Issyk-Kul Region


Ysyk-Köl oblusu is one of the regions of Kyrgyzstan. Its capital is Karakol. It is surrounded by Almaty Region, Kazakhstan, Chuy Region, Naryn Region and Xinjiang, China. It takes its name from Lake Issyk-Kul, world's second-largest high altitude lake.

Geography

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. To the south is mountains and 'jailoos'. 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

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.

Ethnic composition

According to the 2009 Census, the ethnic composition of Issyk-Kul Region was:
Ethnic groupPopulationProportion of Issyk-Kul Region population---------------------------
Kyrgyzs86.2%
Russians8.0%
Kazakhs1.5%
Uygurs0.9%
Kalmyks 0.9%
Dungans0.7%
Uzbeks0.7%
Tatars0.5%
Ukrainians0.3%
other groups0.3%

Transportation

The railroad coming from the northwest ends at Balykchy. The main highway from Bishkek passes through Balykchy and into the 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

The region, which resembles the Alps or Colorado, would be a major tourist destination were it not for its remoteness, underdeveloped infrastructure, and the 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.

Districts

Issyk-Kul is divided administratively into five districts:
DistrictCapitalMap
Ak-Suu DistrictKarakol
Jeti-Ögüz DistrictKyzyl-Suu
Tong DistrictBokonbaev
Tüp DistrictTüp
Issyk-Kul DistrictCholpon-Ata

Gallery