Shalkar

The town is located in the southeastern sector of the Aktobe Region near the northern end of the Greater Barsuki Desert, close to Lake Shalkar.Google Earth.

Shalkar has a semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSk){{Cite journal |title=Table 1 Overview of the Köppen-Geiger climate classes including the defining criteria. |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-023-02549-6/tables/1 |journal=Nature: Scientific Data |language=en}} with very cold winters and hot summers.

{{Weather box

| width = auto

| collapsed = yes

| metric first = yes

| single line = yes

| location = Shalkar (1991–2020)

| Jan high C = -8.2

| Feb high C = -6.9

| Mar high C = 2.4

| Apr high C = 16.7

| May high C = 25.2

| Jun high C = 31.5

| Jul high C = 33.3

| Aug high C = 31.8

| Sep high C = 24.4

| Oct high C = 15.1

| Nov high C = 2.6

| Dec high C = -5.4

| year high C = 13.5

| Jan mean C = -12.7

| Feb mean C = -12.2

| Mar mean C = -3.3

| Apr mean C = 9.6

| May mean C = 17.5

| Jun mean C = 23.7

| Jul mean C = 25.6

| Aug mean C = 23.6

| Sep mean C = 16.0

| Oct mean C = 7.3

| Nov mean C = -2.4

| Dec mean C = -9.7

| year mean C = 6.9

| Jan low C = -16.8

| Feb low C = -16.7

| Mar low C = -7.6

| Apr low C = 3.6

| May low C = 10.0

| Jun low C = 15.4

| Jul low C = 17.6

| Aug low C = 15.5

| Sep low C = 8.5

| Oct low C = 1.2

| Nov low C = -6.2

| Dec low C = -13.6

| year low C = 0.9

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation mm = 12.0

| Feb precipitation mm = 10.3

| Mar precipitation mm = 18.4

| Apr precipitation mm = 20.1

| May precipitation mm = 22.5

| Jun precipitation mm = 17.4

| Jul precipitation mm = 15.0

| Aug precipitation mm = 8.1

| Sep precipitation mm = 5.9

| Oct precipitation mm = 16.8

| Nov precipitation mm = 16.6

| Dec precipitation mm = 15.0

| year precipitation mm = 178.1

| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

| Jan precipitation days = 3.6

| Feb precipitation days = 3.2

| Mar precipitation days = 4.3

| Apr precipitation days = 3.9

| May precipitation days = 4.1

| Jun precipitation days = 3.3

| Jul precipitation days = 3.4

| Aug precipitation days = 1.6

| Sep precipitation days = 1.5

| Oct precipitation days = 3.2

| Nov precipitation days = 3.8

| Dec precipitation days = 4.2

| year precipitation days = 40.1

| source 1 = NOAA{{cite web

|url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-2-WMO-Normals-9120/Kazakhstan/CSV/Shalkar_35633.csv

|title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Shalkar

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = January 18, 2024}}

}}

Shalkar (Chelkar) was founded in 1870 as a settlement. At the time, Chelkar was a part of Irgizsky Uyezd of Turgay Oblast and was connected to Yrgyz by a road. In the 1900s, the railroad connecting Orenburg and Tashkent was built. Chelkar became an important railway station. Between 1905 and 1907 the station building, the locomotive depot, as well as other facilities including a school and a hospital, were built. In 1918, Chelkar was an area of battles during the Russian Civil War.

In 1920, Turgay Oblast was transformed to Turgay Governorate, and in 1921, it was abolished and included into Orenburg-Turgay Governorate. On May 26, 1921 Irgizsky District, a successor of Irgizsky Uyezd, was transferred to Aktyubinsk Governorate of Kirghiz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. On July 5, 1922 the district was abolished, and Shalkar became the administrative center of Chelkarsky Uyezd. In 1925, the republic was renamed Kazak Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic. On January 17, 1928 the governorate was abolished, and Chelkar was transferred to Aktyubinsk Okrug. The uyezds were abolished as well, and Chelkarsky Raion (District) was established.{{cite web|url=http://www.avestnik.kz/?p=16538|script-title=ru:От волостей к районам|last=Каратаев|first=Абат|date=February 2, 2012|publisher=Актюбинский вестник|language=Russian|accessdate=1 June 2012}}

In 1928, Shalkar was granted a town status. On December 17, 1930 the okrug was abolished, and the districts became directly subordinate to the republic. In 1932, Aktobe Region was established, and in 1936, the republic was transformed into Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic. In the 1930s Shalkar became a place for political exile, in particular, from Saint Petersburg.{{cite web|url=http://www.kazakh.ru/news/articles/?a=1019|script-title=ru:С визитом к царю из Шалкарской пустыни|last=Железняк|first=Сергей|date=June 28, 2007|publisher=Диапазон|language=Russian|accessdate=1 June 2012}}

Shalkar is mostly serving the railway; there is a carriage repair plant. There are also food industry enterprises.{{cite web|url=http://mapl40.narod.ru/map2/index06.html|title=L-40-VI. Челкар|publisher=narod.ru|language=Russian|accessdate=1 June 2012}}

Shalkar is a railway station on the Trans-Aral Railway, which connects Orenburg and Tashkent. A branch line connects to Beyneu, from where trains can continue to various destinations, including the Caspian Sea port of Aktau. It is also connected to Irgiz by a road. This connection provides an access to the E38 highway between Aktobe and Shymkent.

A team was sent to the 2014 Youth Bandy Championship of Kazakhstan and also to the first round of the National Rink Bandy Championships in 2015 for players born in 1999-2000, held in Oral.{{cite web|url=http://akzhajik.ucoz.kz/news/spasibo_andrej_evgenevich_vy_pobeditel/2015-03-30-904|title=Спасибо, Андрей Евгеньевич! Вы - победитель!|publisher=Хоккейный клуб «Акжайык»|language=Russian|accessdate=4 August 2015}}

{{Reflist}}

{{commonscat|Shalqar}}

{{Aktobe Region}}

Category:Populated places in Aktobe Region