Chüy Region

(Redirected from Chuy oblast)

Chüy Region[a] is the northernmost region of Kyrgyzstan, surrounding the country's national capital of Bishkek. It is bounded on the north by Kazakhstan, and clockwise, Issyk-Kul Region, Naryn Region, Jalal-Abad Region, and Talas Region. Its administrative center is Bishkek.[2][3] Its total area is 19,895 km2 (7,682 sq mi).[4] The resident population of the region was 974,984 as of January 2021.[1] The region has sizeable Russian (20.8% in 2009) and Dungan (6.2% in 2009) minorities.[4] It takes its name from the river Chüy, that flows through the region.

Chüy Region
  • Чүй облусу (Kyrgyz)
  • Чуйская область (Russian)
Flag of Chüy Region
Coat of arms of Chüy Region
Map of Kyrgyzstan, location of Chüy Region highlighted
Map of Kyrgyzstan, location of Chüy Region highlighted
Coordinates: 42°30′N 74°30′E / 42.500°N 74.500°E / 42.500; 74.500
Country Kyrgyzstan
CapitalBishkek
Government
 • GubernatorAbdrakhmanov Sagynbek Umetalievich
Area
 • Total
19,895 km2 (7,682 sq mi)
Population
 (2023-01-01)[1]
 • Total
1,068,702
 • Density54/km2 (140/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+6 (KGT)
ISO 3166 codeKG-C
Districts8
Cities7
Towns1
Villages331

History

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In 1926, the area of the current region became part of the newly established Kirghiz ASSR. In 1939 the Frunze Region (oblast) was established. In 1959 Frunze Region was dissolved, and its constituent districts became districts of republican significance (not subordinated to a region). In 1990 the Chüy Region was established.[4][5] From 2003 to 2006, its administrative center was Tokmok.[6][3]

During the Soviet period, various agro-processing and other industries were established throughout the province, giving rise to several urban centers such as Tokmok, Kant and Kara-Balta.

Geography

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Chüy River valley

The main northwest part of the region is flat, a rarity in Kyrgyzstan. This is the Chüy Valley, the valley of the river Chu (Chüy). The valley's black soil is fertile and largely irrigated with water diverted from the Chu. The region's Agricultural production includes wheat, maize, sugar beets, potatoes, lucerne, and various vegetables and fruits.

The Kyrgyz Ala-Too mountains form the southern border of the region and the northern border of the Talas Region. There are many hiking and trekking routes accessible from the towns in the valley. The southwestern heel of the region over the Kyrgyz Alatau is geographically more like Naryn Region.

The northeast panhandle is the Chong Kemin Valley.

Divisions

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Looking up the Ala Archa river valley in the mountains south of Bishkek

The Chüy Region is divided administratively into one city of regional significance (Tokmok), and eight districts:[2][7][8][9]

District Seat Population (2021)[1] Map
City of Tokmok Tokmok 71,443
Alamüdün District Lebedinovka 188,484  
Chüy District Tokmok 54,622  
Jayyl District Kara-Balta 112,211  
Kemin District Kemin 48,360  
Moskva District Belovodskoye 103,007  
Panfilov District Kayyngdy 47,938  
Sokuluk District Sokuluk 194,579  
Ysyk-Ata District Kant 154,340  

Kant, Kara-Balta, Kayyngdy, Kemin, Orlovka and Shopokov are cities of district significance. There is one urban-type settlement in the region: Bordu (part of Kemin District).[2]

The Chüy District surrounds the city of Tokmok. The Alamüdün District surrounds the city of Bishkek, which however is not part of Chüy Region but a region-level administrative unit in its own right. The southwestern heel is administered as two exclaves of Jayyl and Panfilov Districts, Panfilov having a valley to the southeast and Jayyl the mountains to the north, west and southwest.

Economy

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The economically active population of Chüy Region in 2009 was 349,921, of which 297,298 employed and 52,632 (15.0%) unemployed.[4]

Agricultural production includes wheat, maize, sugar beets, potatoes, lucerne, and various vegetables and fruits. There is little industry in the region.

