Naryn Oblast

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

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.

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 Kyrgyz. 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 Oblast 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).

Ethnic composition
According to the 2009 Census, the ethnic composition of the Naryn Province (de jure population) was:

Basic Socio-Economic Indicators

 * Employed population: 89,300 (2008)
 * Registered Unemployed Population: 6,922 (2008)
 * Export: 0.9 million US dollars (2008)
 * Import: 4.0 million US dollars (2008)
 * Direct Foreign Investments: 1,1 million US dollars (in 2008)

Rayons of Naryn Oblast
Naryn Province is divided administratively into 5 districts