THE ISSYK-KUL' - - CENTRAL TIEN SHAN REGION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 316
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 17, 1998
• Sequence Number: 1
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 199342E1 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SerZity InformattCh
mmithrertAr
GEOGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE REPORT
THE ISSYK-KULI--CENTRAL TIEN SHAN REGION
CIA/RR-G-9
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Office of Research and Reports
Approved For Release 199M511': CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/X4: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
gaiat,49D
FOREWORD
This report was prepared to fulfill the requirements
of a specific request. Since the study is a detailed
discussion of a little known area, it is being republished
in its original form as CIA/RR-G-9.
Approved For Release 1999aar CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
11/lb
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
ion
CONTENTS
Summary
Page
1
I.
Introduction
5
II.
Lake Issyk-Kul'
7
A.
General Characteristics
7
B.
Shoreline
8
C.
The Hydrological Balance
8
D.
Depth and Bottom Conditions
9
1. The Open Lake
9
2. Inlets
12
E.
Water Characteristics
13
1. Chemistry
13
a. Salinity
13
b. Salts and Gases
14
c. Alkalinity
16
2. Temperatare
16
3. Transparency
18
F.
Aquatic Life
18
III.
The Issyk-Kul' Basin
21
A.
Physical Characteristics
21
1. Terrain
21
a. The Kungey Ala-Tau Mountains
21
CONFIDENTIAL
Approved For Release 1999/09/21 ?9914ftP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Releasq MAI-11W CI
COWL%
S 4
DP79T01018A000100090001-1
2.
b. The Terskey Ala-Tau Mountains ..... .
c. The Littoral of Lake Issyk-Kul'
d. Accessibility
Climate
Page
23
25
31
35
a.
Temperature
35
b.
Precipitation
38
c.
Winds
41
d.
Cloudiness and Fog
43
3.
Hydrography
1.1.3
4.
Vegetation
48
5.
Animal Life
50
B.
Cultural Features
51
1.
Population
51
a.
Density, Distribution, and Types
51
b.
Ethnic, Physical, and Social Characteristics
54
(1) Russians and Ukrainians ? ?
54
(2) Kirgizi
55
(3) Dungans
58
(4) Taranches
60
(5) Kalmyks
60
(6) Sarts
61
c.
Language
62
uDET11
Approved For Release 1999/09/2145011gRDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
(4) Kant
(5) Naryn
Page
247
248
Transportation
248
a. Railroads
248
(1) The Alma-Ata Railroad Center
249
(2) The Frunze-Rybach'ye Railroad Line
251
b. Roads
255
(1) Major Roads from Alma-Ata
256
(a) Alma-Ata--Chilik--Kegen' Highway
256
(b) Alma-Ata--Illysk Road
260
(c) Alma-Ata--Frunze Road
261
(2) The Frunze-Rybach'ye Highway
263
(3) The Rybachlye-Naryn-Kashgar Highway
268
(4) The Przheval'sk-Narynkol' Road
271
c. Inland Waterways
271
d. Air Transport
272
(1) Air Routes
272
(2) Airfields
274
(a) Alma-Ata
274
(b) Frunze (Pishpek)
277
(c) Naryn
278
viii
Approved For Release 1999/09/MECIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
(6) Kolkhozes and Sovkhozes ? OOOOO
b. Description of Cities and Principal Towns
??
.
.
Page
199
200
(1) Alma-Ata
201
(2) Frunze
208
(3) Tokmak
214
(4) Kant
215
(5) Naryn
216
3.
Health and Sanitation
217
4.
Economy
220
a. Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
220
(1) Crop Cultivation
221
(a) The Lower Chu Valley Region
221
(b) The Northern Highlands
223
(c) The Southern Highlands . . .
.
.
226
(2) Grazing Lands and Animal Husbandry .
.
.
228
(a) The Chu Valley Region
?
?
228
(b) The Northern Highlands . . . .
?
?
230
(c) The Southern Highlands
232
b. Industry OO .... . ? ? ? OOOOOO
. 4
0
235
(1) Alma-Ata
235
Frunze
(2)241
(3) Tokmak
246
vii
Approved For Release 1999/09121WCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21E6CEI1A-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Page
c.
Snow Conditions
167
d.
Winds
169
e.
Cloudiness and Fog
170
3. Vegetation
171
4. Animal Life
177
B.
Cultural Features
179
1. Population
179
a.
b.
Density, Distribution, and Types
Ethnic, Physical, and Social
179
Characteristics
186
(1) Kazakhs
186
(2) Uzbeks
188
(3) Volga Germans and North Caucasians . .
. . 189
(4) Baits
19C
c.
Language and Religion
190
d.
Political Attitudes
191
2. Settlements
191
a.
Types and Distribution
191
(1) Russian Cities and Towns
192
( 2 ) Russian and Ukrainian Villages
194
(3) Native Towns
195
(4) Native Villages
196
(5) Yurta Encampments
198
vi
Approved For Release 1999/09PAR.EdIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
security Information
IV. The Issyk-Kul' Hinterland
A. Physical Characteristics
1. Terrain
a. Mountains
Page
133
133
134
134
(1) North of Lake Issyk-Kul' . . .
.
135
(a) The Zaillyskiy Ala-Tau
136
(b) The Chu-Iliyskiye Mountains
138
(c) The Ketmen' Range
139
(d) The Kirgizskiy Range ?
?
?
.
140
(2) South of Lake Issyk-Kul'. . ?
?
0 .
141
(a) The Khan-Tengri Area .
.
.
. . .
142
(b) The Kok Shaal-Tau
145
(c) The Naryn Upland
146
b. Lowland;
150
(1) The Alma-Ata Lowland
150
(2) The Chu Valley
151
(3) The Karkara-Kegen' Basin ? ?
?
.
.
152
(4) The Kochkur Valley
153
(5) The Lower Naryn Valley
154
2.
Climate
156
a. Temperature
157
b. Precipitation
162
Approved For Release 1999/09/21 :ZrAERDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/26f*-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
(3) Mining
(4) Principal Industrial Installations .
Page
100
102
(a) Przheval'sk
102
(b) Rybach'ye
104
(c) Tyup
10
(d) Grigor'yevka
105
(e) Tamga
105
5
Transportation
106
a.
Railroads
106
b.
Roads
109
(1) The Rybach'ye-Przheval'sk Highway,
Northern Route
111
(2) The Rybach'ye-Przheval'sk Highway,
Southern Route
115
(3) The Frunze-Rybach'ye Highway
llb
(4) The Rybach'ye-Naryn-Kashgar Highway
12
(5) The Przheval'sk-Narynkol' Road
12/,
c.
Inland Waterways
12.
d.
Air Transport
130
(1) Air Routes
130
(2) Airfields
130
(a) Przheval'sk (Karakol)
130
(b) Rybachlye (Robach'ye)
131
iv
Approved For Release 1999/09/21-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21 : CIA-RDP79TOIG18A000100090001-1
"PREmew
informwspft
Page
d.
Religion
63
e
Political Attitudes
65
(1) Attitude of the Moslems
65
(2) Attitude of the Russians and Ukrainians
67
2.
Settlements
69
a.
Types and Distribution
69
(1) Russian and Ukrainian Settlements
69
(2) Native Settlements
72
(3) Yurta Encampments
75
(4) Health Resorts and Rest Homes
77
b.
Description of Towns
78
(1) Przhevallsk
78
(2) Rybach'ye
81
(3) Tyup
82
3.
Health and Sanitation
83
4.
Economy
85
a.
Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
85
(1) Crop Cultivation
86
(2) Grazing Lands and Animal Husbandry
92
b.
Industry
96
(1) Fishing
97
(2) Lumbering
99
re*?
Approved For Release 1999/09/2P79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
A. Gaps in Intelligence
APPENDIXES
B. Sources and Evaluation of Sources
1. Evaluation of Textual Sources
2. Evaluation of Map Coverage
3. Textual Sources
4. Map Coverage
Tables
Table 1. Chemical Analyses Available for Waters of Lake
Issyk-Kul'
Page
79
P8o
280
'280
'.)81
288
15
Table 2. Water Temperature of Lake Issyk-Kul',
6 July - 5 August 1928 17
Table 3. Temperature in the Issyk-Kul' Basin 37
Table 4. Precipitation in the Issyk-Kul' Basin 39
Table 5. Temperature of the Issyk-Kul' Hinterland 163
A. Average Monthly Tempetatures 163
B. Average Daily Maxima and Minima 164
C. Absolute Maxima and Minima 165
Issyk-Kul' Basin (CIA 925)-f)
Maps
87
Following Page
The Issyk-Kul'--Central Tien Shan Area (Photostat of WAC
Nos. 328 and 329, with minor additions). Confidential . . 289
ix
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CEINADP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Following Page
Lake Issyk-Kul' (CIA 12545). Restricted ? ? 289 ?
U.S.S.R. Issyk-Kuli--Central Tien Shan Area; Available Mtlp
Coverage at Scales 1:84 000 to 1:500,000 (CIA 12f;7).
Secret 289
Western Siberia (AMS Series N502, unedited proof) (9 sheets)
Illustrations
.289
Figure
Figure
1.
