Aral Karakum

desert, Kazakhstan

Also known as: Karakumy Priaralskiye

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Last updated

June 18, 2026

Quick Summary

The Aral Karakum is a desert located in Kazakhstan, near the Aral Sea. It is a smaller desert compared to the Turkmen Karakum, which occupies a significant portion of Turkmenistan. The Aral Karakum is characterized by sandy ridges and sparse vegetation, serving as pastureland for livestock such as sheep, horses, and camels. It also contains oasis settlements and is a site for the exploitation of natural gas and gold mining. The climate is continental, with hot, dry summers and mild winters, and receives limited annual precipitation, primarily in the winter and spring months.12

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Karakum Desert
…Aral Sea is called the Aral Karakum.
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…Aral Sea is called the Aral Karakum.
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Kazakhstan
Relief
…the Greater Barsuki (Barsyq) and Aral Karakum deserts near the Aral Sea, the broad Betpaqdala Desert of the interior, and the Moiynqūm (Muyunkum) and Qyzylkūm (Kyzylkum) deserts in the south. Most of these desert regions support slight vegetative cover fed by subterranean groundwater.
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…the Greater Barsuki (Barsyq) and Aral Karakum deserts near the Aral Sea, the broad Betpaqdala Desert of the interior, and the Moiynqūm (Muyunkum) and Qyzylkūm (Kyzylkum) deserts in the south. Most of these desert regions support slight vegetative cover fed by subterranean groundwater.
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