Tokmok ( ky, Токмок, lit=hammer; russian: Токмак, Tokmak)
is a city in the
Chüy Valley, northern
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and the People's Republic of China to the ea ...
, east of the country's capital of
Bishkek
Bishkek ( ky, Бишкек), ), formerly Pishpek and Frunze, is the capital and largest city of Kyrgyzstan. Bishkek is also the administrative centre of the Chüy Region. The region surrounds the city, although the city itself is not part of ...
, 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 Region. Just to the north is the river
Chu and the border with Kazakhstan.
Tokmok was established as a northern military outpost of the
Khanate of Kokand c.1830. Thirty years later, it fell to the Russians who demolished the fort. The modern town was founded in 1864 by Major-General
Mikhail Chernyayev
Mikhail Grigoryevich Chernyaev (Russian: Михаил Григорьевич Черняев) (3 November / 22 October 1828, Bender, Bessarabia Governorate – 16 August 1898) was a Russian major general, who, together with Konstantin Kaufman an ...
.
Tokmok is a district-level city of regional significance within Chüy Region. Although the city is surrounded by the region's
Chüy District
Chüy ( ky, Чүй району, Chüy rayonu) is a district of Chüy Region in northern Kyrgyzstan. Its area is , and its resident population was 54,622 in 2021. The district surrounds the city of Tokmok, but does not include it. The administrat ...
, it is not a part of it. Its total area is .
Medieval heritage
Despite its relatively modern origin, Tokmok stands in the middle of the
Chüy Valley, which was a prize sought by many medieval conquerors. The ruins of
Ak-Beshim
Suyab ( fa, سوی آب; Middle Chinese: /suʌiH jiᴇp̚/), also known as ''Ordukent'' (modern-day ''Ak-Beshim''), was an ancient Silk Road city located some 50 km east from Bishkek, and 8 km west southwest from Tokmok, in the Chu r ...
, the capital of the
Western Turkic Khaganate
The Western Turkic Khaganate () or Onoq Khaganate ( otk, 𐰆𐰣:𐰸:𐰉𐰆𐰑𐰣, On oq budun, Ten arrow people) was a Turkic khaganate in Eurasia, formed as a result of the wars in the beginning of the 7th century (593–603 CE) after ...
, are situated 8 km southwest from Tokmok.
Yusuf Has Hajib
Yusuf ( ar, يوسف ') is a male name of Arabic origin meaning "God increases" (in piety, power and influence).From the Hebrew יהוה להוסיף ''YHWH Lhosif'' meaning "YHWH will increase/add". It is the Arabic equivalent of the Hebrew name ...
Balasaguni, author of the
Kutadgu Bilig is said to have been born in this area.
About 15 km south of Tokmok is the 11th-century
Burana Tower
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, image = Burana tower 2009.jpg
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, caption = Burana tower as of 2012
, map =
, map_type = Kyrgyzstan
, map_alt =
, m ...
, located on the grounds of an ancient citadel of which today only a large earthen mound remains. This is believed to be the site of the ancient city of
Balasagun
Balasagun ( or ''Balasagyn''; ) was an ancient Sogdian city in modern-day Kyrgyzstan, located in the Chüy Valley between Bishkek and the Issyk-Kul lake. Located along the Silk Road, the ruins of the city were inscribed in 2014 on the UNESCO Worl ...
, founded by the
Sogdians and later for some time the capital of the
Kara-Khanid
The Kara-Khanid Khanate (; ), also known as the Karakhanids, Qarakhanids, Ilek Khanids or the Afrasiabids (), was a Turkic khanate that ruled Central Asia in the 9th through the early 13th century. The dynastic names of Karakhanids and Ilek K ...
empire. A large collection of ancient gravestones and
bal-bals is nearby. Excavated
Scythian artifacts have been moved to museums in
St. Petersburg and
Bishkek
Bishkek ( ky, Бишкек), ), formerly Pishpek and Frunze, is the capital and largest city of Kyrgyzstan. Bishkek is also the administrative centre of the Chüy Region. The region surrounds the city, although the city itself is not part of ...
.
Demographics
According to the Population and Housing Census of 2009, the population of Tokmok was 53,231. The largest ethnic groups in Tokmok are
Kyrgyz Kyrgyz, Kirghiz or Kyrgyzstani may refer to:
* Someone or something related to Kyrgyzstan
*Kyrgyz people
*Kyrgyz national games
*Kyrgyz language
*Kyrgyz culture
*Kyrgyz cuisine
*Yenisei Kirghiz
*The Fuyü Gïrgïs language in Northeastern China
...
