Issyk-Kul Region

Issyk-Kul Region
Ысык-Көл областы
Иссык-Кульская область
Region

Flag

Coat of arms

Map of Kyrgyzstan, location of Issyk-Kul Region highlighted, with Lake Issyk-Kul in blue
Coordinates: 42°0′N 78°0′E / 42.000°N 78.000°E / 42.000; 78.000Coordinates: 42°0′N 78°0′E / 42.000°N 78.000°E / 42.000; 78.000
Country  Kyrgyzstan
Capital Karakol
Government
  Gubernator Mirbek Asanakunov
Area
  Total 43,100 km2 (16,600 sq mi)
Population (2015)
  Total 463,900
  Density 11/km2 (28/sq mi)
Time zone East (UTC+6)
  Summer (DST) not observed (UTC+6)
ISO 3166 code KG-Y
Districts 5
Cities 3
Townships 5
Villages 175

Issyk-Kul Region (Kyrgyz: Ысык-Көл областы, Isıq-Köl oblastı/Ysyk-Köl oblasty, ىسىق-كۅل وبلاستى) is one of the regions of Kyrgyzstan. Its capital is Karakol. It is surrounded by Almaty Region, Kazakhstan (north), Chuy Region (west), Naryn Region (southwest) and Xinjiang, China (southeast). It takes its name from Lake Issyk-Kul ("warm lake"), the second largest saline lake in the world, which never freezes despite its altitude in the Tian Shan mountains.

Geography

Lake Issyk-Kul at sundown
Ala-Kul Lake in the Terskey Alatau mountains

The north is dominated by the eye-shaped Issyk-Kul lake, surrounded by the ridges of the Tian Shan mountain system: the Kyungey Ala-Too mountains to the north and the Terskey Alatau to the south (the 'sunny' and 'shady' Alatau, respectively). To the south is mountains and 'jailoos' (mountain meadows used for summer grazing). The highest peaks of the Tian Shan mountains, including Khan Tengri, are located in the easternmost part of the region.

Most of the population of the region lives around the lake, in particular in the cities of Balykchy near the lake's western end, and Karakol near its eastern end.

Basic socio-economic indicators

Demographics

As of 2009, Issyk-Kul Region included three towns, five urban-type settlements, and 175 villages. Its de facto and permanent population, according to the Population and Housing Census of 2009, was 425,116 and 438,389 correspondingly.

Historical populations in Issyk-Kul Region
YearPop.±%
1970311,992    
1979352,017+12.8%
1989409,618+16.4%
1999 415,513+1.4%
2009425,116+2.3%
Note: de facto population; Source:[6]

Ethnic composition

According to the 2009 Census, the ethnic composition (de jure population) of Issyk-Kul Region was:[6]

Ethnic group Population Proportion of Issyk-Kul Region population
Kyrgyzs 377,994 86.2%
Russians 35,275 8.0%
Kazakhs 6,464 1.5%
Uygurs 3,897 0.9%
Kalmyks 3,801 0.9%
Dungans 3,124 0.7%
Uzbeks 2,982 0.7%
Tatars 2,098 0.5%
Ukrainians 1,170 0.3%
other groups 1,584 0.3%

Transportation

The railroad coming from the northwest (from Bishkek) ends at Balykchy. The main highway (A365) from Bishkek passes through Balykchy and into Naryn Region on its way to the Torugart Pass into China. Highway A363 circles the lake and A362 runs east from the lake into Kazakhstan. Issyk-Kul International Airport and Karakol International Airport link the region with Almaty in Kazakhstan. Cholpon-Ata Airport and Tamga Airport have no regular flights.

Tourism

On the plateau between the north shore of Lake Issyk-Kul and the Kyungei Alatau Range (near Tamchy)

The region, which resembles the Alps or Colorado, would be a major tourist destination were it not for its remoteness, underdeveloped infrastructure, and growing conflict between Kyrgyz nationalists and independence factions, which in December 2008 flared up again, killing 39 civilians. Currently, it is visited mostly by locals who use the Soviet-era establishments around the lake and the more adventurous sort of international tourist.

Trivia

There is a village by the name of Kyzyldzhildyz in this region. Its name is hard enough to pronounce for foreigners to the language that the village's mayor has offered a reward for any American that can pronounce "Kyzyldzhildyz."

Districts of Issyk-Kul Region

A mosque in Tamchy village, Issyk-Kul Region

Issyk-Kul is divided administratively into five districts:[7]

District Capital Map
Ak-Suu District Karakol
Jeti-Oguz District Kyzyl-Suu
Tong District Bokonbaev
Tup District Tyup
Issyk Kul District Cholpon-Ata

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Issyk Kul Province.
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