page_title: Zhongar-Alatau National Park
section_title: Topography
hierarchical_section_title: Zhongar-Alatau National Park / Topography
caption_attribution_description: English: Borders of Zhongar Alatau National Park (in red, just southeast of Sarkand, Kazakhstan)
context_page_description: Zhongar-Alatau National Park, also Jungar Alatau, or Dzungurian Alatau, was created in 2010 to protect the unique ecology of the Dzungarian Alatau, an isolated, glaciated mountain range in Kazakhstan, on the southeastern border with China. One stated reason for creating the park is to protect forests of wild fruit trees, including apricots, barberry, cherries, and currants. Approximately 1% of the land area of the park is forested with Sievers Apple trees, which are the progenitors of all cultured apple varieties in the world. The park is 300 km long, and spreads across Aksu District, Sarkand District and Alakol District of Almaty Region, 300 km northeast of the regional city of Almaty.
context_section_description: The park sits on the northern slope of the Dzungarian Alatau, a range between the Tian Shan to the south and the Altai Mountains to the north.  The park's terrain is mountainous with steep, rocky canyons and streams running from south to north.  The two main rivers - the Aksu River and the Lepsy River - flow north and west from the park into Lake Balkhash.  The mountains feature extensive glaciers.
caption: Zhongar Alatau National Park (border in red)
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