2.
A view at the eastern extremity of Zaliv
Pokrovskiy
Boulder-strewn western shore of Lake Issyk-Kul',
Page.
near Rybachlye
27
Figure
3.
A view along the southern shore of Lake
Issyk-Kul', with the Terskey foothills in the
background
29
Figure
4.
Chu River through the Buam Gorge. Note the
paucity of vegetation on the slopes . . . . . . .
33
Figure
5.
A view of Kutemaldy River in spring . .
45
Figure
6.
A turbulent mountain stream in the Kungey Ala-Tau .
46
Figure
7. Kirgiz woman in festive dress ? ? ? ? ....
57
Figure
8.
Yarta encampment in a mountain pasture . . . . . .
59
Figure
9.
Kirgizi herders holding council in front of a yurta.
76
Figure
10.
Rest home at Cholponata ......... ?
79
Figure
11.
Children vacationing at Cholponata .... ? . ? ?
79
Figure
12.
Cattle pasture in the foothills of the Terskey
Ala-Tau
94
Figure
13.
Sheep pasture in the foothills of the Terskey
Ala-Tau
94
Approved For Release 1999/09t2tETCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: qtWP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Figure 14.
Figure 15.
Figure 16.
Figure
Page
Unimproved dirt road along Issyk-Kul' shore west
of Tamga 117
The Frunze-Rybach'ye Highway near eastern end of
Buam Gorge 119
through the Buam Gorge 120
17. Construction work on the Frunze-Rybach'ye
Highway 122
Lake Issyk-Kul' 129
Peak Khan-Tengri, with the Inyl'chek Glacier in
the foreground 144
A small syrt on the Naryn Upland 148
terraces 155
Forest vegetation on the northern slope of the
Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau 172
Highway, railroad, and the Chu River running
Figure 18.
Figure 19.
Figure 20.
Figure 21.
Figure 22.
Figure 23.
Figure 24.
Figure
Figure 26.
Figure
Figure 28.
Large steamers at Pristan' Przheval'sk on
A view of the Naryn Valley showing the river
Tien Shan Spruce on the slopes of the Zailiyskiy
Ala-Tau. A small mountain lake, Lake Issyk,
is in the foreground 175
Kazakh herdsman in conventional dress 187
25. South Alma-Ata, facing the Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau
. . . 202
Modern buildings in Alma-Ata 204
27. Main square and park in the center of Frunze, 1945 210
Figure
Vertical air view of workers' district at south-
west edge of Frunze, showing railroad station
(top left) and race track (left). 1942 212
29. Spillway on the eastern branch of the Great Chu
Canal at the Alamedin River, southeast of
Frunze 224
xi
Approved For Release 1999/09/21s.EMRDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Figure 30.
Figure 31.
Figure 32.
Figure 33.
Figure 34.
Figure 35.
Figure 36.
Figure 37.
Figure 38.
Figure 39.
Figure 40.
Page
Herd of Kirgiz horses on pasture in the Chu
Valley 229
Food-processing and grain-sto/-age facilities in
Alma-Ata, 1944
Meat-processing plant (Myasokombinat) in Frunze
A freight train on the Frunze-Rybach'ye
Railroad
237
244
254
A characteristic 'mountain trail, showing hazards
to movement 257
Camel caravan assembled at Alma-Ata for journey
across the Tien Shan Mountains 258
The Frunze-Rybach'ye Highway leading through
the Buam Gorge . 265
Highway bridge across the Chu River in the
Buam Gorge
267
Mounted patrol .on the Kirgiz-Sinkiang frontier . . 269
Typical mountain stream in the Issyk-Kul'--Central
Tien Shan Region 273
Military airfield - Alma-Ata North . . .
xii
. 276
Approved For Release 1999/09/21sMA-RDp79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/0921itgA-RDP791pet
Se Id_Inform
THE ISSYK-KULI--CENTRAL TIEN SHAN REGION
Summary
I I
VA090001-1
The Issyk-Kul'--Central Tien Shan region occupies the most el,-
tensive and highest mountain country in the entire Soviet Union.
Elevations in most of the area exceed 3,000 feet. Physiographically,
the area consists of alternating mountain ranges trending in an east-
west direction, separated by intermontane depressions. Four mountain
arcs make up the basic orographic framework. The northernmost ar-
is formed by the Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau and Chu-Iliyskiye Mountains;
farther south the Ketmen Range, the Kungey Ala-Tau, and the Kirgizskiy
Range form the second series of ranges. The third linear system, the
Terskey Ala-Tau, lies immediately south of Lake Issyk-Kul'. The
fourth series of ranges, the Kok ShaalJTau, foms the international
boundary between the USSR and the Province of Sinkiang, China. The
major intermontane lowlands are the Chu Valley, the Karkara-Kegen'
Basin, the Issyk-Kul' Basin, the Kochkur Valley, and the Lower Naryn
Valley.
At the bottom of the Issyk-Kul' Basin lies Lake Issyk-Kul',
which is very deep, nonfreezing, and brackish. Its area is 2,400
square miles, roughly one-third that of Lake Ontario; its maximum
depth, 2,303 feet, is almost twice that of any of the Great Lakes.
COWIDENTIAL
1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21 :CMDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
The cover of natural vegetation over most of the region is grass.
Forests are confined to the northern slopes of the mountains north cf
Lake Issyk-Kul' and to the mountain slopes forming the eastern walls
of the Issyk-Kul' Basin. Because of the great contrasts in altitude,
differences in vegetation are correlated with altitudinal zones.
Since the Issyk-Kul'--Central Tien Shan region is an area of high
mountains, the climateds extremely diverse. The mildest climates
are characteristic of the Issyk-Kul' Basin, the Chu Valley, and the
Alma-Ata Lowland. The area south of Lake Issyk-Kul' has the most
severe climate. There subfreezing average temperatures can be ex-
pected from October through July.
Sociologic and economic features of the Issyk-Kul'--Central Tien
Shan region are closely related to the physical conditions. Population
throughout the region is unevenly distributed, with the greatest con-
centrations in the intermontane valleys. The most dense:y populated
area is the Chu Valley; the Issyk-Kul' Basin and the Alma-Ata Lowland
are a little less densely populated. The mountain country north and
south of Lake Issyk-Kul' is sparsely inhabited, being peopled mostly
by groups of nomadic herders. Throughout most of the region, the
population is predominantly rural. The rural population consists
nainly of Russian and Ukrainian settlers in the Chu Valley and the
Alma-Ata Lowland and of Kirgiz and Kazakh nomads in the remainder
of the region. The urban population is predominantly Russian and
2
Approved For Release 1990PP : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/0W66,1CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Ukrainian and is concentrated in Alma-Ata, Frunze, Tokmak, Przheval'sk,
Kant, Naryn, and Rybach'ye.
Throughout the mountain areas, a migratory type of animal
husbandry is the major economic activity. Crop cultivation is under-
taken mainly in the river valleys and intermontane lowlands. Wheat
is the principal food crop, and barley, oats, and alfalfa are the
main fodder crops. Industrial crops such as sugar beets, tobacco,
and hemp are intensively cultivated in the Chu Valley.
Industrial activities are centered mainly in the cities of Alma-
Ata and Frunze. Industries include both heavy, and light manufacturing.
Minor industrial installations for processing local agricultural prod-
ucts are located along the Chu River and in the Issyk-Kul' Basin.
Fishing is being developed into an important phase of the economy
along Lake Issyk-Kul'.
The transportation network within the area focuses on Alma-Ail,
Frunze, Rybach'ye, and Przheval'sk. Alma-Ata and Frunze are major
centers of the Turksib Railroad System and are also important ter-
minals of several air routes leading into the area. Rybach'ye and
Przheval'sk have the main port installations on Lake Issyk-Kul' and
are junction points of the principal highways and roads of the region.
Rybach'ye is an important transloading station between rail and road
traffic ?and lake shipping.
3
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
I. Introduction
This study describes and analyzes selected elements in the geog-
raphy of theqssyk-Kul'--Central Tien Shan Region. It is a roughly
triangular area at the extreme eastern part of Soviet Central Asia.
Its extent is arbitrarily defined by the parallel 43?15N on the
north, the meridian 74?30'E on the west, and the international bound-
ary between the USSR and the Chinese province of Sinkiang on the
south and east. These limits enclose an area of almost wholly
mountainous terrain. (See map: The Issyk-Kul'--Central Tien Shan
Area, following p. 289.)
The Issyk-Kul' Basin and its hinterland are treated individually
in this study, although geographically they are intimately inter-
dependent. The report is divided into three basic parts. The first
part is a discussion of Lake Issyk-Kul'. It provides a degree of
orientation regarding the physical character and chemical composi-
tion of the lake, and the nature of its plant and animal life. Th
second and third parts deal with the natural and cultural features
of the Issyk-Kul' Basin and the mountainous hinterland surrounding
the basin. Attention is given to terrain, climate, hydrography,
vegetation, animal life, population, settlements, health and sanita-
tion, economy, and transportation.
