Jalal-Abad (also spelled Dzhalal-Abad, Djalal-Abat, Jalalabat; ky, Жалал-Aбат, ''Calal-Abat/Jalal-Abat'', جالال-ابات, ) is the administrative and economic centre of
Jalal-Abad Region in southwestern
Kyrgyzstan. Its area is ,
and its resident population was 123,239 in 2021.
It is situated at the north-eastern end of the
Fergana valley along the
Kögart
The Kögart ( ky, Көгарт, ''Köğart'', كۅعارت, ; russian: Кёгарт, ''Kyogart'') is a right tributary of the Kara Darya in Kyrgyzstan. The river is formed at the south-west slope of Fergana Range. The river's length is 105 km, and ...
river valley, in the foothills of the
Babash Ata mountains, very close to the
Uzbekistan border.
Overview
Jalal-Abad is known for its mineral springs in its surroundings, and the water from the nearby
Azreti-Ayup-Paygambar spa was long believed to cure lepers. Several
Soviet era sanatoriums offer mineral water treatment programs for people with various chronic diseases. Bottled mineral water from the region is sold around the country and abroad.
History
One of
Kyrgyzstan's main branches of the
Silk Road
The Silk Road () was a network of Eurasian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles), it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and reli ...
passed through Jalalabat and the region has played host to travelers for thousands of years, although few archaeological remains are visible today – except in some of the more remote parts of the region – such as
Saimalu Tash and the
Chatkal valley. These have included travelers, traders, tourists and pilgrims (to the various holy sights) and sick people visiting the curative spas such as in the
Ayub Tau
Ayub (Arabic: ايّوب ''Ayūb'', commonly written ايوب) is the Arabic name of the Abrahamic prophet Job. Here it refers to the Islamic prophet which is mentioned in the Quran, see Job in Islam.
The spread of the name among Muslims is partl ...
mountain, at the altitude of 700 m above sea level some three kilometers out of town.
There is a legend that the water from the
Azreti-Ayup-Paygambar (the Prophet Job) spa cured lepers. According to the legend there was a grave, a mosque and the khan's palace near the spa.
-abad is a
Persian suffix often used in city names in
Persianate societies to refer to the person who founded the community. It is said that Jalalabat was named after
Jalal ad Din, who was renowned for setting up
Caravanserai
A caravanserai (or caravansary; ) was a roadside inn where travelers ( caravaners) could rest and recover from the day's journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce, information and people across the network of trade routes covering ...
s to serve travelers and many
pilgrims who came to the holy mountain.
In early 19th century a small
Kokand
Kokand ( uz, Qo‘qon/Қўқон/قوقان, ; russian: Кока́нд; fa, خوقند, Xuqand; Chagatai: خوقند, ''Xuqand''; ky, Кокон, Kokon; tg, Хӯқанд, Xöqand) is a city in Fergana Region in eastern Uzbekistan, at the sou ...
fortress was built, and a small
kishlak
Kishlak or qishlaq ( uz, qishloq, tk, gyşlag, tr, kışlak, az, qışlaq, fa, قشلاق), or qıştaq ( ky, кыштак) qıstaw ( kz, қыстау) is a rural settlement of semi-nomadic Turkic peoples of Central Asia and Azerbaijan. The ...
grew up around this. The local people were engaged in agriculture and trade and provided services to the
pilgrims visiting the spas. Then, in the 1870s, Russian settlers came to the region. They set up a garrison town and military hospital.
Population
Climate
Jalal-Abad has a
hot, dry-summer continental climate (''Dsa'') according to the
Köppen climate classification. There is more rainfall in winter than in summer. The average annual temperature in Jalal-Abad is . About of precipitation falls annually.
Economy
The train line (a rarity in
Kyrgyzstan), runs from the
Ferghana Valley
The Fergana Valley (; ; ) in Central Asia lies mainly in eastern Uzbekistan, but also extends into southern Kyrgyzstan and northern Tajikistan.
Divided into three republics of the former Soviet Union, the valley is ethnically diverse and in the ...
northeast about 30 km to
Kökjanggak.
Biggest Companies: Kyrgyz-Canada JV "Kyrgyz Petroleum Company", АО «Kelechek», АО «Nur». AOZT «KyrgyzChlopok», JV «Ak-Altyn» process cotton. There are the tobacco-curing companies «Tura-Ai» Ltd and «Aziz-Tabak» Ltd., that export 90% of their output to 17 countries. There are also mill houses АО «Azrat Ayib», AOZT PTK «Intershaq», «Mariam & Co» ltd, and the liquor manufacturer AOZT «Jalalabat Arak Zavodu».
Tourism
The
Jalal-Abad Region is known for its walnuts and scenery. Local sites include the
Arslanbob Waterfalls and
Sary-Chelek Nature Reserve and Lake. In the city itself, sites include the town square and the culture park, which contains various sculptures and Jalalabad's theater.
See also
*
References
External links
Jalal-Abad official website*
{{Authority control
Populated places in Jalal-Abad Region