Chuy Oblast

Chuy Oblast or Chui Olbast (Kyrgyz: Чүй областы, Чуйская область) is the northernmost oblast (province) of the Kyrgyz Republic. It is bounded on the north by Kazakhstan, and clockwise, Issyk-Kul Olbast, Naryn Oblast, Dzhalal-Abad Oblast and Talas Oblast. Its administrative center is Bishkek, but from 2003 to May 2006 it was Tokmok.

Geography
The main northwest part of the province is flat, a rarity in Kyrgyzstan. This is the valley of the Chu River. The valley's black soil is very fertile and is largely irrigated with water diverted from the Chu River. Agricultural production includes wheat, maize, sugar beets, potatoes, lucerne, and various vegetables and fruits. During the Soviet period, various agro-processing and other industries were established throughout the province, giving rise to a number of urban centers such as Tokmok, Kant and Kara-Balta. The population is considerably more heterogeneous than that of the other regions of the country, with many ethnic Russians, Ukrainians, Dungans, Koreans, Germans, etc.

The Kyrgyz Ala-Too mountains form southern border of the province, and the northern border of Talas Province. There are many hiking and trekking routes accessible from the towns in the valley. The southwestern heel of the province over the Kirgiz Alatau is geographically more like Naryn Oblast. The northeast panhandle is the Chong Kemin Valley.

The main east-west transportation axis of the province is the Taraz-Bishkek-Balykchy highway, running through most major cities of the province. This road's section west of Bishkek is part of European route E40, known locally as Highway M-39 (based on the old USSR highway numbering scheme). The same numbers apply to the road that continues north-east from Bishkek toward Almaty, crossing the Chuy River and leaving the province for Kazakhstan at Korday border crossing.

The only railway in the province runs along the same Taraz-Bishkek-Balykchy route; it sees comparatively little use these days.

Socioeconomic indicators



 * Employed population: 335,200 (2009)
 * Registered Unemployed Population: 6563 (in 2009)
 * Export: 294.3 million US dollars (2009)
 * Import: 202.5 million US dollars (2009)
 * Direct Foreign Investments (2009): 57 million US dollars

Demographics
As of 2009, Chuy Oblast included 4 towns, 5 urban-type settlements, and 331 villages. Its population, according to the Population and Housing Census of 2009, was 790,438.

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

Rayons of Chuy Oblast


Chuy Oblast is divided administratively into 8 rayon (districts), and the district-level city of Tokmok:   Chuy Oblast surrounds the city of Tokmok. The Alamudun District surrounds the city of Bishkek, which however is not part of Chuy Province but a province-level administrative unit in its own right. The southwestern heel is administered as two exclaves of Jaiyl and Panfilov Rayons, Panfilov having a valley to the southeast and Jaiyl the mountains to the north, west and southwest. Rayons below are listed from east to west.