5
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
II. Lake Issyk-Kul'
A. General Characteristics
Lake Issyk-Kul' occupies practically the entire bottom of
the Issyk-Kul' Basin. It is encircled by two high mountain ranges,
the Kungey Ala-Tau to the north, and the Terskey Ala-Tau to the south.
The lake is roughly lenticular in shape and extends in an east-west
direction (see map CIA 12545). Its length, between Pristan'
Przheval'sk at the eastern extremity and Rybach'ye on the west, is
110 miles. The lake has a maximum width of 13 miles near the middle,
between Korumdy on the north and the mouth of the Tossor River on
the south. The area of the lake is 2,400 square miles, and its sur-
face is 5,170 feet above sea level. Normally the lake level fluctu-
ates only slightly throughout the year. The annual amplitude of
variation generally ranges from 4 to 8 inches but occasionally
reaches 10 inches. The highest level is in August when the melting
of mpuntain snow and glaciers is at a maximum; the lowest level oceurs
from December through February. The only extrusions of land are two
willow-covered islets less than a half mile from the southern shore
near the village of Tossor. They are usually referred to collectively
as Kayrak Island. Each islet is about 330 feet long and a maximulr
of 50 feet wide.
7
Approved For Release 1999/09/2FFEi-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
B. Shoreline
The shoreline of Lake Issyk-Kul' has few indentations. The
Tyup and Dzhargalan (Kara-SO inlets along the extreme eastern
shore are the largest embayments; each cuts inland for a distance of
approximately 12 miles. The northern shore of the Tyup Inlet is
broken by a number of deep, narrow estuaries of short streams dropping
from the Kungey Ala-Tau Range. The shores of the Dzhargalan Inlet
are unbroken except for the mouths of the Aryk Dzhana and Aryk Ak-
Kurgan rivers, which cut the southern shore. The western shore of
Lake Issyk-Kul' has no inlets. The northern shore is broken by a
number of small coves, which are open to the lake and afford little
shelter for lake craft. Along the southern shore, Zaliv Pokrovskiy
is the largest indentation, with a length of about 4 1/2 miles and
a width of 3 miles (Figure 1). Its eastern extremity forms a deep,
lakelike body of water connected with the bay proper by a very
narrow strait (Figure 1). Several rivers flowing from the Terskey
Ala-Tau Range terminate as small embayments on the south shore of
Lake Issyk-Kul'. The largest of these are the estuaries of the Ak-
Terek and Ton rivers, known as Zaliv Yurduk-Udzhar and Zaliv Ton,
respectively. Each is a mile long and a half mile wide.
C. The Hydrological Balance
Issyk-Kul' is fed. by more than 75 streams of various sizes
flowing from the Kungey Ala-Tau and Terskey Ala-Tau mountains. The
8
Approved For Release 1999/09/22CMIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CjA-R1779T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CP/a5F'79T01018A000100090001-1
N-4
0
$-4
P.
't>
0
rt-t
0
St1
tiJ
-P
0
0
?r4
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
largest are the Tyup and the Dzhargalan, which empty into the eastern
end of the lake. Four-fifths of the water entering Issyk-Kul' is
received from streams flowing down the Terskey Range and only one-
fifth from rivers of the Kungey Ala-Tau. The longest rivers and
those carryirg the greatest amount of water flow into the lake at
its eastern end. The Dzhargalan River has the highest yearly dis-
charge. The streams flowing into the northern part of the lake,
although small, are comparatively numerous. No permanent rivers
enter Lake Issyk-Kul at its western end. The quantity of water
carried into the lake by streams amounts to 8,000,000 cubic yards
a year. This figure,-however, is based on relatively:eager informa-
tion and many assumptions.
The balance of water supply in Lake Issyk-Kul' is maintained
entirely by evaporation, rather than by surface or subterranean
outlets. Several hypotheses favoring the existence of underground
outlets have been advanced, but all have been satisfactorily refuted.
Since a fairly constant level is maintained, loss of water through
evaporation is equal to the intake.
D. Depth and Bottom Conditions
1. The Open Lake
Depths in Lake Issyk-Kul' increase toward the south-
central part, between the mouths of the Ton and Tossor rivers,
where a broad expanse ranges in depth from 2,150 to 2,303 feet.
10
Approved For Release 1999/09/M1CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/A411: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
This area of greatest depths extends from a point about 7 miles
from the south shore of Issyk-Kul' northward to a point roughly
13 miles from the north shore. From the north shore the depth
increases gradually toward the long axis of the lake, but from
the southern shore the increase is quite rapid. Between the Ak-
Terek and Dzhargl'chak rivers, along the southern shore, the
greatest depths are only 7 to 10 miles offshore, and only 2 miles
from the shore depths exceed 650 feet. Along the northern shore
the maximum depth is much farther offshore. Near the middle of
the north shore the northern limit of the area of greatest depths
lies 13 miles offshore. Farther to the east the deep area is
20 to 25 miles offshore and to the west 15 to 20 miles. The
descent from Rybachlye eastward to a line drawn between Toraygyn
and Imeni Voroshilova appears to be gradual and uniform; eastward
from the Toraygyn-Voroshilova line the depth increases rapidly.
The greatest known depth, 2,303 feet, occurs in a com-
paratively small depression 8 miles north-northeast of the village
of Kadzhi-Say on the southern shore; this depression is approxi-
mately 130 feet below the adjacent bottom level. A secondary
trough of greater depths, 8 miles off the southern shore, extendc
from 15 to 20 miles east from the south-central area of greatest
depths. The lake is shallowest at its western extremity. Depth
information for the eastern end of Issyk-Kul' beyond the
11
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Anan'yeva-Zaliv Pokrovskiy line is almost entirely lacking, ex-
cept for the TyLT and Dzhargalan inlets. The depth is probably
considerably less that 330 feet throughout most of the area.
Available bathymetric data are insufficient for a detailed
determination of bottom relief. Bottom deposits are largely gray,'
strongly calcareous slime. At some points bottom samples also
contain sand. The mechanical analysis of a bottom sample taken
from a depth of 2,303 feet showed the following composition:
Size of Particles
(Millimeters)
Percentage
of Sample
0.250-0.050
2.6
0.050-0.010
7.0
0.010-0.015
62.5
0.015-0.001
16.1
Smaller than 0.001
11.8
2. Inlets
The Tyup Inlet has an uneven bottom. Its depth ranges
from about 5 feet along the southern shore to 33 feet at the
estuaries along the northern shore. A channel 33 feet deep runs
from the Kurmenty estuary southwestward to 780E. From 78?E to-
ward the main body of the lake, the bottom appears to drop more
sharply. No depth infomation is available for the 5 miles
between the Kurmenty estuary and the inlet head.
The Dzhargalan Inlet has a minimum depth of 16 feet near
Pristan' Przhevalisk. From Pristan' Przheval'sk to the mouth of
the Aryk Dzhana River the bottom descends fairly rapidly to a
12
Approved For Release 1999/06ME:TCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/s0E9/R2E1i : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
depth of about 130 feet; farther west, the bottom slope becomes
much more gradual. At the mouth of the inlet depth exceeds 165
feet.
The inlets along the northern shore of the lake are
shallower than those of the southern shore. Only the inlet at
Grigor'yevka exceeds 50 feet in depth. Northern inlets have a
very gradual bottom slope toward the open lake, and most of them
also have a secondary slope from west to east, so that the greatest
depth lies between the inlet center line and its eastern shore.
Along the southern shore most of the inlets are very
deep, even at their heads, as a result of the sharp drop from
the shores toward the inlet center. The Ak-Terek, Ton, Kikilik,
and Dzhargyl'chak inlets are more than 130 feet deep. The depth
in Zany Pokrovskiy, the shallowest inlet of the southern shore,
apparently does not exceed 50 feet. Lake craft carefully keep
to the middle of this inlet, an indication that the nearshore
waters are shallow.
E. Water Characteristics
1. Chemistry
a. Salinity
The water of Lake Issyk-Kul' is brackish and not
suitable for drinking purposes. The salinity is about half
that of the Aral and Caspian seas. Salinity at various
13
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
experimental stations on the open lake ranges between 5.77
to 5.86 grams of salt per kilogram (liter) of water, and at
the Tyup Inlet and its estuaries between 2.2 and 5.5. For
the open. lake, variations in salinity, both vertically and
horizontally, are reportedly insignificant.
b. Salts and Gases
The Issyk-Kul' waters contain a relatively large
amount of magnesium and more sulfates than chlorides (see
Table 1). Analyses indicate an absence of ferric oxide,
aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide, nitric acid, and ammonia.
The lake has a high oxygen content at all depths. At a
depth of 2,280 feet an oxygen content of 5.57 cubic centi-
meters per liter, or more than 75 percent saturation, has
been observed. The oxygen content varies from 4.78 to 6.95
cubic centimeters per liter. In 1928 the zone of maximum
oxygen content was determined to be between the depths cf 80
and 165 feet. The percentage of oxygen saturation of all
bottom waters exceeds 73.6. The open lake has no hydrogen
sulfide zone; hydrogen sulfide has been observed, however at
the bottom at the Tyup Inlet, at Rybach'ye, and in the shallow
water immediately along the northern shore.
