East Kazakhstan Region in the context of "Altai Krai"

Kazakhstan is divided into 17 regions and 4 cities. The regions are further subdivided into districts. The four cities, Almaty, Baikonur, Shymkent, and the capital city Astana, do not belong to their surrounding regions.

Initially there were 14 regions. On 16 March 2022, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced that three new regions would be created. Abai Region was created from East Kazakhstan Region with its capital in Semey. Ulytau Region was created from Karaganda Region with its capital in Jezkazgan. Jetisu Region was created from Almaty Region with its capital in Taldykorgan; Almaty Region's capital was moved from Taldykorgan to Qonayev.

The Semipalatinsk Test Site or Semipalatinsk-21 (Russian: Семипалатинск-21; Kazakh: Семей-21, romanized: Semei-21), also known as "The Polygon", was the primary testing venue for the Soviet Union's nuclear weapons. It is located in Zhanasemey District, Abai Region, Kazakhstan, south of the valley of the Irtysh River. The test site was part of the former Kazakh SSR. The scientific buildings for the test site were located around 150 km (93 mi) west of the town of Semipalatinsk, later renamed Semey, near the border of East Kazakhstan Region and Pavlodar Region. Most of the nuclear tests took place at various sites further to the west and the south, some as far as into Karagandy Region.

The Soviet Union conducted 456 nuclear tests at Semipalatinsk from 1949 until 1989 with little regard for their effect on the local people or environment. The full impact of radiation exposure was hidden for many years by Soviet authorities and has only come to light since the test site closed in 1991. According to estimates from Kazakh experts, 1.5 million people were exposed to fallout over the years.

Lake Zaysan (Kazakh: Зайсан көлі, romanized: Zaisan kölı, pronounced [zɑjsɑ́n kɵlʉ́]) is a freshwater lake in Tarbagatay District, East Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan. It is the largest lake in the region. The lake is generally frozen from the beginning of November to the end of April, but still has an abundance of fish.

The lake has been drying in the modern era, but that process has been stabilized by the construction of the Bukhtarma Hydroelectric Power Plant, whose reservoir it is now a part of.

Abai Region (Kazakh: Абай облысы, romanized: Abai oblysy, pronounced [ɑˈbɑj wobləˈsə]) is a region of Kazakhstan. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced on 16 March 2022 that the region would be created. The area split off from East Kazakhstan Region when Tokayev's bill came into force on 8 June 2022. The administrative center of the region is Semey, until 2007 known as Semipalatinsk. Its borders roughly correspond to the old Semipalatinsk Region which was abolished in 1997 and merged with East Kazakhstan Region.