Plateau Ustyurt: location, description

The famous plateau of Ustyurt is located in Central Asia, occupies a vast territory of almost 200 thousand square meters. The border of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and a small section of Turkmenistan pass along it. Actually, the name "Ustyurt" in the Turkic version of the translation sounds like a "plateau".

A wonderful natural creation

Scientists-geologists suggest that from the time the plateau began, no less than 20 million years ago. However, only at the end of the last century, in the 80s, the scientific world became interested in Ustyurt. The expedition to Ustyurt Plateau was organized on numerous occasions. People wanted to gather as much information about this magnificent place.

The neighbors of the giant natural creation are:

• On the western side - the peninsula of Mangyshlak and the Gulf of Kara-Bogaz-Gol (in translation "Black mouth");
• In the east - the irretrievably drying Aral Sea, the delta of the Amudarya River .

Bozzhira

Dimensions of the Ustyurt plateau are impressive, in different places its height ranges from 180 to 300 meters. Sometimes there are abrupt 350-meter ledges - chinks, which rise above the adjacent plain.

The highest is the southwestern part of the plateau called Bozzhira. It consists of rocky ridges, hills (ridges) with almost equal outlines. The area of Bozzhira is incredibly beautiful, it can make a worthy competition to the famous Valley of Monuments (USA). The only thing that distinguishes these amazing corners of the planet from each other is attendance by tourists. To the great regret, very few of them heard about the existence of this pearl of Ustyurt. It is worthwhile to study Kazakhstan on the map of mountain ranges in order to assess the scale of this place.

The distant past of the plateau

More than 21 million years ago, the plateau was deep underwater. In that distant era on Earth there were two huge continents - Laurasia and Gondwana. They were separated by the Tethys ocean. The disappearance of the ancient sea, which was part of the ocean, falls on the first half of the Cenozoic. The pace of this process accelerated about 2 million years ago, after the Caspian and Black Seas separated.

In the limestone of Ustyurt find seashells, which confirms the hypothesis put forward. In addition, there is a huge amount of ferromanganese nodules, which in size and shape resemble balls for billiards. Not everyone will guess that spherical formations scattered over the entire surface of the plateau are formed under sea conditions. The water gradually washed away the dolomite and limestone rocks, but the ferromanganese concretions were more pronounced, they only acquired rounded outlines. I can not believe that the Ustyurt plateau is located in Kazakhstan. Local residents are proud of such a tourist attraction.

Indescribable beauty

The relief with an even surface is a desert. In some places clay predominates in the soil, in others - clayey-stony surface. In addition, there are areas of sand or small gravel. The desert is replaced by cracks or rocks, consisting mainly of chalk. Involuntarily seized by the feeling that you are on the surface of a lifeless planet or are present on the set of Hollywood movies of the same format. Plateau Ustyurt attracts the attention of many tourists and photographers who are engaged in the filming of landscapes.

The true beauty of the Cretaceous rocks is manifested when the sun rises or sets. At these moments, a beautiful spectacle opens: the rays usually give the white rocks reddish shades. At noon, they become slightly bluish. If you appreciate the natural attractions, then be sure to visit the plateau of Ustyurt (Kazakhstan).

Representatives of the flora and fauna inhabiting the plateau

Concerning flora and fauna, it is worth noting the following. There is nothing that could surprise a tourist. Such representatives of the plant world as wormwood and saxaul dominate. In a more favorable spring period, which does not last long, flowers appear, and the picture becomes brighter.

The animal world is more diverse. There are all those species that have adapted to life in the steppes and deserts. Climatic conditions on the plateau favor reptiles, which are represented by lizards, snakes and turtles. Well settled small rodents (jerboa, ground squirrel, marmot, gerbil), hedgehogs and hares. This is despite the fact that each of them is a potential prey for the wolf, fox or caracal. The cheetah, which belongs to rare species, is not bad, therefore we protect it by law. The pride of Ustyurt is the fearful saigas. Unfortunately, their population is in a critical condition. Of cloven-hoofed animals, there are also argali.

On the rocks of the chink the vultures and eagles froze in majestic poses, watching proudly everything that happens below in the plain. There are birds, habitual for Europeans - pigeons and sparrows. People inhabit the plateau of the Ustyurt snake to a greater extent. Therefore, tourists should be careful, strolling along stony terrain.

Another feature of the Ustyurt plateau is the large number of wild horses. Once roaming Kazakhs were breeding these domestic animals on local farms.

Water and winds

Water on the plateau is considered a deficit, as natural reservoirs have long disappeared. All the rivers and lakes had dried up. Their existence in remote times is evidenced by dry beds and solonchaks. Winds in Ustyurt have complete freedom, because the plateau lacks natural barriers in the form of mountains and forests.

This is reflected in the state of the karst rocks, leading to soil erosion, which in turn leads to a gradual change in the boundaries of the Ustyurt plateau itself.

Riddles around the area

During the Middle Ages Ustyurt was on the road of caravans, which were sent from the city of Khorezm, and then moved to settlements on the shores of the Caspian Sea and the lower reaches of the Volga River. In other words, the Great Silk Road passed along it . There are still a lot of artifacts confirming that trading people very often visited the plateau. This, for example, remains of cemeteries and underground temples. Settled settlements, even cities with visiting courtyards for caravans (caravanserais) and with all infrastructure. The ruins of one of such cities under the name Shahr-i-Wazir remained in good condition.

In the late 70-ies of the last century the plane flying over the plateau conducted aerial photography. On the surface of the plateau, mysterious images were revealed, something like the arrowheads directed to the northeast. Figures of triangular shape have quite impressive dimensions, their sides reach 100 meters in length. Unknown masters used to create giant "arrows" on the ground using a crushed stone. Apparently, they contain some sacred meaning. A clear and unequivocal answer to this question, scientists do not yet provide.

Near each corner of the earth ditches are dug. They may have retained water. In addition to these "arrows", later found and other figures, in particular soldiers, pyramids and turtles, which are also lined with stone. "Arrows" on the plateau can be safely ranked in the same category of riddles of history as the famous images in the Nazca desert.

Be sure to visit Ustyurt when you arrive in Kazakhstan. On the map of the area you can see exactly where this natural attraction is located.