Available chemical analyses are given in Table 1.
Approved For Release 1999/09/21s.ECTAT-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Table 1. Chemical Analyses Available for Waters of Lake Issyk-Kul'
At surface
(in grams per liter)
At 1 meter
(in grams Per kilogram)
At 100 meters
(in grams per
kilogram)
1532 21
1912-13
12/
1925 2/
1928 1/
1928 21
(1)
(2)
(D'"
Specific gravity
1.0042
1.0042
1.00)4.3
1.0045
Dry sediment
3.574
6.1921
6.500
5.502
5.5587
5.493
5.506
Chlorides (C1)
0.558
1.5645
1.4555
1.579
1.587
1.585
1.590
Sulfates (SO4)
2.000
1.7582
2.107
2.110
2.110
2.132
Carbonates (CO3)
0.15
0.15
0.15
0.15
Sulfides (503)
0 . 011
Calcium (Ca)
0.1135
0.1172
0.1132
0.1138
Magnesium (mg)
0.2843
0.2900
0.2955
0.2958
Potassium (K)
o.o6
- _
0.06887
o.o66o
0.0680
0.0688
Calcium salts (CaO)
none
0.300
Magnesium salts (MgO)
0.447
- _
0.730
Sodium (Na)
0.413
a.
b.
Place unknown.
Rybach'ye.
2 .11.11es from mouth of
Zany Ton.
d.
e.
(1) 5 miles from mouth
(2) 7 miles from mouth
(3) 7 miles from Zaliv
9 miles from shore east
of Zaliv Ton.
of Tossor River.
Yurduk-Udzhar.
of Zaliv Ton.
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
c. Alkalinity
Determinations of the concentration of hydrogen ions
Show that the water of Issyk-Kul' is alkaline. At the sur-
face of the open lake a pH of 8.8 to 8.95 is usually observed.
In the inlets of the northeast the pH values range between
8.2 and 9.2. With depth, a decrease of pH is evident, al-
though the values at maximum depth are within 0.2 of the
surface values. The even distribution of pH and high botton
values is attributed to strong vertical circulation, and
the excellent aeration of water to maximum depth.
2. Temperature
Observations of water temperature are available for only
the summer months of a few years. Measurements taken during the
period 6 July through 5 August 1928 are used in this report, as
they are considered the most comprehensive and the most representt
ative for all of Lake Issyk-Kul' (see Table 2).
Considering the elevation of Lake Issyk-Kul', the average
summertime surface temperature of 66?F is fairly high. Water
temperature drops somewhat rapidly from the surface to a depth
of 165 feet where it averages 44?F; from 165 feet ":o 655 feet the
temperature drops to 40?F; and from 655 feet to the bottom it
remains fairly constant at slightly less than 40?F. Lake Issyk-
Kul' does not freeze over in winter, but a narrow strip of ice
not over 2 feet thick forms along the shoreline.
Approved For Release 1999/09/2TMA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
The following table presents the only available statistics
, on the water temperature of Lake Issyk-Kul':
Table 2. Water Temperature of Lake Issyk-Kul', 6 July-5 August 1928
Depth
(Feet)
Mean
Temperature
(?F)
Maximum
Temperature
(?F)
Minimum
Temperature
(?F)
Number of
Determinations
o
66
70.9
62.6
59
33
64.8
66.4
61.4
6
50
59.2
64.6
53.1
5
66
52.9
56.3
49.8
4
82
49.4
53.1
47.8
6
164
43.5
44.8
42.5
4
328
40.8
41.2
40.5
5
656
39.7
39.9
39.7
4
984
39.7
39.7
39.7
3
1640
39.7
39.7
39.5
3
1968
39.5
39.5
39.5
5
2280
39.5
39.5
39.5
17
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
3. Transparency
Transparency is fairly constant over most of the lake.
Measured from the surface and using a white disc 13.8 inches (35
centimeters) in diameter, it ranges between 41 and 50 feet during
summer. The nearshore area of the northern part of the lake is
slightly less transparent than the southern nearhore strip.
Transparency near the south shore averages 45 feet, and near the
north shore 41 feet. The muddying influence of rivers is con-
fined to their inlets and does not reach the open lake. In the
comparatively shallow western part of the lake, rear Rybach'ye,
the bottom can be seen for slightly more than a mile from shore
during calm weather. Transparency probably increases during the
winter when the streams carry less sediment into the lake. No
data are available on the limits of visibility at specific depths.
The waters are dark blue in the open lake and greenish within a
few hundred feet of the shore.
F. Aquatic Life
Little is known out the plant and animal life of Lake
Issyk-Kul'. The open part of the lake has few species of plankton.
Masses of Botryococcus brauni are found at the surface; at depths
below 50 meters, the diatom Amphiprora paludosvar is widely distrib-
uted. Among the rotifera, the Anuraea acuteata and Synchaeta sp.
are common. Among the copepoda the common varieties are Diaptomus
salinus and Cyclops viridis. Cladocera are lacking.
18
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/0%41aCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Amphipoda include the species Issykogammarus and several
species of genus Gammarus. The mollusks encountered are several
species of Lymnaea and Caspia issykkulensis; the latter actually be-
long to the species Hydrobia ventrosa common along the European
shores.
The species of fish caught commercially are: Carp (Cyprinus
carpio), "marinka" (Schizothorax pseudaksaiensis issykkul'), "osman"
(Diptychus dybowskii), Issyk-Kul' dace (Leuciscus schmidti), and
"chebachek" (a small dace) (Leuciscus bergi), and in recent years
trout. Other fish in the lake are the Issyk-Kul' gudgeon (Gogio
gobio latus),_Issyk-Kul' loach (Phoxinus issykkulensis), Diplophysa
strauchi, and Diplophysa dorsalis. ,The Nemachilus stoliczkai is
caught in the streams.
19
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/0h.?1?TCIA-RD1279T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
III. The Issyk-Kul' Basin
A. Physical Characteristics
The Issyk-Kul' Basin is a deep, elongated, tectonic depres-
sion completely ringed by high and rugged mountains. The Kungey Ala-
Tau Range an the north, and the Terskey Ala-Tau, on the south,
converge east and west of Lake Issyk-Kul' to form the canoe-shaped
Issyk-Kul' Basin. Lake Issyk-Kul' occupies practically the entire
bottom of the depression. Only at the extreme eastern end of the
basin is there extensive lowland. Elsewhere mountain barriers rise
within 8 miles from the lake shore. The length of the basin, from
the Buam Gorge in the west to the Santash Pass in the east, is ap-
proximately 162 miles. The width, from the upper reaches of the
Barskaun River in the south to the Kok-Bel' PRSB of the Kungey Ala-
Tau Mountains in the north, is about 75 miles.
1. Terrain
a. The Kunvy Ala-Tau Mountain
The Kungey Ala-Tau Mountains, north of Lake Issyk-
Kul', are a sharply dissected mountain barrier 180 miles
long, which slopes very steeply on the south and more
gradually on the north. The range as a whole is a massive
high mountain wall, somewhat flattened at the crest, with
sharply defined peaks only in the center. The crestal
zone is archlike, having the highest elevations near the
21
Approved For Release 1999/09/27MA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
center. In the western part, the Kungey rises to about
11,000 feet; toward the center, at the headwaters .of the
Bol'shoy Kebin (Sol'shaya Kemin) and Chilik rivers, the
elevation increases to about 13,000 feet; farther east the
elevation again decreases. At the Sary Bulak Pass, approx-
imately on the meridian of the eastern extremity of Lake
Issyk-Kul', the elevation is 11,000 feet. Beyond this pass,
at the Taldy-Su River, the elevation 1n3reases to about
12,100 feet. In the vicinity of Santash Pass, at the east-
ern extremity of the Issyk-Kul' Basin, elevations drop to
about 8,200 feet. The lower eastern part of the range
swings slightly southeastward to join the Terskey Ala-Tau
Range, thus closing off the Issyk-Kul' Basin from the east.
The highest peaks of the range, at the headwaters of the
south-flowing Choktal River, rise slightly above 17,000
feet (Mount Choktal, 17,050 feet).
The western part of the Kungey Range rises about
5,800 feet above the level of Lake Issyk-Kul' (5,170 feet);
the central area, 8,000 feet above the lake; and the ex-
treme east, 3,000 feet. Although the numerous valleys
cutting the Kangey are deep, they are relatively wide so
that travel is not arduous. The range rises sharply from
the lake shore, with no belt of foothills. The only major
22
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999M1 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
break in the Kungey is at the Chong-Aksu River valley,
where a short southern range forms a spur toward the shore
of Lake Issyk-Kul'.
Permanent snow covers the whole central part of the
range and the highest parts of the west. The permanent
snowline ranges between 11,200 and 11,900 feet. The cen-
tral area also has a number of short glaciers.
b. The Terskey Ala-Tau Mountains
The Terskey Ala-Tau, forming the southern border
of the Issyk-Kul' Basin, is the highest range of the entire
Soviet Tien Shan mountain system. The range stretches in
a west-east direction across the entire central part of the
study area, from a point near Lake Son-Kul' to the Khan-
Tengri mountain node at the international border with
Sinkiang. The range is asymmetrical, having a long north-
ern slope (20-25 miles) and a very short southern slope
(3-5 miles). The stretch from the Kochkur Valley to the
upper course of the Tyup River, in the east, forms the
southern wall of the Issyk-Kul' Basin.
