Aktobe Region

Aktobe is a region of Kazakhstan. The Aktobe regional capital is the city of Aktobe, with a population of more than 340,000. The region itself has a population 678,900. The area of the region is 300,600 square kilometers, making it the second largest region of Kazakhstan, after Karaganda Region. Aktobe Region borders Russia to the north and Uzbekistan to the south, and also borders six other Kazakh regions: the Atyrau Region to the west, the Mangystau Region to the south-west, the Karaganda Region to the east, the Kostanay Region to the north-east, the Kyzylorda Region to the south-east, and the West Kazakhstan Region to the north-west. The Ilek River, a tributary of the Ural River, flows through the region. The name "Aktobe" comes from Kazakh "Ақ" (white) and "төбе" (hill); supposedly, Aktobe's initial settlers were able to see white mountains far to the north.