List of lakes of Kazakhstan

Most of Kazakhstan is endorheic basin (except northern territories). As it is expected, the rivers flow into the numerous lakes in the basin. The most important drainage system is known as Yedisu, meaning "seven rivers" in Turkic languages. Below is the list of more important lakes. Some of these lakes are shared with the neighbouring countries. (Caspian Sea, Lake Aral, Lake Aike, etc.)

Lake name	Surface area	Region	Notes
Caspian Sea	371,000 square kilometres (143,244 sq mi)	Atyrau Region, Mangystau Region	The Caspian Sea is the world's largest enclosed body of water.
Aike	64.7 square kilometres (25 sq mi)	Aktobe Region
Alakol	2,650 square kilometres (1,023 sq mi)	Almaty Region	Bird breeding and nesting ground
Aral	17,160 square kilometres (6,626 sq mi)		Shrinking owing to environmental problems[1]
Azhibeksor			SW of Lake Tengiz[2]
Balkhash	16,996 square kilometres (6,562 sq mi)	Almaty Region, Karagandy Region, Jambyl Region
Bartogay		Almaty Region	Reservoir on the Chilik River
Chagan			Artificial lake (Former nuclear test site)
Issyk	0.22 square kilometres (0 sq mi)	Almaty Region	Not to be confused with Issyk Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan
Jasybay	4 square kilometres (2 sq mi)	Pavlodar Region
Kayindi		Almaty Region
Kamyslybas	176 square kilometres (68 sq mi)
Kapchagay			also spelled Qapshaghay Bogeni Reservoir
Kopa	14 square kilometres (5 sq mi)	Akmola Region
Markakol	455 square kilometres (176 sq mi)
Sasykkol	600 square kilometres (232 sq mi)	Almaty Region	Surface can reach 736 square kilometres (284 sq mi)
Tengiz	1,382 square kilometres (534 sq mi)	Akmola Region	Bird breeding and nesting ground
Zaysan	1,810 square kilometres (699 sq mi)
Zerenda	11.9 square kilometres (5 sq mi)	Akmola Region
Zhasylkol	1 square kilometre (0 sq mi)	Almaty Region

References

1. Kazakhstan government is trying to rescue the northern part of the lake
2. "Äzhibeksor Köli". Mapcarta. Retrieved 25 May 2017.