The altitude of the Terskey Ala-Tau gradually in-
creases from west to east. Throughout most of its extent
the mountain barrier exceeds 13,000 feet in elevation and
is several hundred feet higher than the Kungey Ala-Tau.
23
Approved For Release 1999/0WIET CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
The Terskey Ala-Tau also has many more distinct peaks than
the Kungey Ala-Tau. At the western extremity of Lake Issyk-
Kul' the crestal elevation is about 11,500 feet? Eastward
the range gradually rises to the meridian of Zany Pokrovskiy,'
at the southeast corner of the lake, where the divide eleva-
tions lie between 13.000 and 14,800 feet. The highest and
most inaccessible part of the Terskey Ala-Tau lies between
the Rokrovskiy meridian and the upper course of the Tyup
River; here the divide elevations generally exceed 14,800
feet. A few individual peaks rise above 16,000 feet, the
highest being Karakol'skiy Pik (Mount Aleksandrovskaya:
18,012 feet), near the headwaters of the Karakol River.
From west to east the Terskey crest lies from 6,500 to
9,800 feet above Lake Tssyk-Kul'. The southern slope of
the Terskey Ala-Tau is very short and, in general, rises
only 1,500 to 2,000 feet above the adjacent lowlands. As
a result, from the Naryn Upland to the south, the Terskey
Ala?Tau has the appearance of a rough upland rather than a
formidable mountain barrier.
East of the Barskaun River, the Terskey Ala-Tau appears
to have a flattened summit from which mountain spurs branch
off toward Lake Issyk-Kul'. West of the Barskaun, the crest
becomes much more dissected, and flat-topped summits are
much smaller in area and more widely separated.
Approved For Release 19991019121 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
The Terskey Ala-Tau has a secondary lower crest
about 3 miles north of the main crest. This secondary
crest is especially pronounced toward the east where sev-
eral streams flow for a considerable distance between the
two ridges before cutting through the secondary crest and
flowing down to the lake. The Terskey Range lies farther
from the lake shore than the Kungey Ala-Tau and has a
definite foothill belt.
Through most of its extent the Terskey Ala-Tau
rises above the permanent snowline, which lies at 11,800
to 12,200 feet. Small glaciers (generally less than 3
miles in length) are found at the sources of most of the
streams of the Terskey Ala-Tau, but they are most common
on the southern slope. Facing Lake Issyk-Kul', glaciers
are confined primarily to the area east of the upper course
of the Barskaun River.
c. The Littoral of Lake Issyk-Kul'
The Issyk-Kul' littoral comprises three types of
terrain. Along the western and northern shores of Lake
Issyk-Kul', the land slopes gradually upward from the lake
toward the mountains. The northern littoral reaches its
maximum width of 7-1/2 miles near Toraygyn (Turaygyy) and
between Korumdy and Anan'yeva; its width near Rybach'ye is
25
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
6 miles, and near the Tyup Inlet only 1 mile. Along the ,
southern littoral, the Terskey foothills trail off almost
to the lakeshore, and the terrain is rough. At the east-
ern part of the Issyk-Kul' Basin, an extensive belt of
lowland extends from the lakeshore to the Kungey and
Terskey ranges.
The entire western shore of Issyk-Kul' and part of
the northern shore are boulder-strewn, relatively level,
and barren, especially between Karashar and. Toraygyn
(Figure 2). Vegetation is restricted to the courses of
the small streams crossing the littoral and to a, narrow
marshy strip at the immediate shoreline. Fast of Korumdy
the wasteland character rapidly disappears and a grass
cover becomes prominent. Southwest of Rybachlye, the
foothill Gora Boz-Barmak, towering 1,000 feat above its
surroundings, Juts out to break the gradual slope toward
the mountains.
The northern banks of Lake Issyk-Kull are composed
of friable, sandy, gravelly material. East of Choktal,
they rise from the lake in terrace-like fashion. A marshy
strip runs along the entire northern shore but varies in
width and continuity. At Rybach'ye, at the western end of
the lake, the strip is about 1,000 feet wide and appears
26
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/02gliTCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
27
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
to consist of alternating marsh and sandy or pebbly ridges.
Between Toraygyn and Korumdy, the strip ia much narrower.
and consists of a series of small marshes. Just south of
Koshkol', 25 miles northeast of Rybach'ye, there are two
small reed-filled lakes between the shoreline end the main
road along the shore. These lakes are about 100 feet wide
and 1,000 feet long and are oriented in a north-south
direction. East of Korumdy the elevation of the shore
drops slightly and the marshy strip becomes more prominent.
Near Chonuryukty and Uytal the strip widens to several
hundred feet, and east of Kuturga it disappears.
The southern littoral of Lake Issyk.-Kull includes
a narrow strip with little relief backed by a belt of foot-
hills (Figure 3). Numerous rounded boulders are scattered
over the western part of the immediate shore strip. At
Imeni Voroshilova, Aktersk, and Tamga, beaches of gray
sand are prominent.
In the area east of the Barskaun River the northern
face of the secondary Terskey ridge slopes aown almost to
the lake shore. The area west of the Barskaun River has a ?
foothill belt that extends south 10 to 15 miles from the
lake shore. The foothills are oriented in a general east-
west direction and have steep southern slopes and gentle
28
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21sH-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
29
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
northern slopes. Summits reach as high as 500 feet above
the level of Lake Issyk-Kul'. The foothills in the east
have higher elevations and are more agglomerated than in
the west, where peaks tend to stand out iildependently.
There are many hot springs, some of which are the sites of
health resorts. Fresh-water springs are Rlso abundant.
The eastern littoral consists of two wide gently
sloping valleys, the Dzhargalan and the Tyup, separated by
a low divide that bisects the littoral in an east-west
direction. The divide begins in the east as the Chubar-
Zhon Range, where the Kungey and Terskey Ala-.Tau ranges
converge, and ends in the west as a promontory jutting
into Lake Issyk-Kul'. Its elevation gradually lowers
from east to west; only the eastern half is rugged and
high enough to be an Obstacle to movement on foot. The
altitude of the Chnbar-Zhon Range is 8,000 feet; westward,
this range merges with the Tosma Mountains, and finally
with the Ichke-Tosma Mountains, slightly more than 730 feet
above Lake Issyk-Kul'. From the Ichke-Tosma Mountains,
near the central part of the eastern littoral, the divide
broadens considerably and tends to lose its distinctive
hill character. The highest point has an altitude of about
5,580 feet. The western part of the divide has very few
30
Approved For Release 1999/09/f)FMA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
streams but is dissected by innumerable small dry ravines.
Two other mountains are located on the southeast
shore of Lake Issyk-Kul'. Mount Orgocher, about 5 miles
east of Zaliv Pokrovskiy, rises about 1,230 feet above its
surroundings to an elevation of 6,650 feet (alternately
given as 7,221 feet); Mount Berbash, just south of Pristan'
Przheval'sk, has an elevation of 5,824 feet which is about
500 feet above the adjacent area. Both highlands are with-
out vegetation and are dissected by small, 'dry, gorgelike
valleys.
The Dzhargalan and Tyup valleys are broad and shal-
low with little irregular terrain. In the middle reaches
of the Tyup and Dzhargalan rivers, there are soft, wet
meadow lands. A strip of moist meadow and marshlands also
borders Lake Issyk-Kul'.
d. Accessibility
The principal routes to the Issyk-Kul' Basin lie at
its eastern and western extremities. The western routes
follow the Buam Gorge and the Kochkur Valley. The eastern
routes go by way of the Santash Pass.
The Buam Gorge is the easiest and most heavily
traveled route. It serves as the principal connection
between Soviet Central Asia and the Issyk-Kull Basin and
31
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
is, in effect, the "true gateway" to both the Issyk-Kul'
Basin and the mountains of the Central Tien Shan. The
principal caravan route southward to Sinkiang goes by way
of the Kochkur Valley, and the main caravan route leading
eastward beyond. the USSR frontiers follows the Santaah Pass.
The Buam Gorge makes a roughly semicircular cut,
with the concavity to the southwest, through the Kungey-
Kirgizskiy mountain barrier (Figure 4). The elevation
ranges from about 60 feet above the level of Lake Issyk-
Kul' at the eastern outlet of the gorge to about 40 feet
below the Issyk-Kul' level at the western outlet.
Normal routes of travel from the Alma-Ata Lowland,
on the north, enter the Issyk-Kul' Basin by way of the
Bum Gorge and Santash Pass. They detour eaatward and
westward for many miles to avoid crossing two very high
and rugged mountain barriers, the Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau and
the Kungey Ala-Tau. From Alma-Ata, direct travel across the
mountains involves an ascent of about 6,500 feet to the
Zailiyskiy crest, a descent of about 8,000 feet from the
Kungey crest to the lake, mastery of two craggy, glaciated,
snow-covered summit zones, and the traverse of two short
but rugged mountain slopes between the Zailiyskiy and Kungey
crests.
