Özgön

(Redirected from Uzkent)

Özgön (Kyrgyz: Өзгөн)[2] or Uzgen (Russian: Узген)[3] (from Sogdian Uzkand ("city of the Uz ")[4] is a town in Osh Region, Kyrgyzstan. It is a city of district significance and the seat of Özgön District.[2] Its population was 62,802 in 2021.[1]

Özgön
Өзгөн
Uzgen
12th century Karakhanid mausoleum in Özgön
12th century Karakhanid mausoleum in Özgön
Özgön is located in Kyrgyzstan
Özgön
Özgön
Location in Kyrgyzstan
Özgön is located in West and Central Asia
Özgön
Özgön
Özgön (West and Central Asia)
Özgön is located in Asia
Özgön
Özgön
Özgön (Asia)
Coordinates: 40°46′N 73°18′E / 40.767°N 73.300°E / 40.767; 73.300
Country Kyrgyzstan
RegionOsh Region
DistrictÖzgön
Elevation
1,029 m (3,375 ft)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Total
62,802
Time zoneUTC+6 (KGT)
Map of Central Asia in the 8th century C.E., showing the city of Uzkand (top right, at the Eastern extremity of Farghana)
French map (1882) of the Fergana valley, showing the city (centre right) under the name of Oûsgent

History

edit

The town is mentioned in Chinese annals of the second century BC. It was one of the capitals of the Karakhanids, who called it Mavarannahr and left three well-preserved mausolea. Özgön became the abode of Muhammad b. Nasr during the Kara-Khanid split into two branches.

 
Uzgen Minaret tower.

Accounts of Özgön were found in the works of Arab writers like Al-Muqaddasi and Ibn Hawqal in the 10th century.[5]

Population

edit
Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
197023,113—    
197929,214+2.64%
198934,167+1.58%
199941,497+1.96%
200949,410+1.76%
202162,802+2.02%
Note: resident population; Sources:[6][1]

Geography

edit

Özgön is located at the far eastern end of the Ferghana Valley,[7] upstream of the point where the Kara-Darya enters the valley. It is 30 miles northeast of Osh, and 20 miles southeast of Jalal-Abad on the banks of the Kara-Darya, on its right side.[8]

Climate

edit

Özgön has a hot summer Mediterranean continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dsa). Summers are hot and dry. Precipitation occurs mostly in winter and its adjacent months.

Climate data for Özgön (1991-2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Daily mean °C (°F) −1.2
(29.8)
0.9
(33.6)
7.5
(45.5)
13.7
(56.7)
18.2
(64.8)
22.4
(72.3)
24.7
(76.5)
23.7
(74.7)
19.2
(66.6)
12.4
(54.3)
6.0
(42.8)
0.6
(33.1)
12.3
(54.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 40.9
(1.61)
51.2
(2.02)
77.8
(3.06)
86.3
(3.40)
71.9
(2.83)
38
(1.5)
19.6
(0.77)
10.9
(0.43)
12.6
(0.50)
54.9
(2.16)
54.6
(2.15)
40.7
(1.60)
559.4
(22.02)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 7 7.4 8.6 8.1 8.7 6.4 4.4 3.1 2.9 4.9 5.7 6.1 73.3
Average relative humidity (%) 77.3 74.9 66.6 56.8 51.8 44.6 46.1 50 52.8 60.2 69 77.9 60.7
Source 1: NOAA[9]
Source 2: "The Climate of Uzgen". Weatherbase. Retrieved 31 July 2014.

Famous people

edit
 
Mirza Abu Bakr Dughlat's unsuccessful attempt to capture Özgön (from the Baburnama).

One of the middle/high schools of Özgön was named after him.

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "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 "Classification system of territorial units of the Kyrgyz Republic" (in Kyrgyz). National Statistics Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic. May 2021. p. 59.
  3. ^ Узген in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia (in Russian) – via Great Scientific Library
  4. ^ Room, Adrian (2006). Placenames of the World: Origins and Meanings of the Names for 6,600 Countries, Cities, Territories, Natural Features and Historic Sites (2nd ed.). London: McFarland. p. 330. ISBN 978-0-7864-2248-7.
  5. ^ David Nicolle (2008). Saracen Strongholds AD 630-1050: The Middle East and Central Asia. Osprey Publishing. pp. 46–. ISBN 978-1-84603-115-1.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ "2009 population and housing census of the Kyrgyz Republic: Osh Region" (PDF) (in Russian). National Statistics Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic. 2010. p. 201.
  7. ^ Jonathan Bloom; Sheila Blair (14 May 2009). Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art & Architecture: Three-Volume Set. OUP USA. pp. 2–. ISBN 978-0-19-530991-1.
  8. ^ Timur Beisembiev (19 December 2013). The Life of Alimqul: A Native Chronicle of Nineteenth Century Central Asia. Routledge. pp. 58–. ISBN 978-1-136-81997-1.
  9. ^ "Climate Normals 1991–2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
edit