Chemical and Oil-Processing Industries

There are more than 40 enterprises belonging to these industries which are located in the west and southwest of Kazakhstan. They are enterprises processing oil to produce petrol, diesel fuel, aviation paraffin and other products. They also make tires for cars and agricultural machines, rubber articles, plastics, chemical fibers and threads.

• Find the English equivalents to:

• предприятие

• быть расположенным

• нефть

• дизельное топливо

• изделия из резины

• бензин

• шины для автомобилей

• химические волокна и нити

Oil and Gas Industries

Kazakhstan has sufficient reserves of oil and gas. This sector is represented by the industrial combines “Mangyshlakneft”, ”Embaneft”, “Aktubinskneft”, “Tengizneftegaz” and others.

* The oldest industrial combine is “Embaneft” (1899).

* The biggest is “Mangyshlakneft” providing 60% of the Republic’s oil extraction. It exploits the Uzen and Zhetybai oil deposits of the Mangyshlak peninsula and started to operate in the mid-60s.

* The most recent oil and gas extracting enterprise is “Tengizneftegas”, a joint with the American Chevron Oil Company project.

* The joint exploitation of the Aktubinsk oil and gas deposits is under the discussion with the French company Elf Akiten.

* The new oil deposits were discovered in the South Turgai and Western Kazakhstan with prospects of exploitation for 25-30 years.

• Fill in the gaps:

1. Kazakhstan has … of oil and gas.

2. The oldest industrial combine is ....

3. “Mangyshlakneft” provides ... of the Republic’s oil extraction.

4. The Uzen and Zhetybai oil deposits are situated on ….

5. The most recent enterprise is ….

6. The new oil deposits were discovered in ….

Transport and Communications

All types of transport and communications have been developed in Kazakhstan: railway, air, road, sea, water transport and pipelines.

* There are 3 main railway lines with total route length of more than 14 000 km. The railway network stretches in all directions. In 1992 regular services were started with the Chinese People’s Republic.

* Total main road length is more than 80,000 km. Roads link Kazakhstan with all its neighbouring states. All the regions, districts and cities are part of an integrated transport network.

* Airlines connect Astana and Almaty with all regional centers, with many cities and settlements of the Republic as well as cities of the the CIS.

* There are about 5,000 km of oil and gas pipelines.

* There are more than 4,000 km of navigable rivers. Sea transport is mainly on the Caspian Sea.

* Electric, electronic and post office communications are being constantly modernized. In fact, there are extensive facilities to connect the Republic with practically any place in the world.

• What do these numbers refer to?

1992 14 000 km 5 000 km 80 000 km 4 000 km

Agriculture

Agriculture in the Republic is highly developed. The country is a significant producer and exporter of agricultural products. The main cereal crop is wheat. Arable land occupies 35 hectares. Live-stock breeding is one of the main activities of the Republic’s agricultural industry (sheep, cows, goats, pigs and horses).

• Give the Russian equivalents to:

- to be highly developed

• cereal crop

• live-stock breeding

• a significant producer

• an exporter of agricultural products

• the main activities

Science and New Technologies

At present the Republic has more than 100 scientific and research institutes and laboratories carrying out research work in all fields of science and technology. The biggest scientific centers are located in Astana, Almaty, Karaganda, Ust-Kamenogorsk and Shymkent.

It was Kazakh scientists who started the important project at Baikonur cosmodrome. In 1992 The National Space Agency was founded to organize the cooperation in space research and technologies with many countries in the world. Work is in progress to build up space communications between Kazakhstan and Turkey.

• Answer the questions:

1. What is the aim of a research institute or a laboratory?

2. Where are the biggest scientific centers located?

3. Who started the important project at the Baikonur cosmodrome?

4. When was the National Space Agency founded?