Key Facts about Ural River

About Ural River

• It is a 2,428 km long river that flows through Russia and Kazakhstan along the continental boundary between Europe and Asia.
• It is also referred to as the Zhayyq River in the native Kazakh language.
• Course:
  • The river originates in the Ural Mountains, close to Mount Kruglaya in Russia.
  • It empties into the Caspian Sea; the world’s largest inland sea that lies between Europe and Asia.
• It is Europe's third-longest river, after the Volga and the Danube rivers, and Asia's 19th longest river.
• Melting snow constitutes about 60% to 70% of the river’s water source, while precipitation is a minor source.
• A prominent feature of the Ural River is itsdigitate delta, or tree-like structure, that can be seen as the river enters the Caspian Sea.
• Tributaries:
  • It has a total of 58 tributaries, with the most prominent ones being Kushum, Derkul, Chagan, Irtek, Utva, Elek, Bolshaya Chobda, Kindel, Sakmara, Tanalyk, Salmys, Or, and Suunduk. 
  • Tributaries from the right side are typical mountain rivers, while the left side tributaries have flatland characteristics.

Orsk City

• It is located in the Orenburg Oblast region, Russia.
• It lies about 150 miles (240 km) south of Magnitogorsk at the confluence of the Ural and Or rivers. 
• It lies adjacent to the Kazakhstan–Russia border.

Orsk is now a major industrial centre, with a large oil refinery using petroleum piped from fields on the Caspian Sea.

Q1: Which countries border the Caspian Sea?

The Caspian Sea is bordered by five countries: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia.