Alien Land

Colorful hills in Mangystau Region of South Western Kazakhstan. These extraordinary formations were created over tens of millions of years, when this region lay beneath the waters of the ancient Tethys Ocean. As the sea gradually receded, sediments of clay, limestone, sandstone, and marl settled and compressed into layers. Over geological time, tectonic uplift, erosion, and mineral oxidation sculpted these fantastically shaped hills and ridges. Iron oxides, sulfur compounds, and other minerals infused the rocks with their vivid palette, creating the multicolored strata visible today.[哈萨克斯坦 · Aktau]