Batken Region

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Batken Region
Баткен дубаны (Kyrgyz)
Баткенская область (Russian)
Region
Pamiro Alay (50844128).jpeg
Xo`jabaqirg`on River, Layli.jpg
Iskhak Razzakov shaary.jpg
Road and field in Batken
Batken obl flag.svg
Flag
Batken obl coa.svg
Coat of arms
Batken Province in Kyrgyzstan.svg
Map of Kyrgyzstan, location of Batken Region highlighted
Coordinates: 39°50′N71°30′E / 39.833°N 71.500°E / 39.833; 71.500
Country Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg  Kyrgyzstan
Capital Batken
Government
 •  Governor Mamat Aibalayev
Area
 • Total17,048 km2 (6,582 sq mi)
Population
 (2023-01-01) [1]
 • Total570,898
 • Density33/km2 (87/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+6 (Kyrgyzstan Time)
ISO 3166 code KG-B
Districts 3
Cities 6
Towns 1
Villages 198

Batken Region [lower-alpha 1] is a region of Kyrgyzstan. Its capital is Batken. It is bounded on the east by Osh Region, on the south, west and north by Tajikistan, and on the northeast by Uzbekistan. The northern part of the region is part of the flat, agricultural Ferghana Valley. The land rises southward to the mountains on the southern border: the Alay Mountains in the east, and the Turkestan Range in the west. Its total area is 17,048 km2 (6,582 sq mi). [2] The resident population of the region was 548,247 as of January 2021. [1] The region has sizeable Uzbek (14.7% in 2009) and Tajik (6.9% in 2009) minorities. [2]

Contents

History

Batken Region was created on 15 October 1999 from the westernmost section of Osh Region. [3] [4] This was partly in response to the activities of the Islamic Movement for Uzbekistan (IMU), with bases in Tajikistan. In 1999 they kidnapped a group of Japanese geologists and in 2000 some American climbers. In the two years, 49 Kyrgyz soldiers were killed. There was an attack on a Tajik border post in May 2006, which was probably connected to drug running.[ citation needed ] In 2021, a conflict over water rights has left 31 dead and 150 wounded on the Kyrgyz side. [5]

The area has been a target for the suppression of Islam. In October of 2023, 37 mosques and schools were closed by the government. [6] This happened soon after 60 mosques and religious schools were closed by raids in the Osh Region.

Divisions

The Batken Region is divided administratively into three cities of regional significance (Batken, Kyzyl-Kyya and Sülüktü), and three districts: [7]

DistrictSeatMap
Batken District Batken Kyrgyzstan Batken Raion.png
Kadamjay District Kadamjay Kyrgyzstan Kadamjay Raion.png
Leylek District Isfana Kyrgyzstan Leilek Raion.png

Aydarken, Isfana and Kadamjay are cities of district significance. There is one urban-type settlement in the region: Vostochnyy (part of Sülüktü city). [7]

Socio-economics

The economically active population of Batken Region in 2009 was 188,808, of which 176,611 employed and 12,197 (6.5%) unemployed. [2]

Demographics

The population of Batken Region, according to the Population and Housing Census of 2009 amounted to 380.3 thousand (enumerated de facto population) or 428.6 thousand (de jure population). [2] The official population estimate for January 2021 was 548,247. [1] In 2009 24.2% of the population lived in the region's cities and urban-type settlements, and 75.8% in the rural areas. [2]

Historical populations in Batken Region
YearPop.±% p.a.
1970200,328—    
1979237,469+1.91%
1989311,761+2.76%
1999382,426+2.06%
2009428,636+1.15%
2021548,247+2.07%
Note: de jure population; Sources: [2] [1]

Ethnic composition

According to the 2009 Census, the ethnic composition of the Batken Region (de jure population) was: [2]

Ethnic groupPopulationProportion of Batken Region population
Kyrgyzs 327,73976.5%
Uzbeks 63,04814.7%
Tajiks 29,5696.9%
Russians 3,5600.8%
Tatars 1,9100.4%
Turks 8880.2%
Uygurs 2640.1%
other groups1,2950.3%

Enclaves and exclaves

Map of Enclaves in Batken Region Enclaves in Kyrgyzstan EN.png
Map of Enclaves in Batken Region

In the Soviet period, six enclaves and exclaves were established in the Batken area. Two were Tajik, while four others are Uzbek.