(46.8%, 2009 census),
Russians
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, image =
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118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 '' Winkler Prins'' estimate)
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(20.5%),
Dungans
Dungan, Xiao'erjing: ; zh, s=东干族, t=東干族, p=Dōnggān zú, w=Tung1kan1-tsu2, , Xiao'erjing: ; russian: Дунгане, ''Dungane''; ky, Дуңгандар, ''Duñgandar'', دۇنغاندار; kk, Дүңгендер, ''Düñgende ...
(16.5%) and
Uzbeks (8.6%).
[
]
Geography
Climate
Tokmok has a hot summer Mediterranean continental climate (Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...
''Dsa''). The average annual temperature is 9.5 °C (49.1 °F). The warmest month is July with an average temperature of 23.3 °C (73.9 °F) and the coolest month is January with an average temperature of −5.3 °C (22.5 °F). The average annual precipitation is 434.2mm (17") and has an average of 108.3 days with precipitation. The wettest month is April with an average of 70mm (2.8") of precipitation and the driest month is August with an average of 12.1mm (0.5") of precipitation.
Industry
The glass manufacturer Interglass LLC is based in Tokmok. The Tokmok plant produces about 2,800 tons of liquid glass per day and 600 tons of glass is produced of the mass per day. Annual production is 200 000 tons. At present, raw materials for glass production are mainly provided by Russia and Kazakhstan.
Notable residents
* Li Bai, Chinese Tang Dynasty
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...
poet
*Dmitry Bivol
Dmitry Yuryevich Bivol (russian: Дмитрий Юрьевич Бивол; born 18 December 1990) is a Russian professional boxer who has held the WBA light heavyweight title since 2017. As an amateur, he won a gold medal at the 2013 World Co ...
, Russian professional boxer
*Alexander Kosenkow
Alexander Kosenkow (russian: Александр Косенков; born 14 March 1977) is a German sprinter who specialises in the 100 metres. He represents the sports club TV Wattenscheid.
Biography
Kosenkow was born in Tokmok, Kirghiz SSR, bu ...
, Olympic German sprinter
* Maiya Maneza, Olympic Kazakh weightlifter
* Jengishbek Nazaraliev, drug rehabilitation professional and politician
* Athanasius Schneider, Kazakh Roman Catholic bishop
*Elihan Tore
Elihan Tore ( Uyghur: ئەلىخان تۆرە; ; 21 March 1884 – 28 February 1976) was the 1st president of the Second East Turkestan Republic. He was born in Tokmok, formerly known as Balasagun, Kyrgyzstan and in 1920 he escaped from the Sovi ...
, president of the First Eastern Turkistan Islamic Republic
* Mátyás Rákosi, Hungary's exiled Stalinist dictator
*Dzhokhar Tsarnaev
Dzhokhar "Jahar" Anzorovich Tsarnaev born July 22, 1993)russian: Джоха́р Анзо́рович Царна́ев, link=no ; ce, Царнаев Анзор-кIант ДжовхӀар o; (Kyrgyz language, Kyrgyz: Жохар Анзор уул ...
and Tamerlan Tsarnaev
Tamerlan Anzorovich Tsarnaev (; October 21, 1986 – April 19, 2013)russian: link=no, Тамерла́н Анзо́рович Царна́ев ; ce, Царнаев Анзор-кIант Тамерлан ; ky, Тамерлан Анзор уул ...
, perpetrators of the Boston Marathon bombing
* Dennis Wolf, German professional bodybuilder
See also
* Suyab
Suyab ( fa, سوی آب; Middle Chinese: /suʌiH jiᴇp̚/), also known as ''Ordukent'' (modern-day ''Ak-Beshim''), was an ancient Silk Road city located some 50 km east from Bishkek, and 8 km west southwest from Tokmok, in the Chu r ...
References
External links
City site Tokmok
(Russian)
Forum Tokmok
(Russian)
Bord Tokmok
(Russian)
Photo Tokmok
(Russian)
Dating Tokmok
(Russian)
{{Authority control
Populated places in Chüy Region
Populated places established in 1864
Kazakhstan–Kyrgyzstan border crossings