32
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: elMibP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
In approaching the basin rrom the north, travel
over the extreme eastern part of the Kungey Ala-Tau appears
practicable. The comparatively low eastern extremity of
the Kungey can be approached over the relatively easy ter-
rain of an intermontane lowland which is aaly lightly
populated. Several trails across the eastern Kungey lead
to the eastern part of the Issyk-Kul' Basin.
In approaching the Issyk-Kul' Basin from the
mountainous Naryn Upland in the south, the most difficult
terrain of the journey is encountered along the descent of
6,500 feet and more from the Terskey crest to the shores
of Lake Issyk-Kul'. The easiest route is the Rybach'ye-
Kashgar Highway across the western part of the Naryn Upland.
Numerous passes cut the Terskey, Kungey, and
Zailiyskiy crests and are used regularly by native nomadic
herders. The glaciated valleys near the summits are gen-
erally trough-shaped and fairly wide at the bottom. Ac-
cumulations of morainic materials, sometimes blocking the
valley, are the major obstacles to movement an foot. The
most difficult parts of the routes to passes lie at the
lower slopes where the valleys are V-shaped end wild. The
degree of difficulty and danger in negotiating passes de-
pends largely on the weather. Snowfalls conceal pits and
34
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 199A/W1 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
chasms; after steady rains the abundant deposits of loose
rock fragments become very slippery. At high elevations
the crests of moraines, however, sometimes make fairly
good routes of travel, since they are frozen most of the
time and generally provide a firm footing. Thawing usually
affects only a thin surface layer. Animal trails, although
they may follow circuitous routes, provide a firm footing
for movement by humans and lead to points where a range
can be crossed relatively easily.
Most of the passes in the main Terskey Range are
above 10,000 feet in elevation, or more than 4,800 feet
above the level of 'Ake Issyk-Kul'. Passes in the central
and western Kungeys are a few hundred feet lower, and those
in the eastern part of the Kungey Ala-Tau are still lower.
Santash Pass, at the eastern extremity, has an elevation
of 6,500 feet, only 1,300 feet above the level of Lake
Issyk-Kul'.
2. Climate
a. Temperature
The Issyk-Kul' Basin has an average annual tempera-
ture of 44?F. The winter climate is distinctly milder than
that of the rest of the Tien Shan mountainous region. Sum-
mers for the most part are moderately cool. July is the
35
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
hottest month with an average temperature of 63?F; January
is the coldest month with an average of 23?F (see Table 3).
The average temperature for winter (December through
February) is 24?F. January is usually a few degrees colder
than December, but only slightly colder than February.
Maximum daily temperatures at freezing or below can be ex-
pected for about half of January and February, although
they may occur as early as October. Through all of Decem-
ber, January, and February, and much of November and March,
minimum daily temperatures of 32?F or less are recorded.
The lowest temperature in available records is -3?F. Cold
spells are generally of short duration. Early-morning
temperatures in winter are well below freezing; by early
afternoon the temperature rise to about 32?F; nightly tem-
peratures may drop to about 10 degrees below freezing.
In March, the average temperature 21.ses 10?F, and
temperatures at freezing or slightly less can be expected
only during the night and early morning hours. The rapid
temperature rise continues through the end of May, when the
high summer averages are approached.
The average temperatures of the summer months (June
through August also vary little, with July being warmest
by a degree or two. The mean seasonal temperature during
36
Approved For Release 1999/09/251E9WA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Table 3. Temperature in the Issyk-Kul' Basin
Przhevallsk
Rybach'ye
Average
Temperature
(oF)
Average Temperature
(?F) for Specific
a/ Times of Day b/
Average Number
of Days With
Minimum Tem-
perature of
or Less b/
Average Number
of Days With
Maximum Tem-
perature of
32?F or Less b/
Average
Temper-
ature c/
0700
1300 2100 32?F
January
23
18
31 19
31
17
22
February
24
17
32 19
28
13
25
March
33
30
44 31
24
2
34
April
46
42
55 41
6
0
45
May
54
5o
62 48
1
0
53
June
6o
57
69 55
0
0
61
July
63
6o
73 58
0
0
65
August
63
57
73 57
0
63
September
56
50
67 50
0
56
October
43
38
53 38
9
1
45
November
34
29
42 30
25
2
34
December
26
22
34 23
31
10
26
Year
44
39
53 39
155
45
a. 42-year record.
b.
21-year record.
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
the summer ranges from about 57?F at 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.
to about 72?F at 1:00 p.m. The highest temperature listed
in available meteorological records is 89?F.
Average monthly temperatures drop about 7?F in
September and continue falling rapidly through October and
November. Early-morning temperatures in November are below
freezing.
Since the Issyk-Kul' Basin is a deep intermontane deb
pression, the temperature also varies with the altitude.
The rate of temperature decrease with increased elevation
averages 1?F per 300 feet. Frequently in winter and an
summer nights, however, the temperature on the mountain
slopes is significantly higher than at the bottom of the
basin.
b. Precipitation.
Precipitation in the Issyk-Kul' Basin increases
progressively from west to east. The western area is dry
and desertlike, whereas the eastern is much more moist.
Even in the east, the total annual precipitation averages
only 17 inches (see Table 4).
In the west precipitation averages only 4 to 8
inches annually. 'The months of November through March are
almost completely devoid of precipitation. About 75 percent
38
Approved For Release 1999/09/H7b1A-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/2FFU7A-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Table 4. Precipitation in the Issyk-Kul' Basin
Przhevallsk
Rybach'ye
Month
Average
Precipi-
tation
(Inches)
Percent
of
Yearly
Total
Days
With
Precipi-
tation
Days
With
Snow
Depth of Snow Cover
(Inches)
Days
With
Thunder-
storms
Average
Precipi-
tation
(Inches)
First
10 Days
Second
10 Days
Third
10 Days
January
0.6
3.6
7
7
6.7
7.1
8.0
o
o
February
0.5
3.0
6
6
6.7
6.3
4.7
o
o
March
0.7
4.2
? 6
5CD
2.4
1.8
0.4
0.1
0.1
April
1.6
9.6
lo
3
o
o
o
0.9
0.3
uo
%.0
May
2.4 2.4
14.4
11
1
0
0
0
0.9
0.3
June
2.2
13.1
10
0
0
0
0
6.9
0.9
July
2.7
16.1
10
0
0
0
0
8.2
1.1
August
1.9
11.4
8
o
o
o
o
6.3
o.6
September
1.3
7.8
7
o
o
o
o
3.1
0.3
October
1.4
8.4
7
3
o
o
0.4
1.5
0.1
November
o.8
4.8
7
5
0.4
1.2
2.0
0.2
0.04
December
0.6
3.6
7
7
3.9
5.5
5.9
0.2
0.04
Year
16.7
100
96
37
28.3
3.78
41 0
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security information
of the yearly fall occurs from May through August, with
the maximum in July. Rains generally come as light showers;
heavy downpours are infrequent. Upper-atmosphere rains
that do not reach the surface are not uncommon. The scant
winter precipitation generally consists of snow, but it
does not form a persistent cover. West of a line drawn
between Grigor'yevka and Tamga, a thin Mantle of snow re-
mains on the ground for only a short period.
The annual precipitation in the eastern end of the
issyk-Kult Basin averages 17 inches, with the greatest fall
at the base of the Kungey Ala-Tau Range. About 55 percent
of the yearly total falls from May through August, the
monthly maximum being in July. The seasonal minimum occurs
in winter. Both light showers and downpours occur in the
summer, often during the afternoon or evening. Thunderstorms,,
sometimes accompanied by hail, can be expected on an average
of 6 to 8 days during June, July, and August.
Only 10 percent of the yearly precipitation falls
during December, January, and February. In winter, precip-
itation can be expected on 1 day out of every 5. During
December, January, and February practically all precipita-
tion is in the form of snow. An enduring snow cover begins
to form toward the end of October and lasts until the end
4o
Approved For Release 1999/WW: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/MIa; CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
of March. From late December to mid-February the depth of
the cover averages 6 inches or more. The maximum depth,
about 8 inches, is attained in late January.
c. Winds
The prevailing winds associated with the cyclical
weather of the Issyk-Kul' Basin are westerlies. The basic
westerly flow is disrupted, however, by a system of local
winds with a distinct diurnal periodicity. These local
winds are especially noticeable along the periphery of
Lake Issyk-Kul' and on the lower mountain slopes, particu-
larly from May through September. After sundown, winds
blow from the mountain slopes to the lake; at mid-morning
or late morning, the flow is reversed and winds blow from
the lake up the mountain slopes. Calms usually prevail in
early morning and toward sunset. The waters of Lake Issyk-
Kul' are almost constantly in motion because of the confused
pattern of wind flow.
