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| [[Image:AralskHarbor.jpg|thumb|300px|Former harbor area in downtown Aral]]
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| '''Aralsk''' ([[Kazakh language|Kazakh]]: '''Арал'''= '''Aral''', [[Russian language|Russian]]: '''Аральск''' = '''Aral'sk''') {{coor dm|46|47|N|61|40|E|}} is a small city in [[Kazakhstan]], located in the ''[[oblast]]'' of [[Qyzylorda Province|Qyzylorda]]. Population roughly 39,000. Aral was formerly a fishing port and harbour city on the banks of the [[Aral Sea]], and was a major supplier of fish to the neighboring region.
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| Since the retreat of the Aral Sea since 1960, due to diversion of the rivers flowing into it for [[irrigation]], mainly of [[cotton]], during the [[Soviet era]], Aral is now completely [[landlocked]] about 25 km from the sea, though this is less than the 100km distance observed before the completion of a dam in 2005. Aral has greatly diminished in population and [[Socioeconomics|socioeconomic]] significance. It has been more than 25 years since the Aral Sea could be seen from the town.
| | '''Aralsk''' (from the [[Russian language|Russian]] '''Аральск'''; [[Kazakh language|Kazakh]] name is '''Арал''' = '''Aral''') is a former fishery town in [[Kazakhstan]], named after the [[Aral Sea]] whose Northeastern shore was nearby when the place was founded in 1905.[[Category:Suggestion Bot Tag]] |
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| There are also serious health problems for the local population caused by airborne toxic chemicals exposed to the wind by the retreating waters and, possibly, from [[chemical agents|chemical]] and [[biological agents]] unsafely stored on islands in the Aral Sea. There is a high level of [[unemployment]].
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| Like the town of [[Moynaq]] to the south of the Aral Sea, it now has discarded rusting fishing boats sitting on what used to be the bed of the Aral Sea.
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| ==External links==
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| * The official website about the Aralsk region in Kazakh, Russian, English and Danish [http://www.aralsea.net/en/index.htm]
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| * News story on the plight of Aralsk and the Aral Sea. [http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/15390/story.htm]
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| Aral Ecological Disaster Zone
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| [http://lib.world-mobile.net/ecology/wmobile_readme.php?category=7]
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