About Karaganda

Qaraghandy, city, capital of Qaraghandy Province, central Kazakhstan. The city, which consists of more than 40 settlements scattered over a large area, is the industrial and transportation center of a principal coal-producing area. Manufactures include iron and steel, machinery, and processed food. Founded in 1856-57 as a site for copper smelting, Qaraghandy became a major coal-mining center in the 1930s. Population (1993 estimate) 596,000.