Soʻx (or Sokh) ( 40°02′39″N71°05′39″E / 40.04417°N 71.09417°E / 40.04417; 71.09417 ) is an exclave of Uzbekistan, about 24 kilometres east of Batken. The largest of the exclaves, it has an area of ~234 square kilometres, stretches from 3 to 13 kilometres from east to west, and about 35 kilometres north to south, and is crossed by the main highway from Batken to Osh. Tajiks comprise 99 percent of the population, which in 1993 numbered 42,800. [9]

Chon-Qora and Qalacha (not to be confused with Qal'acha), immediately north of Soʻx, are two Uzbek villages within a very small enclave that lies on the river Sokh. It measures 2 kilometres long by 1 kilometre wide with an area of approximately 3 km2. It is part of Soʻx District of Fergana Region. The villages of Chon-Qora (or, in Kyrgyz, Chongara) at 40°15′03″N71°02′15″E / 40.25083°N 71.03750°E / 40.25083; 71.03750 and Qalacha ( 40°14′10″N71°02′12″E / 40.23611°N 71.03667°E / 40.23611; 71.03667 ) are at either end. The Kyrgyz village of Chong-Kara (or, in Uzbek, Chon-Kara) at 40°15′37″N71°00′41″E / 40.26028°N 71.01139°E / 40.26028; 71.01139 lies 2 kilometres northwest. [10] [11] [12] [Note: The Kyrgyz Cyrillic alphabet contains three characters not present in the Uzbek alphabet. One of these characters is romanized from Kyrgyz as the digraph "ng," which is not present in romanized Uzbek words.] [13]

Jani-Ayil (also Dzhangail, Jangy-ayyl or Khalmion) ( 40°12′09″N71°39′58″E / 40.20250°N 71.66611°E / 40.20250; 71.66611 ) is a small exclave of Uzbekistan, about 60 kilometres east of Batken and within 1 km of the Uzbek main border. It measures only 2 to 3 kilometres across. [9]

Lolazor (also Western Qalacha or Qayraghoch) near Kyrgyz town of Kayragach ( 40°04′05″N69°32′41″E / 40.06806°N 69.54472°E / 40.06806; 69.54472 ) is a very small exclave of Tajikistan, located in the northwest corner of the region near the railway station of Stantsiya Kayragach, about 130 kilometres west of Batken. [9] The border separates it from the Tajik town of Qal'acha; hence it is sometimes called "Western Qal'acha."

Shohimardon ( 39°58′59″N71°48′18″E / 39.98306°N 71.80500°E / 39.98306; 71.80500 ), or Shakhimardan, is an exclave of Uzbekistan, about 80 kilometres east of Batken and 19 kilometres south of the Uzbek border. It has an area of ~38.2 square kilometres, and a population in 1993 of 5,100. Uzbeks comprise 91 per cent of the population. [9]

Vorukh ( 39°51′04″N70°38′00″E / 39.85111°N 70.63333°E / 39.85111; 70.63333 ) is an exclave of Tajikistan, with an area of ~96.7 square kilometers, located 45 kilometres south of Isfara and 24 kilometres southwest of Batken, on the right bank of the river Karavshin. The population, distributed among 17 villages, is estimated to be between 23,000 and 29,000, 95 percent of which are Tajiks and 5 percent Kyrgyz. [9]

Travel

School at Batken area SchoolNearBatkenKyrgyzstan.jpg
School at Batken area

The southern mountains offer excellent, but very difficult climbing with many sheer rock faces. Summits are Pyramid Peak [5,509 meters (18,074 ft)] and Pik Skalistiy [5,621 meters (18,442 ft)].

In August 2000, the Batken region received international attention after a group of climbers, including acclaimed climber Tommy Caldwell, was taken hostage by a group of rebel Uzbeks associated with the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan whilst on an expedition in the Kara-Suu Valley. Speaking about scenery of Kara-Suu, Caldwell described the area as "unbelievably beautiful." [14]

Tourism is still relatively undeveloped in the Batken region compared to the rest of Kyrgyzstan. [15] In recent years, the government has shown interest in developing the region [16] and many foreigners have managed to visit with the help of local authorities. [17] The nearby Turkestan Range is often referred to as the "Asian Patagonia" by local trekking operators, in reference to the granite towers and the untouched wilderness that define the area.

