The Karatal (, Karatal; Khalkha Mongolian: Хартал Hartal, Black Steppe), also known as the Qaratal River (, Qaratal), is a river in Kazakhstan that originates in the Dzungarian Alatau Mountains near the border of with China and flows into Lake Balkhash. It is the easternmost of two large rivers that flow into the lake; the other is the Ili. The Karatal is one of the main rivers of the historic region of Zhetysu. The river is long and has a basin area of .