Oral, formerly Ural'sk, city in northwestern Kazakhstan, located on the Ural River. The administrative center of Batys Qazaqstan Province, Oral is an agricultural processing center, with meat-packing plants and flour mills. Oral is also known for the production of sheepskins and felt boots. Like Atyrau (formerly Guryev) to the south, Oral was also known for its fishing industry and the production of caviar.
Oral was founded in 1613, called Yaikskiy Gorodok (Yaik was the early name for the Ural River), and renamed Ural'sk in 1775. Oral grew rapidly as trade developed as a consequence of its strategic location on the northern edge of the steppe zone between Russia, Kazakhstan, and Central Asia. It was also the main city for the Ural Cossacks. After a gradual economic decline early in the 20th century, Oral began to grow again as a rail line was completed (1939) that linked it with a major line between Russia and Central Asia. Population (1993 estimate) 220,000.