Notable people

Notes

  1. ↑ Kyrgyz: Баткен дубаны, romanized: Batken dubany, pronounced [patkʰéntʊwɑnɯ́]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyrgyzstan</span> Country in Central Asia

Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in eastern Central Asia, lying in the Tian Shan and Pamir mountain ranges. Bishkek is the capital and largest city. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and China to the east and southeast. Ethnic Kyrgyz make up the majority of the country's over 7 million people, followed by significant minorities of Uzbeks and Russians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fergana Valley</span> Valley in Central Asia

Fergana Valley is a valley in Central Asia, lying mostly in eastern Uzbekistan, extending into southern Kyrgyzstan and northern Tajikistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regions of Uzbekistan</span>

Uzbekistan is divided into 12 regions, 1 autonomous republic, and 1 independent city.

Batken is a town in southwestern Kyrgyzstan, on the southern fringe of the Fergana Valley. It is the administrative seat of Batken Region. Since 2000, it is a city of regional significance, i.e. not part of a district. However, it is still the administrative seat of Batken District. Its area is 205 square kilometres (79 sq mi), and its resident population was 27,730 in 2021. The population of the town proper was 15,805.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osh Region</span> Region of Kyrgyzstan

Osh Region is a region of Kyrgyzstan. Its capital is Osh, which is not part of the region. It is bounded (clockwise) by Jalal-Abad Region, Naryn Region, China (Xinjiang), Tajikistan, Batken Region, and Uzbekistan. Its total area is 28,934 km2 (11,171 sq mi). The resident population of the region was 1,391,649 as of January 2021. The region has a sizeable Uzbek minority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Razzakov</span> Town in Batken, Kyrgyzstan

Razzakov, formerly known as Isfana, is a small town in the extreme western end of Batken Region in southern Kyrgyzstan. The town is located in the southern part of the Fergana Valley, in a region surrounded on three sides by Tajikistan. It was renamed by President Sadyr Japarov in honour of Iskhak Razzakov on March 18, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sülüktü</span> Town in Batken, Kyrgyzstan

Sülüktü, also spelled Sulukta or Suliukta is a town located at the extreme western end of Batken Region in southern Kyrgyzstan. Sülüktü is situated at the southern fringe of the Fergana Valley in a region surrounded on three sides by Tajikistan.

Lolazor is a small exclave of Tajikistan, which is just across the international border inside Kyrgyzstan. Situated 7 km south of Mehrobod and 14 km north of Sulukta (Kyrgyzstan), it is completely surrounded by the Leilek District of Batken Region, Kyrgyzstan. It is near the railway station of Stantsiya Kayragach, on the line from Proletarsk to Sulukta. It is part of the jamoat Gulkhona in Jabbor Rasulov District.

Jenish previously known as Khalmion is a village in Kadamjay District, Batken Region in south-west Kyrgyzstan, sitting practically on the border with Uzbekistan's Fergana Region. Its population was 6,274 in 2021. The village lies just to the west of the tiny enclave Jangail belonging to Uzbekistan, less than 1 km2 in area. This enclave is located north-northwest of another Uzbek enclave (Shakhimardan). The Kyrgyz villages of Khalmion and Jangy-Ayyl lie outside opposite edges of this enclave, within 1 km of the Kyrgyz-Uzbek main border.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leylek District</span> District in Batken, Kyrgyzstan

Leylek District is a district of Batken Region in south-western Kyrgyzstan. It borders with Batken District in the east, and Tajikistan in the south, west, and north. Its area is 4,653 square kilometres (1,797 sq mi), and its resident population was 146,020 in 2021. The administrative seat lies at Razzaqov.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aravan District</span> District in Osh Region, Kyrgyzstan

Aravan is a district of Osh Region in south-western Kyrgyzstan. The administrative seat lies at Aravan. Its area is 1,340 square kilometres (520 sq mi), and its resident population was 137,721 in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shohimardon</span> Rural community in Fergana Region, Uzbekistan

Shohimardon is a village and a subdivision of Fergana District, Fergana Region in eastern Uzbekistan. It is an exclave of Uzbekistan, surrounded by Kyrgyzstan, in a valley in the Pamir-Alay mountains. The name means ‘King of Men’ in Persian. The river Shohimardonsoy flows through the exclave. There are two villages: Shohimardon and Yordon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vorukh</span> Jamoat in Sughd Region, Tajikistan

Vorukh is a jamoat in northern Tajikistan that forms part of the city of Isfara in Sughd Region. As of 2022, the jamoat had a total population of 45.000.

