Markakol State Natural Reserve in the east part of Kazakhstan was included in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves. This is the third specially protected natural area of the country that was included in the list. Previously, the prestigious list was replenished by the Katon-Karagai National Nature Park in 2017 and by the West Altai Nature Reserve in 2020. According to experts, the inclusion of the environmental institution into the international network is an opportunity to increase the number of studies and scale up scientific projects. Markakol Natural Reserve occupies an area of almost 103,000 hectares. This is the coldest corner of Kazakhstan. Even in summer, the night temperature often drops to zero. There is also a rich variety of flora and fauna.
