Kent Range

Kent Range (Кент тауы) is a range of mountains in Karkaraly District, Karaganda Region, Kazakhstan.

Karkaraly city lies 20 km to the northwest of the northern slopes of the Kent Mountains. Part of the range is included in the Karkaraly National Park, a protected area established in 1998. The Kent section of the park has a surface of 40901 ha.

History
There are archaeological remains of an ancient city, dating back to the late Bronze Age in the Kent Mountains.

There are also ruins allegedly belonging to a 17th century Buddhist lamasery of the time of Buddhism in Kazakhstan, the Kyzyl Kent site. The ruins are located in a small valley surrounded by rocky slopes.

Geography
The Kent Range is one of the subranges of the Kazakh Upland system (Saryarka). It rises to the southeast of the Karkaraly Range. The roughly 25 km wide intermontane basin where the Taldy river flows northwards separates both ranges. The Bakty Range rises 15 km to the northeast, the Keshubai to the south, and Mount Ku 60 km to the NNE. The range stretches roughly from north to south for about 35 km. The ridges rise between 300 m and 500 m above the surrounding steppe; they are cut by deep ravines and valleys with scree slopes. The larger Kyzyltas range rises to the southwest.

The highest point is Mount Kent, a 1469 m high summit. Other important peaks are Dongal (1188 m), Naizatas (1293 m), Zhamantau (1411 m) and Bosaga (1066 m). There are numerous rock formations within the area of the range.

Flora
The forested areas of the range are mostly located on the western side. They include pine, birch, aspen and willow. There is as well low vegetation made up of steppe shrubs and sedges.