The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07.
Balkash, city, Kazakhstan
(bäl-käsh´) (KEY) , city (1989 pop. 86,609), in Kazakhstan, on the north shore of Lake Balkash. A railroad terminus and port, it has fish processing and copper-smelting industries. Balkash was founded as Bertys in 1929 and was renamed in 1936.