East Kazakhstan because of the historical and geographical characteristics became the center of intersection, mixing and simultaneous existence of many peoples, cultures and religions: the Turks (including Kazakhs), the Russians, invasion, Uighurs, Chinese, Koreans, Germans, Ukrainians, Belarussians. Here were the ancient caravan routes linking East and West. According to legends here in Altai wolf wolf ancestors first Turks.
Almost 3 thousand years ago in this region lived tribes Saks, which has replaced the Turks. In the late 17 th century began to penetrate Russian here. Initially, the Christians - "Old" and residents convicts - fugitives from the Altai mines ( "masons"), and later, in the early 18 century. Here were formed Russian Cossack settlement, which formed a protective line of military fortresses and outposts, oberegavshuyu raids on Russian settlements nomads from the south. At the same time, were discovered rich deposits of silver, copper, lead and gold.
Intensively developed mining. Until the mid-19 century. much of the eastern territory of the region (Bolshenarymsky, Kurchumsky and Zaysansky areas) was subordinate to China. In the early 20 century, there were numerous settlements educated Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians.
During World War II there was a large number of resettled Volga Germans, Chechens, Ingush and Tatars. This combination of peoples, cultures and religions has created a very interesting ethnographic diversity nomadic and sedentary cultures. These include the emergence of the Russians - Old maralovodcheskih farms.