Lake Zaysan lies in the eastern part of this country, high in the Tarbagatai Mountains. Its most populous province has its capital at Shymkent. The Syr Darya has its mouth in this country, while in its southeast, the Ili River flows into Lake Balkhash. This country's most populous city lies on the (*) Esil, a tributary of the Irtysh. The Baikonur Cosmodrome lies in the south of this country, east of the Aral Sea. For ten points, name this second- largest former Soviet republic whose capital was Almaty but is now Astana.
Lake Zaysan lies in the eastern part of this country, high in the Tarbagatai Mountains. Its most populous province has its capital at Shymkent. The Syr Darya has its mouth in this country, while in its southeast, the Ili River flows into Lake Balkhash. This country's most populous city lies on the (*) Esil, a tributary of the Irtysh. The Baikonur Cosmodrome lies in the south of this country, east of the Aral Sea. For ten points, name this second- largest former Soviet republic whose capital was Almaty but is now Astana.
Lake Zaysan lies in the eastern part of this country, high in the Tarbagatai Mountains.
Republic of {Kazakhstan}