There are forests in the north and west. In the centre of the country there is a steppe called Saryarka and a desert called Aral Karakum. Kyzylkum and Moyunqum are in the south. There are three long rivers in the south: Syrdarya, Shu and IIi in the south-east, there is a big Iake called Balkhash. The mountains in the east are called the Altay and in the north-west there are the Urals and the Tian Shan.