  • Export: 294.3 million US dollars (2009)[10]
  • Import: 202.5 million US dollars (2009)[10]
  • Direct Foreign Investments (2009): 57 million US dollars[10]

Transport

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The main east-west transportation axis of the region is the Taraz-Bishkek-Balykchy highway, running through most major cities of the region. This road's section west of Bishkek is part of European route E40, known locally as Highway M-39 (based on the old USSR highway numbering scheme). The same numbers apply to the road that continues north-east from Bishkek toward Almaty, crossing the river Chüy and leaving the region for Kazakhstan at Korday border crossing.

The only railway in the region runs along the same Taraz-Bishkek-Balykchy route; it sees comparatively little use these days.

 
Building an adobe bricken house in Milyanfan

Demographics

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The resident population of Chüy Region, according to the Population and Housing Census of 2009, was 803,230.[4] The Region's estimated population was at 974,984 in the beginning of 2021.[1]

Historical populations in Chüy Region
YearPop.±%
1970621,004—    
1979700,063+12.7%
1989796,692+13.8%
1999770,811−3.2%
2009803,230+4.2%
2021974,984+21.4%
Note: resident population; Sources:[4][1]

Ethnic composition

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The population is considerably more heterogeneous than that of the other regions of the country, with many ethnic Russians, Ukrainians, Dungans, Koreans, Germans, etc.

According to the 2009 Census, the ethnic composition (de jure population) of Chüy Region was:[4]

Ethnic group Population Proportion of Chüy Region population
Kyrgyzs 474,805 59.1%
Russians 167,135 20.8%
Dungans 49,802 6.2%
Uygurs 15,276 1.9%
Uzbeks 14,755 1.8%
Kazakhs 12,800 1.6%
Turks 11,124 1.4%
Ukrainians 10,850 1.4%
Azerbaijanis 10,196 1.3%
Tatars 6,482 0.8%
Germans 5,919 0.7%
Kurds 4,544 0.6%
Koreans 4,388 0.5%
Tajiks 2,600 0.3%
Lesgins 2,246 0.3%
Dargins 1,812 0.2%
Karachays 1,379 0.2%
Chechens 1,316 0.2%
other groups 5,801 0.7%
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Notes

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  1. ^ Kyrgyz: Чүй облусу, romanizedChüi oblusu; Russian: Чуйская область, romanizedChuyskaya oblast; Dungan: Чўхә җу

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Population of regions, districts, towns, urban-type settlements, rural communities and villages of Kyrgyz Republic" (XLS) (in Russian). National Statistics Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic. 2021. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Classification system of territorial units of the Kyrgyz Republic" (in Kyrgyz). National Statistics Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic. May 2021. pp. 67–81.
  3. ^ a b "Закон КР от 3 августа 2006 года №146 "Об определении города Бишкек административным центром Чуйской области Кыргызской Республики"". cbd.minjust.gov.kg.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "2009 population and housing census of the Kyrgyz Republic: Chüy Region" (PDF) (in Russian). National Statistics Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic. 2010. pp. 13, 16, 55, 218, 271–275.
  5. ^ "Чүй облусу" [Chüy Region] (PDF). Кыргызстандын Географиясы [Geography of Kyrgyzstan] (in Kyrgyz). Bishkek. 2004. p. 558.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ^ "Закон КР от 5 марта 2003 года №49 "Об определении города Токмок административным центром Чуйской области Кыргызской Республики"". cbd.minjust.gov.kg.
  7. ^ Чуйская областная госадминистрация: Чуйский район Archived 2011-07-22 at the Wayback Machine (The Government of the Chüy Region: Chüy District) (in Russian)
  8. ^ Чуйская областная госадминистрация: Город Токмок Archived 2011-07-22 at the Wayback Machine (The Government of the Chüy Region: City of Tokmok) (in Russian)
  9. ^ Чуйская областная госадминистрация: Список районов на главной странице Archived 2007-06-29 at the Wayback Machine (The Government of the Chüy Region: The districts of the Chüy Oblast) (in Russian)
  10. ^ a b c National Statistical Committee of Kyrgyz Republic. Statistical YearBook of Kyrgyz Republic for 2005-2009 (PDF) (Report) (in Kyrgyz and Russian). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-12-06.
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