The Sokh is a river in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. It takes its rise at the joint of the north slopes of Alay Mountains and Turkestan Range and ends in Ferghana Valley. The Sokh is a left tributary of the Syr Darya. Currently it is largely used for irrigation. The length of the river is 124 kilometres (77 mi) with a catchment area of 3,510 square kilometres (1,360 sq mi), and average yearly discharge of 42.1 cubic metres per second (1,490 cu ft/s). The maximum discharge is 58.9 m3/s (2,080 cu ft/s). Sokh is full-flowing in June-August, and it falls in September. Overall, 276 glaciers covering a total area of 258.7 square kilometres (99.9 sq mi) are in the river catchment. Its largest tributary is the Kojashkan.

Barak is a Kyrgyz village that is surrounded by the territory of Uzbekistan. Its de facto status as one of the world's 91 current international enclaves began in 1999. Administratively it is part of Kara-Suu District in Kyrgyzstan's Osh Region. It is encircled by the Andijan Region of Uzbekistan. Its population was 985 in 2021.

Sarvan is a Tajik enclave of the Sughd Region surrounded by Uzbekistan. It is located in the Fergana region where Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan meet. Sarvan is located 1.4 km from the Tajik-Uzbek border. Sarvan covers a valley with an area of about 8 km² and has a population of around 150 people. The principal economic activity is agriculture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sokh District</span> District in Fergana Region, Uzbekistan

Sokh District is a district of Uzbekistan's Fergana Region. It consists of two exclaves of Uzbekistan, surrounded by Kyrgyzstan. Despite being part of Uzbekistan, its population is almost entirely ethnic Tajiks, and the southern part of the district is closer to the border with Tajikistan than with the rest of Uzbekistan. Its capital is the town of Ravon. It has an area of 220 km2 (85 sq mi) and it has 80,600 inhabitants as of 2022. The district consists of seven urban-type settlements and four rural communities. Another village in the district is Limbur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan border</span> International border

The Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan border is 1,314 kilometres (816 mi) in length and runs from the tripoint with Kazakhstan to the tripoint with Tajikistan. It is Kyrgyzstan's longest external boundary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyrgyzstan–Tajikistan border</span> International border

The border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan is 984 kilometres (611 mi) long and runs from the tripoint with Uzbekistan to the tripoint with China.

Kayragach is the name of several places in Central Asia. The word literally means several local species of elm.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "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. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "2009 population and housing census of the Kyrgyz Republic: Batken Region" (PDF) (in Russian). National Statistics Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic. 2010. pp. 14, 17, 48, 185.
  3. ↑ "Закон КР от 13 октября 1999 года №110 "Об образовании Баткенской области Кыргызской Республики"". cbd.minjust.gov.kg.
  4. ↑ "Баткенская область - Регионы - О Кыргызстане - Добро пожаловать в Кыргызстан!".
  5. ↑ Deadly fighting on Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border kills at least 31, BBC News, 30 April 2021.
  6. ↑ , 24.kg News, 10 October 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Classification system of territorial units of the Kyrgyz Republic" (in Kyrgyz). National Statistics Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic. May 2021. pp. 39–46.
  8. ↑ Basic indicators foreign economic activities, National Committee on Statistics (in Kyrgyz/Russian)
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Map of Batken and Osh Regions, Goskartografiya, Bishkek, 2002
  10. ↑ "Complete Files of Geographic Names for Geopolitical Areas from GNS". Archived from the original on 10 April 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2013. Toponymic information is based on the Geographic Names Database, containing official standard names approved by the United States Board on Geographic Names and maintained by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. More information is available at the Maps and Geodata link at http://www.nga.mil. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency name, initials, and seal are protected by 10 United States Code Section 425
  11. ↑ National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. "GeoNames WMS Viewer". Archived from the original on 23 July 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  12. ↑ "GeoHack – Batken Province" . Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  13. ↑ National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. "Romanization Systems and Policies". Archived from the original on 13 February 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  14. ↑ Lowell, Josh (25 October 2018). The Dawn Wall (Documentary). Mortimer, Peter.
  15. ↑ Jenish, Nazgul (2017). "Tourism Sector in Kyrgyzstan: Trends and Challenges" (PDF). University of Central Asia Graduate School of Development. 42: 14.[ permanent dead link ]
  16. ↑ "OSCE supports improvements to tourism infrastructure in Kyrgyzstan's Batken province". OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe). 17 April 2014. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014.
  17. ↑ Cope, Ralph (November 2019). "Trekking in Kyrgyzstan – Tips, Tricks, and Where to Start". The Broke Backpacker. Archived from the original on 28 September 2020.

Sources

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