This monograph summarizes the research results obtained under the national fundamental research program of the Republic of Kazakhstan entitled “Developing Geographical Foundations for the Sustainable Utilization of Natural Resource Potential and Surface Water in Kazakhstan’s Transboundary River Basins.” The program’s focus on transboundary basin issues was by no means accidental. With continuing population growth and economic development worldwide, the resolution of such problems is becoming increasingly recognized as a prerequisite for sustainable development and regional security. Approximately 300 river basins around the world cross the boundaries of two or more countries. As a result, issues concerning the shared use of natural resources within such basins have become increasingly politicized and are more frequently a source of tension in interstate relations. This is particularly evident in the field of transnational utilization of water resources within transboundary river basins. Under the conditions of Central Asia, this question is of fundamental importance. Its resolution affects not only the socioeconomic well-being of the population but also the future development prospects of the countries of the region. The issue is especially significant for Kazakhstan, where all major rivers, including the Irtysh, Syr Darya, Zhaiyk (Ural), Ili, Chu, and Talas Rivers, are transboundary watercourses, and nearly half of the country's renewable runoff resources originate beyond its borders. To address various aspects of these challenges, the program included four specialized research projects, the results of which were presented in publications by A. A. Tursunov, R. I. Galperin, I. V. Seversky, I. M. Markovsky, Zh. D. Dostayev, and their collaborators. However, water-related problems cannot be effectively resolved without detailed investigation and adequate consideration of the diverse natural and anthropogenic processes occurring within river basins. Any significant change in the condition of terrestrial ecosystems inevitably affects runoff formation, hydrological regimes, and water quality, ultimately influencing socioeconomic conditions and the quality of life of the population. For Kazakhstan, assessing restrictions on natural-resource utilization caused by hazardous natural phenomena such as mudflows, avalanches, landslides, and similar processes is likewise an urgent task. Five of the twelve research projects within this program were devoted to various aspects of these issues. The results were published in the works of A. R. Medeu, V. P. Blagoveshchensky, G. V. Gerdeyeva, A. S. Beisenova, E. I. Nurmanbetov, F. Zh. Akniyanova, and their co-authors. Also consistent with the objectives of the program were studies aimed at evaluating recreational resources, which form the basis for tourism development. In sovereign Kazakhstan, whose territory encompasses a wide range of climatic conditions, diverse and unique landscapes and biological resources, as well as a rich heritage of cultural and historical monuments, this issue has become increasingly important. At the same time, it is highly complex because it requires the identification of scientifically grounded compromises between economic and commercial interests on the one hand and the preservation of ecosystem stability on the other. The first step toward solving this problem is the assessment of regional recreational resources. The results of such studies were presented in publications prepared by a research team led by S. R. Yerdavletov. A separate section of the program was devoted to research of special significance for Kazakhstan concerning the improvement and standardization of Kazakh-language geographical terminology. The results of these studies were published in works by S. A. Ablakhamova, K. B. Bazarbayev, and A. U. Makanova. Naturally, it is impossible for a single monograph to reflect all the results obtained under this research program. Most of the findings have already been published; therefore, this volume includes only selected, generally the most important, results from individual projects within the program and usually avoids repeating previously published material. It should also be remembered that the research was conducted under conditions of extremely limited resources, at a time when Kazakhstan's economy was only beginning to show signs of recovery after a prolonged and severe crisis. Nevertheless, for the majority of the program's research projects, the results obtained substantially expanded existing knowledge and, taken as a whole, not only made it possible to address a number of key practical problems related to transboundary river basins, but also established directions for future research.