Oral ,
Uralsk in Russian, formerly known as
Yaitsk (Russian:
Яицк, until 1775), is a city in northwestern
Kazakhstan, at the confluence of the
Ural and
Chogan Rivers close to the
Russian border. As it is located on the western side of the Ural river, it is considered geographically in Europe. It is the capital of the
West Kazakhstan Region. Ethnic composition is dominated by
Kazakhs (60%) and
Russians. Population:
Oral is an agricultural and industrial center, and has been an important trade stop since its founding. Barge traffic has passed up and down the Ural River between the
Caspian Sea and the
Ural Mountains for centuries. Today it is one of the major entry points for rail traffic from
Europe to
Siberia, servicing the many new
oil fields in the Caspian basin and the industrial cities of the southern Urals. It is served by
Oral Ak Zhol Airport.