Naryn Region

Naryn Region Нарын областы Нарынская область
Region
A mosque in Naryn
Flag Coat of arms
Map of Kyrgyzstan, location of Naryn Region highlighted
Coordinates: 41°30′N 75°30′E / 41.500°N 75.500°ECoordinates: 41°30′N 75°30′E / 41.500°N 75.500°E
Country	Kyrgyzstan
Capital	Naryn
Government
• Gubernator	Omurbek Suvanaliev
Area
• Total	45,200 km^2 (17,500 sq mi)
Population (2009-01-01)[1]
• Total	245,266
• Density	5.4/km^2 (14/sq mi)
Time zone	East (UTC+6)
• Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+6)
ISO 3166 code	KG-N
Districts	5
Cities	1
Townships	2
Villages	134

Naryn Region (Kyrgyz: Нарын областы) is the largest region (oblast) of Kyrgyzstan. It is located in the east of the country and borders with Chuy Region in the north, Issyk Kul Region in the northeast, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China in the southeast, Osh Region in the southwest, and Jalal-Abad Region in the west. Its capital is Naryn. The region was established on November 21, 1939 as Tien-Shan Region. On December 20, 1962 the region was dissolved, but on December 11, 1970 re-established again. On October 5, 1988 it was unified with Issyk-Kul Region, and, finally, on December 14, 1990 it got back its present name: Naryn Region.^[2]

The main highway runs from the Chinese border at Torugart Pass north to Balykchy on Issyk Kul Lake. It is known as the location of Son-Kul Lake and Chatyr-Kul Lake and Tash Rabat.

Naryn countryside

The population of Naryn oblast is 99% Kyrgyz. The economy is dominated by animal herding (sheep, horses, yaks), with wool and meat as the main products. Mining of various minerals developed during the Soviet era has largely been abandoned as uneconomical. Today the oblast is considered to be the poorest region in the country, but also the most typically Kirgyz. It boasts beautiful mountains, alpine pastures and Son-Kul Lake which during summer months attracts large herds of sheep and horses with their herders and their yurts.

Demographics

As of 2009, Naryn Region contained 1 town (Naryn), 2 urban-type settlements, and 134 villages. Its population, according to the Population and Housing Census of 2009 amounted to 245.3 thousand (enumerated de facto population) or 257.8 thousand (de jure population).^[1]

Historical populations in Naryn Region
Year	Pop.	±%
1970	176,844	—
1979	213,887	+20.9%
1989	249,416	+16.6%
1999	248,699	−0.3%
2009	245,266	−1.4%
Note: de jure population; Source:[1]

Ethnic composition

According to the 2009 Census, the ethnic composition of the Naryn Region (de jure population) was:^[1]

Ethnic group	Population	Proportion of Naryn Region population
Kyrgyzs	255,799	99.2%
Uzbeks	568	0.2%
Dungans	429	0.2%
Uygurs	339	0.1%
Kazakhs	215	0.1%
Russians	157	0.1%
other groups	261	0.1%

Basic Socio-Economic Indicators

• Employed population: 89,300 (2008) ^[3]
• Registered Unemployed Population: 6,922 (2008)^[4]
• Export: 0.9 million US dollars (2008)^[5]
• Import: 4.0 million US dollars (2008) ^[5]
• Direct Foreign Investments: 1,1 million US dollars (in 2008)^[6]

Districts of Naryn Region

Naryn Region is divided administratively into 5 districts ^[7]

Horses grazing near Son-Kul

District	Capital
Ak-Talaa District	Baetov
At-Bashi District	At-Bashi
Jumgal District	Chaek
Kochkor District	Kochkor
Naryn District	Naryn

References

1. Population and Housing Census 2009. Book 3 (in tables). Regions of Kyrgyzstan: Naryn Region (Перепись населения и жилищного фонда Кыргызской Республики 2009. Книга 3 (в таблицах). Регионы Кыргызстана: Нарынская область (PDF), Bishkek: National Committee on Statistics, 2010
2. Brief Description of Naryn Region (in Russian)
3. National Committee on Statistics (in Kyrgyz/Russian)
4. National Committee on Statistics (in Kyrgyz/Russian)
5. National Committee on Statistics (in Kyrgyz/Russian)
6. National Committee on Statistics (in Kyrgyz/Russian)
7. Kyrgyzstan - Джалал-Абадская область

Laurnnce Mitchell, Kyrgyzstan, Bradt Travel Guides, 2008