Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture

Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture^[a][b] is an autonomous prefecture in western Xinjiang, China, bordering Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Its capital is Artush. The prefecture is home to 622,222 people (as of 2020^[update]) and covers an area of 70,916 km² (27,381 sq mi). Most Kyrgyz in China reside in Kizilsu; they make up a little over a quarter of the prefecture's population. The Uyghurs are the largest ethnic group in Kizilsu, consisting of nearly two-thirds of the population.

Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture
Autonomous prefecture
Name transcription(s)
• Chinese	克孜勒苏柯尔克孜自治州
• Uyghur	قىزىلسۇ قىرغىز ئاپتونوم ئوبلاستى
• Kyrgyz	قىزىلسۇۇ قىرعىز اپتونوم وبلاسى
Kyrgyz yurts in Bulungkol, Akto County
Kizilsu Prefecture (red) in Xinjiang (orange)
Country	People's Republic of China
Region	Xinjiang
Capital	Artush
Area
• Total	70,916 km2 (27,381 sq mi)
Elevation [1]	1,150−7,000+ m (3,800−23,000+ ft)
Population  (2020 Census)
• Total	622,222
• Density	8.8/km2 (23/sq mi)
Demographics
• Major ethnic groups	66.2% Uyghurs 26.2% Kyrgyz 6.2% Han Chinese
GDP[2]
• Total	CN¥ 15.9 billion US$ 2.3 billion
• Per capita	CN¥ 25,556 US$ 3,698
Time zone	UTC+8 (China Standard)
ISO 3166 code	CN-XJ-30
Website	www.xjkz.gov.cn (in Chinese)

Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	克孜勒蘇柯爾克孜自治州
Simplified Chinese	克孜勒苏柯尔克孜自治州
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Kèzīlèsū Kē'ěrkèzī Zìzhìzhōu Wade–Giles Kʻo4-tzŭ1-lê4-su1 Kʻo1-êrh3-kʻo4-tzŭ1 Tzŭ4-chih4-chou1 other Mandarin Xiao'erjing كْذِلْصُوَع كْعَركْذِ ذِجِجِوْ
Uyghur name
Uyghur	قىزىلسۇ قىرغىز ئاپتونوم ئوبلاستى‎
Transcriptions Latin Yëziqi Qizilsu Qirghiz Aptonom Oblasti Yengi Yeziⱪ Ⱪizilsu Ⱪirƣiz Aptonom Oblasti SASM/GNC K̂izilsu K̂irĝiz Aptonom Oblasti Siril Yëziqi Қизилсу Қирғиз аптоном области
Kyrgyz name
Kyrgyz	قىزىلسۇۇ قىرعىز اپتونوم وبلاسى Кызылсуу Кыргыз аптоном обласы Kyzylsuu Kyrgyz aptonom oblasy

Etymology

For other uses, see Kyzyl-Suu (disambiguation).

The name Kizilsu (also spelled Kezilesu, derived from Chinese pinyin^[4][5]) refers to the Kezi River and means "red water" in the Kyrgyz language.^[6] Kiziloy, Kizilto, and the Kizil Caves are nearby places that also use the prefix kizil (red).

History

Kizilsu was within the territory of the First East Turkestan Republic, which lasted from November 1933 to April 1934. The establishment of the short-lived breakaway state was thanks in part to a political and military alliance between Uyghurs and Kyrgyz in western Xinjiang.

The Southern Xinjiang Administrative Office of the People's Republic of China established the Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Region on 14 July 1954. The autonomous region was reorganised as an autonomous prefecture in February 1955.^[7][1]

In 1955, the townships of Barin, Jamaterek, and Ujme were transferred from Yengisar County to Akto County, as was Bulungkol from Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County of Kashgar Prefecture.^[8]

In April 1990, a protest in Barin against Chinese rule in Xinjiang escalated into an armed insurrection, in what came to be known as the Barin uprising or Barin riot.^[9]

Subdivisions

Map including the westernmost point of China (DMA, 1982)

Kizilsu directly administers 1 county-level city and 3 counties.

(Note: This map does not reflect changes to the China–Tajikistan border.)
#	Name	Simplified Chinese	Hanyu Pinyin	Uyghur (UEY)	Uyghur Latin (ULY)	Kyrgyz (Arabic script)	Kyrgyz (Cyrillic script)	Kyrgyz Latin transcription	Population (2020 Census)	Area (km2)	Density (km2)
1	Artux	阿图什市	Ātúshí Shì	ئاتۇش شەھىرى	Atush Shehiri	ارتىش شاارى	Артыш шаары	Artysh shaary	290,936	15,698	18.53
2	Akto County	阿克陶县	Ākètáo Xiàn	ئاقتو ناھىيىسى	Aqto Nahiyisi	ﺍﻗﺘﻮﻭ وودانى	Актоо ооданы	Aktoo oodany	226,005	24,555	9.20
3	Akqi County	阿合奇县	Āhéqí Xiàn	ئاقچى ناھىيىسى	Aqchi Nahiyisi	اقچىي وودانى	Акчий ооданы	Akchiy oodany	44,369	11,545	3.84
4	Wuqia County[10]	乌恰县	Wūqià Xiàn	ئۇلۇغچات ناھىيىسى	Ulughchat Nahiyisi	ۇلۇۇچات وودانى	Улуучат ооданы	Uluuchat oodany	60,912	19,118	3.19

Demographics

According to the 2020 census, Kizilsu has 622,222 inhabitants with a population density of 6.36 inhabitants per km². Most Kyrgyz in China (80 per cent) reside in Kizilsu.^[11] As of 2013^[update], 27 per cent of the inhabitants of the prefecture were Kyrgyz.^[12]

Population by ethnicity

Nationality	2000[13]		2010[14]		2018[15]
	Population	%	Population	%	Population	%
Uyghur	281,306	63.98%	339,926	64.68%	413,655	66.24%
Kyrgyz	124,533	28.32%	143,582	27.32%	163,863	26.24%
Han	28,197	6.41%	35,629	6.78%	39,292	6.29%
Tajiks	4,662	1.06%	5,547	1.06%	6,097	0.98%
Hui	432	0.10%	447	0.08%	586	0.09%
Uzbek			44	0.01%	196	0.03%
Kazakhs			88	0.02%	180	0.03%
Manchu			33	0.01%	86	0.01%
Mongol			40	0.01%	66	0.01%
Tatars					35	0.01%
Sibe					33	0.01%
Russians					5	<0.01%
Daur					2	<0.01%
Tibetan			51	0.01%
Tujia			49	0.01%
Others	558	0.13%	134	0.03%	400	0.06%
Total	439,688	100%	525,570	100%	624,496	100%

Government

Party secretary

• Yan Fenxin [zh]
• Zeng Cun [zh]
• Zhang Jinbiao
• Liu Huijun [zh]^[16]
• An Zhengyu

Governor

• Horigul Jappar (1998–2006)^[17]
• Perhat Turdi (2007–2016)
• Dilshat Kidirhan (2017–present)^[16]

Notes

1. "Kyrgyz" is spelled "Kirgiz" by the Chinese government.^[3]
2. • Chinese: 克孜勒苏柯尔克孜自治州; pinyin: Kèzīlèsū Kē'ěrkèzī Zìzhìzhōu
   • Uyghur: قىزىلسۇ قىرغىز ئاپتونوم ئوبلاستى, romanized: Qizilsu Qirghiz Aptonom Oblasti
   • Kyrgyz: قىزىلسۇۇ قىرعىز اپتونوم وبلاسى, romanized: Kyzylsuu Kyrgyz aptonom oblasy