Issyk-Kul Oblast

Issyk Kul Oblast (Kyrgyz: Ысык-Көл областы) is a province (oblast) of the Kyrgyz Republic. Its capital is Karakol. It is surrounded by Almaty Province, Kazakhstan (north), Chuy Oblast (west), Naryn Oblast (southwest) and Xinjiang, China (southeast).

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 (the 'sunny' and 'shady' Alatau, respectively). To the south is mountains and 'jailoos' (mountain meadows used for summer grazing). The highest peaks of the Tian Shan mountains, including Khan Tengri, are located in the easternmost part of the province.

Most of the population of the province 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

 * Population: 437,200 (assessment for 1 January 2009) including 28.7% - urban, and 71.3% - rural population
 * Employed population: 180,300 (2008)
 * Registered unemployed population: 4,902 (2008)
 * Export: 18.8 million US dollars (2008)
 * Import: 221.7 million US dollars (2008)
 * Direct Foreign Investments: 1,1 million US dollars (in 2008)

Demographics
As of 2009, Issyk Kul Oblast included 3 towns, 5 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 (de jure population) of Issyk Kul Oblast was:

Transportation
The railroad coming from the northwest (from Bishkek) ends at Balykchy. The main highway (A365) from Bishkek passes through Balykchy and into Naryn Oblast 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 Province with Almaty in Kazakhstan. Cholpon-Ata Airport and Tamga Airport have no regular flights.

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

Trivia
There is a village by the name of Kyzyldzhildyz in this province. Its name is hard enough to pronounce for foreigners to the language that the village's mayor has offered a reward for any American that can pronounce "Kyzyldzhildyz".

Rayons of Issyk Kul Oblast
Issyk Kul Oblast is divided administratively into 5 rayons: