The Chüy Valley (;
;
) is a large valley located in northern
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia lying in the Tian Shan and Pamir Mountains, Pamir mountain ranges. Bishkek is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Kyrgyzstan, largest city. Kyrgyz ...
and southern
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...
, in the northern part of the
Tian Shan
The Tian Shan, also known as the Tengri Tagh or Tengir-Too, meaning the "Mountains of God/Heaven", is a large system of mountain ranges in Central Asia. The highest peak is Jengish Chokusu at high and located in Kyrgyzstan. Its lowest point is ...
. It extends from
Boom Gorge in the east to
Muyunkum Desert in the west. It is long and has an area of about . It borders
Kyrgyz Ala-Too in the south, and Chu-Ili mountains in the north.
[ Through the Boom Gorge in the narrow eastern part Chüy Valley is linked with Issyk-Kul Valley. The river Chu (Chüy) is the major stream of the valley.]
The warm summer and availability of drinking and irrigation water makes this area one of the most fertile and most densely populated regions of Kyrgyzstan.
There are deposits of zinc ore, lead, gold, and construction materials. The 2006 ''World Drug Report'' estimated that 400,000 hectares of cannabis grow wild in the Chüy Valley.
Climate
The climate is sharply continental. Summers are long and hot, and winters are relatively short and cold. The average temperature of the hottest month (July) is with a maximum of . The average temperature of the coldest month (January) is with a minimum of . The typical annual precipitation varies from in different climatic zones of the valley. Precipitation progressively increases with increasing altitude near Kyrgyz Ala-Too range. Spring and autumn are the rainiest seasons in Chüy Valley.
Settlements
The following cities and towns are located in the Chüy Valley:
* Bishkek
Bishkek, formerly known as Pishpek (until 1926), and then Frunze (1926–1991), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kyrgyzstan. Bishkek is also the administrative centre of the Chüy Region. Bishkek is situated near the Kazakhstan ...
* Kara-Balta
Kara-Balta (; Dungan, Russian and ; ) is a city and municipality on the Kara-Balta River, in Chüy Region, in northern Kyrgyzstan, the capital of Jayyl District. Its population was 48,278 in 2021.
Kara-Balta is located on the northern slopes ...
* Kant
Immanuel Kant (born Emanuel Kant; 22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804) was a German philosopher and one of the central Enlightenment thinkers. Born in Königsberg, Kant's comprehensive and systematic works in epistemology, metaphysics, et ...
* Kemin
Kemin (before 1992: ''Bystrovka'') is a city in northeastern Kyrgyzstan, the administrative headquarters of Kemin District in Chüy Region. Its population was 10,354 in 2021. It is located about 95 km eastward of Bishkek on the left bank of ...
* Shopokov
Shopokov (; ) is a town in the Chüy Region of Kyrgyzstan. Its population was 10,289 in 2021. Shopokov is a city of district significance within Sokuluk District.
According to a report by the local authorities (undated, but published some time ...
* Tokmok
Tokmok (; ) is a city in the Chüy Valley, northern Kyrgyzstan, east of the country's capital of Bishkek, with a population of 71,443 in 2021. Its elevation is 816 m above sea level. From 2003 to 2006, it was the administrative seat of Chüy R ...
* Ivanovka
References
Valleys of Kyrgyzstan
Valleys of Kazakhstan
Chüy Region
Jambyl Region
{{JambylRegion-geo-stub