- Oskemen
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Ust-Kamenogorsk
Усть-Каменогорск
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SealLocation in Kazakhstan
Ust-KamenogorskCoordinates: 49°59′N 82°37′E / 49.983°N 82.617°E Country Kazakhstan Province East Kazakhstan Province Founded 1720 Incorporated (city) 1868 Government – Akim (mayor) Islam Abishev Area – Total 540 km2 (208.5 sq mi) Population (2010)[1] – Total 288,660 Time zone BTT (UTC+6) Postal code 070001–070019 Area code(s) +7 7232 Website Oskemen Ust-Kamenogorsk (Russian: Усть-Каменогорск), or Oskemen (Kazakh: Өскемен / Öskemen) and Ust-Kamennaya (Russian: Усть-Каменная, until 1868), is the capital of the East Kazakhstan Province. It is served by the Ust-Kamenogorsk Airport.
Contents
History
Founded in 1720 at the confluence of the Irtysh and Ulba rivers as a fort and trading post named Ust-Kamennaya.[2] The city was established in 1720 according to the order of the Russian Emperor Peter the Great, who sent a military expedition headed by major Ivan Vasilievich Likharev in the search of Yarkenda gold. Likharev’s expedition directed up the Irtysh river to Zaysan Lake. There, at the confluence of the Ulba and the Irtysh rivers the new fortress was laid – the Ust-Kamennaya Fortress. The Ust-Kamennaya Fortress appeared on the map of the Russian Empire, the very southern end of the Irtysh line.[3] In 1868 the city became the capital of the Semipalatinsk Oblast. It was the site of Georgy Malenkov's 30-year internal exile, during which he managed a local hydroelectric plant.[4]
The city developed into a major mining and metallurgical center during the Soviet period. Mining of non-ferrous metals, especially uranium, beryllium, tantalum, copper, lead, silver and zinc remain important. It is a center for the construction industry producing manufactured housing and ferroconcrete articles. The post-war industrial history of the city is very closely intertwined with the Soviet nuclear bomb project, and the city was therefore kept closed to outsiders. One of the main industrial enterprises, the Ulba Metal Works (UMW) which produced and still produce uranium products, was kept entirely secret despite it employing thousands of workers. An explosion at the UMW's beryllium production line in 1990 led to the diffusion of a highly toxic beryllium-containing "cloud" over the city. The health effects of this incident are not entirely known, partly due to the fact that the incident was kept secret by the Soviet authorities.
Economy
Under the name of the Ust-Kamenogorsk Lock, the highest lock in the world lies at Ablaketka where it allows river traffic to pass around a hydroelectric dam on the Irtysh river. It has a drop of more than 40m.[5]
Since the opening of the Three Gorges locks, the upper lock of that five-lock cascade is theoretically on a par with this lock, but its full drop will be used only in extreme cases, while the Ust-Kamenogorsk lock is designed for permanent use at this height.
Sports
- Kazzinc-Torpedo: an ice hockey team. Alma mater of NHL players: Nikolai Antropov, Vitaly Kolesnik, Konstantin Pushkarev and Alexander Perezhogin. In addition, Evgeni Nabokov is a former goaltender for the San Jose Sharks. Kazzinc-Torpedo is currently playing in Russian Vysshaya Liga.
- FC Vostok: football club, currently playing in Kazakhstan First Division
- The city sent a bandy team to the Spartakiade 2009 and finished third.[6]
Religion
Mosque in Oskemen
Russian Orthodox ChurchThere are 32 religious unions, presenting 15 religious confessions including Muslim, Christian and non-traditional religions. There are 21 cultural buildings in the city: among them mosques and Orthodox Christian churches.[7]
Transport
- Airport of Ust-Kamenogorsk
Notable residents
- Max Birbraer, ice hockey player drafted by NHL team (New Jersey Devils)[8]
- Anton Khudobin, ice hockey player
- Nik Antropov, ice hockey player drafted by NHL team (Toronto Maple Leafs)
See also
Notes
- ^ "Cities & towns of Kazakhstan". Pop-stat.mashke.org. February 25, 2009. http://pop-stat.mashke.org/kazakhstan-cities.htm. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
- ^ Encyclopedia Britannica on-line
- ^ "Информация о городе". www.oskemen.kz. http://www.oskemen.kz/en/city2_2.htm. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
- ^ Monday, Jul. 22, 1957 (July 22, 1957). "RUSSIA: The Quick & the Dead". TIME. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,862609,00.html. Retrieved August 1, 2010.
- ^ "Latest". Waterways World. http://www.waterwaysworld.com/latest.cgi?month=012008&start=20. Retrieved August 1, 2010.
- ^ "Спартакиада-2009. - Фотоальбом - Сайт болельщиков ХК "Акжайык"". Akghaik.ucoz.ru. March 18, 2007. http://akghaik.ucoz.ru/photo/9-1-0-0-2. Retrieved August 1, 2010.
- ^ "Domestic policy". www.oskemen.kz. April 19, 2001. http://www.oskemen.kz/en/politics5.htm. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
- ^ "Max Birbraer hockey statistics & profile at hockeydb.com". hockeydb.com. http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=51261. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
External links
East Kazakhstan ProvinceCapital: OskemenDistricts Abay · Ayagoz · Beskaragay · Borodulikha · Glubokoe · Katonkaragay · Kokpekti · Kurshim · Shemonaikha · Tarbagatay · Ulan · Urzhar · Zaysan · Zharma · Zyryan
Major cities 
Cities of KazakhstanCapital 
Other cities Aktau • Aktobe • Almaty • Arkalyk • Atyrau • Baikonur • Balqash • Ekibastuz • Jezkazgan • Karagandy • Kentau • Kokshetau • Kostanay • Kyzylorda • Oral • Oskemen • Pavlodar • Petropavl • Ridder • Saran • Satpayev • Semey • Shymkent • Stepnogorsk • Taldykorgan • Taraz • Temirtau • Turkestan • ZhanaozenCategories:- Altai
- Populated places established in 1720
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