peninsula Mangyshlak the ­ roads connecting all ­ oil enterprises operating ­ there are constructed­. Highways of Northern Kazakhstan Astana - Kostanai, Astana - Kokshetau, Petropavl ­ - Kostanai connect with each other the regional centres.