At Rybach'ye, westerly and southeasterly winds ap-
pear to be dominant. At Przheval'sk, southeasterlies pre-
dominate, and winds from the north and northwest are the
most infrequent. At Przheval'sk, calms have been observed
more frequently than winds from any single direction. The
east winds coming through Santash Pass and the west winds
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
traveling through the Buam Gorge are those felt farthest
out on Lake Issyk-Kul'. Upper winds, affecting mainly the
summit areas of mountains, are principally westerlies.
Throughout the year, the usual winds blow with little
force. At the eastern end of the basin they are only slight'
breezes, with velocities less than. 8 miles per hour; in the
west the velocities are slightly higher. Unlike the situa-
tion elsewhere, surface winds attain their highest velocities
at night, except in the spring. In spring, afternoon winds
are strongest. Upper winds are strongest at night through-
out the year. Rybach'ye has a. constant breeze but surface
winds farther east are less steady and calms are much more
frequent.
From October through February, winds are strongest
and steadiest. During this period, westerlies from the Buam
Gorge or easterlies from the Santash Pass sometimes blow
continuously for two or three days. Occasionally these
winds whip up storms severe enough to jeopardAze even large
lake craft. In the barren west the strong westerlies cause
sand and dust storms. Winds frequently carry aloft enough
sand and dust to make the weather unpleasant.
The basic pattern of summer winds is primarily an
alternation of light breezes and calms. The surface waters
Approved For Release 1999/a912FIET CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 199Wpag, : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
of Lake Issyk-Kul' are quietest in June and July. In sum,
mer, localized wind storms are occasionally generated with
little forewarning, sometimes causing waterspouts on the
lake, but storms are rarely of long duration.
d. Cloudiness and Fog
Cloudiness is a significant weather factor only in
the eastern part of the Issyk-Kul' Basin. Here, the mean
cloudiness for the year is 40 to 50 percent. The cloud
cover exceeds six-tenths on only a few days of each month.
Summer clouds usually form near the mountain summits, about
10,000 feet above the level of Lake Issyk-Kul'. In winter
the cloud base lies 4,500 to 8,000 feet above the lake level.
At Rybach'ye clear skies are very common, but scat-
tered clouds are usual. Clouds begin to form in the west
and gradually lower and increase in density toward the east.
In summer, billowy cumulus clouds occur frequently over Lake
Issyk-Kul'.
Fog is most common over the lake in winter. Land
fog is rare at all seasons. Steam fog forms in patches
over the lake and is most likely near the narrow band of
thin ice along the shoreline.
3. Hydrography
A dense net of streams flows down the slopes of the
Terskey and Kungey mountains toward Lake Issyk-Kul'. At the
1+3
SECRti
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
western extremity of the Issyk-Kul' Basin, however, only a few
reach the lake. The Terskey streams cut deeply into the moun-
tains, and many of them flow through fairly wide valleys. The
streams of the Kungey Ala-Tau, though numerous, carry less
water, cut less deeply into the mountains, and are shorter
than those of the Terskey Ala-Tau. The longest streams flow-
ing from the Kungey are the Bol'-shaya Aksu (Aksuyke) and Malaya!
Aksu (AksuykC. Both enter the Issyk-Kul' Basin near
Grigor'yevka. The longest streams in the baRin are the
Dzhargalan (Kara Su) and Tyup, which flow from the Terskey
Ala-Tau into the eastern end of Lake Issyk-Kul'. The shortest
is probably the Kutemaldy, an intermittent stream flowing from
the Chu into the western end of the lake. Its waters are prin-
cipally overflow from the Chu, and it is full-flowing in spring
only (Figure
) ?
Most of the streams are fast-flowing and even torrential
in character. In their upper courses, the majority flow through
trough-shaped glacial valleys devoid of spurs. As the streams
move out of the glaciated areas, they cut much more sharply
into the mountains, and gradients increase rapidly. Short spurs
appear in the valleys, streams become winding, flow becomes
turbulent, and rapids and waterfalls become numerous (Figure
Control of rafts is virtually impossible, and the probability
44
Approved For Release 1999/CF9MT CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: cltAidDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Figure 6. A turbulent mountain stream in the Kungay Ala-Tau.
46
Approved For Release 1999/09WPSIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999129131 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
of their destruction by large rocks in a stream is great. In
the lowland littoral of the lake the streams lose their wild-
ness, currents become slow, meanders form, and sediments are
deposited.
Since most of the streams are fed by mountain glaciers,
they are full-flowing throughout the year, with a maximum
flow and even flooding in late summer. Daily variations are
characteristic, with high- and low-water levels occurring at
different times of the day at various points along a stream.
The diurnal increase in volume affects the fordability of
streams. Many streams cannot be crossed for several hours
during the high-water period. Near the source the high-water
level comes about mid-morning, and in the lower courses it is
most likely to occur at night. Streams alsb swell considerably
after rains, and a normally turbulent stream may become a
raging flood.
The glacial streams carry a tremendous amount of fine
sediments which usually discolor the water and affect potability.
Sediment-laden water may cause gastro-intestinal disturbances.
If it becomes necessary to drink from these streams, a pool
away from the main current where much of the sediment has
settled should be selected. Discoloration by sediment increases
the difficulty of selecting a suitable place for fording.
Depths cannot be readily determined and the numerous loose,
47
Approved For Release 19963AW1 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
slippery rocks on the bottom cannot be seen. In fording, a
person must "feel" his way across, since he might easily lose
his footing on the rocks and suffer leg injury or be swept
downstream by the swift current.
Large eddies and even sandbars are other dangers to
stream travel. Bottom deposits at large eddies generally con-
sist of fine sediment similar to quicksand. Sandbars should
be watched for the same type of deposits. Possibilities of
catching fish in the cold upper courses of glacial streams are
slim, but fish do inhabit some of the small tributary streams
of non-glacial origin.
4. Vegetation
The vegetation of the western part of the Issyk-Kul'
Basin contrasts strikingly with that of the east. The west
has barren shoreland and mountain slopes, whereas the east
has short grasses in the lowlands and a forest belt in the
mountains. Density of the vegetation cover increases rapidly
east of Korumdy on the north shore and the Ton River on the
south shore.
The vegetation of most of the shoreland at the Rytach'ye
end of the basin consists of sparse wormwood wideLy scattered
among the many boulders. A narrow strip of marsh hugs the
shoreline of Lake Issyk-Kul'. The lower course at the KutemaLdy
48
Approved For Release 1999/09,WCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09nTCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
River is also marshy. Near the Chu River, the Kutemaldy valley
becomes drier and is bordered by a narrow band of high grasses.
The mountain slopes have a spotty covering of sparse grass.
The principal east-west trending valleys between the main and
secondary Terskey ridges, however, are fairly well covered with
short grass.
East of Korumdy and Tamga, the northern and southern
littorals of Issyk-Kul' have extensive stretches of shallow-
rooted grasses. The eastern lowland has a fair, though dis-
continuous, short-grass cover. Patches of meadow along the
Tyup and Dzhargalan rivers are high enough for limited conceal-
ment. The littoral is also an important agricultural center,
with extensive fields of wheat, mustard seed, barley, oats, ani
poppies. Truck gardens and orchards are found around most of
the villages of this area, as in other parts of the basin.
They produce squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, maize, poor-quality
watermelons, apples, cherries, pears, plums, and apricots.
A belt of Tien Shan spruce covers the mountain slopes
between the elevations of 6,500 and 9,800 feet. This belt
begins at the upper reaches of the Ton River, encircles the
eastern part of the basin, and terminates at the meridian of
Korumdy. The forest cover is densest along the river valleys
that cut the Terskey slopes east of the Barskaun River. West
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
of the Barskaun, the forest thins out rapidly and covers a much
narrower belt, between. 8,800 and 9,800 feet. Forests of the
Kungey slopes are much less dense than on the Terskey slopes
and are limited largely to river valleys.
The Tien Shan spruce rarely forms a dense end extensive
forest. The forests are usually clustered on the mountain
slopes amidst open spaces of grassland and bare ground. Birch,
mountain ash, and aspen also are intermingled with the Tien
Shan spruce. The spruce forest provides good cover and con-
cealment possibilities, and the sparseness of the undergrowth
facilitates penetration.
The high mountain elevations between the upper limit
of forest growth and the permanent snowline are largely in
alpine meadows covered with flowering, herbaceous plants from
12 inches high in the lower reaches to approximately 4 inches
near the snowline. Low bushes and vine-type plants also grow
near the forest boundary. Above 12,000 feet, vegetation again
becomes scanty and very sparse. A few plants are scattered on
open slopes, between rocks, and along moraines in areas of thaw-
ing snow.
5. Animal Life
Wildlife is fairly abundant in the Issyk-Kull Basin.
Birds are the most numerous. Sea gulls and ravenlike cormorants
50
Approved For Release 1999/0Sti2PIET CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
fly above Lake Issyk-Kul'. quail and partridge inhabit the
eastern half of the lowland littoral. On the mountain slopes,
the dipper frequents mountain streams; the wagtail, stone-
martin, and nuthatch are also numerous. The crow, woodpecker,
flocks of mountain finch, and black grouse live in the belt of
spruce forests.
Large animals are encountered at high elevations. The
Siberian roe deer is fairly common in the spruce forest zone;
on rare occasions a Siberian moose can be seen. Mountain goats
roam the craggy summit areas of the Kungey Ala-Tau and Terskey
Ala-Tau. The Tien Shan brown bear and wolf are the most common
predatory animals. The small animals include the marten and
the ermine. Small burrowing marmots live in dispersed colonies
throughout the alpine meadows.
B. Cultural Features
1. Population
a. Density, Distribution, and Types
The Issyk-Kul' Basin has an estimated population of
over 50,000 inhabitants, almost half of whom live in the
urban settlements of Przheval'sk and Rybachlye. The basin
is one of the most densely populated regions in the Kirgiz
SSR because of its highly developed agricultural economy.
Most of the people are engaged in crop cultivation and
51
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
animal husbandry, the remainder in fishing, lumbering, and
some mining.
Approximately 4o,000 inhabitants live in the eastern
'half of the basin. This densely populated area extends
westward to Cholponata on the north shore avid to Tamga on
the south shore of the lake and includes mwt of the rural
and urban settlements of the Issyk-Kul' Basin. Przhevalisk
is the largest town, and its population of 20,000 consti-
tutes almost half of the total population. In the shore
lands north and south of the lake, on the lower slopes of
the Kungey Ala-Tau Mountains and in valleys of the Tyup and
Dzhargalan Rivers, the minimum population density averages
65 persons per square mile. The upper reaches of the Kungey
Ala-Tau are bare of population except for isolated shep-
herds and cattle herders. The lower slopes and upper res.:thee
of the Terskey Ala-Tau Range are thinly populated, averag-
ing less than 1 person per square mile.
The western half of the Issyk-Kul' Basin is sparsely
populated. This area is largely unsuitable for agriculture
because of its dry climate and limited water supply. Its
population density ranges from 1 to 25 persons per square
mile. The least populated area extends around the barren,
boulder-strewn western littoral of the lake, excluding the
52
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
 1611.111.010.1.111.10.1111016 * A.% ."4.11. .411
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
town of Rybach'ye. Rybach'ye has approximately 5,000 in-
habitants. Its position as a transportation and traffic
center in the Issyk-Kul' Basin is largely responsible for
this concentration. The mountainous regions north and
south of the lake are sparsely inhabited, mainly by a
pastoral population.
The rural population is dominant throughout most
of the Issyk-Kul' Basin. It consists mainly of farmers,
herdsmen, and fishermen. Farmers, predominently Russians
and Ukrainians, are settled mainly in kolkhoz (collective
farm) and sovkhoz (state farm) villages. The herdsmen,
mostly Kirgizi, are semipermanent settlers. They are es-
sentially pastoral in nature and live in permanent villages
only during the winter. For the greater part of the year
the men move with their herds, while the women, children,
and older people are left in the villages to cultivate
grain and fodder crops for use during the winter. Prior
to the Soviet social reorganization, these people were
strictly nomadic with no type of permanent settlement. In
the vast mountainous regions of the hinterland there are
still a large number of nomadic people. Throughout the
Issyk-Kul' Basin herders still maintain many of their
nomadic traditions, particularly in their standards of
living, social customs, and methods of livestock breeding.
53
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Fishermen are found in most of the small villages
bordering the northern and southern shores of the lake.
They are mainly Kirgizi and are organized into clans.
The urban population of the area is reetricted to
the towns of Przheval'sk, Rybach'ye, and Tyup. The domi-
nant urban settlers are Russians and Ukrainians, who are
engaged mainly in cannercial and industrial activities.
b. Ethnic, Physical, and Sogial Characteristics
Russians and Ukrainians form the largest ethnic
groups in the Issyk-Kulf Basin. Kirgizi are the dominant
non-Slavic group. Other ethnic groups include Dungans,
Taranches, Kalmyks, and Sarts.
(1) Russians and Ukrainians
Russians and Ukrainians first settled here in
large numbers in the period 1860-65. Attracted by the
fertile lands of the basin, a second wave of colonists
arrived in the period 1906-10. Under the Soviets, they
were settled into kolkhozes and sovkhozes to pursue
socialized agriculture. In sovkhozes, Kirgiz' and other
native Turkic peoples are mixed with Russians and Ukrain-
ians, who introduce the natives to more advanced methods
of irrigation, crop rotation, and livestock breeding.
Russians are usually of stocky build and medium
height; they have round heads, light heir, and blue,
54
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
gray or brown eyes. Ukrainians tend to have swarthy
complexions, dark hair, and brown eyes.
Both Russians and Ukrainians as a rule,
carefully maintain the social customs and traditions of
their homelands. They are proud of their Slavic heritage
and tend to have a superior attitude toward the more
backward Kirgiz people. They command a leading role in
the local political administration, as well as in all
branches of the economy. This has created an interracia3
antagonism which is of great concern to the Soviets.
Communist leaders are actively engaged in furthering
mixed settlements (sovkhozes), and encourage the Kirgizi
to assume leading positions now held by Russian or
Ukrainian officials.
(2) Kirgizi
The Kirgiz people comprise the most numerous
group of the native population of the basin. They are
also known as Kara Kirgiz or Buruts. Kirgizi are not
the original inhabitants of the Issyk-Kul' Basin but
arrived there from the upper reaches of the Yenisey.
They are widely distributed in the Tyup and Dzhargalan
valleys, and sizable numbers inhabit the lowlands and
mountain slopes north and south of Lake Issyk-Kul'.
55
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Their main occupation is livestock herding and breeding,
with crop cultivation and fishing usually as purely
secondary occupations. The Soviets are settling a con
siderable number of Kirgizi on collective farms and in '
small communities (kyshlak) where they rractice irriga-
tion farming.
The Kirgizi are Turkic in origin, with some
Mongol admixture. The people are of medium stature,
with rather stocky build, long arms, and short legs.
They have large round heads, black hair, light-brown
skin, wide faces, almond shaped eyes, and prominent
noses (Figure 7).
Clans and family groups are the basic: units of
Kirgiz society. In the family organization women con-
trol the domestic life and also perform the largest share
of the work. Certain characteristics common to Asiatic
nomads are prominent among the Kirgiz people. They are
noted for their hospitality, carefree attitude, suscepti-
bility to foreign influence, great tendency to lying,
their desire for luxury, and tendency to excesses. While
-
their native intelligence is rather high, the level of
their formal education is one of the lowest in the Soviet
Union. The Kirgizi, as a whole, are very nationalistic
56
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/0s9E/&127.i, CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Figure 7. Kirgiz woman in festive dress.
57
Approved For Release 1999/aff: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
and extremely proud of their history. Soviet rulers,
aware of these natianalistic tendencies, tolerate
Kirgiz culture and social customs but greatly restrict
their traditional nomadic life. AlthougA most of the
Kirgizi are still allowed to engage in animal husbandry
and migrate with their livestock to seasonal mountain
pastures, they have been induced to maintain permanently
established villages as their winter quarters. While
out on pasture, however, the Kirgiz herdimen still
practice many of the traditional nomadic customs. They
usually live in portable dome-shaped tents (yurts), and
are grouped into a number of encampments or "auls"
(Figure 8).
(3)
Dungans
The Dungans, a Moslem-Mongol group, settled
in the southwestern part of the Issyk-Kul' Basin around'
1880. Dungans specialize in cultivating opium poppies
and rice. Some are also engaged in commercial activities,
particularly in the caravan trade. Dungans are of short
to medium stature, with stocky build and long torsos.
They have round heads, conspicuously broad faces with
narrow foreheads, and yellowish complexions. Many of
the Dungan social customs and living habits are of
Chinese origin. Their diet and language are Chinese.
58
Approved For Release 1999/0912tREeIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21 .8pARDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
59
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
(4) Taranches
A small number of Taranches inhabit the area
extending northeastward from Lake Issyk-Kul'. They are
mainly engaged in farming, and live in omen villages.
Their physical appearance is oriental. They have
yellowish-white skin, broad heads, elongated oval faces,
and straight projecting noses.
Taranches are known for their fondness for
music and drama. They are hearty eaters and have a
reputation for being lazy and pleasure loving. Their
group customs differ considerably from those of Moslem
society. Women do not wear veils, and in general have
more social freedom than those of moet Turkic groups.
Contrary to the principles of Islamic faith, the family
institution is extremely unstable. Divorce is easily
obtained.
(5) Kalmyks
A small number of Kalmyks live in the eastern
part of the Issyk-Kul' Basin. Of Mongolian origin, they
migrated into the area about 1870. Whereas the Mongols
of Central Asia are of Buddist faith, the Issyk-Kul'
Kalmyks are Mohammedans.
6o
Approved For Release 1999/09/21RFCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Physically, the Kalmyks are almost pure
Mongols. Prominent features are their short stature,
round heads, broad flat faces, and protruding jaws.
The family system of the Kalmyks is patrilineal.
Marriage is permitted only within the ethnic bounds of
the tribe. Their standard of living and many of their
social customs are similar to those of the Kirgizi.
(6) Sarts
A group of people known as Sarts inhabit the
western part of the Issyk-Kul' Basin. Originally, the
Sarts were an ethnic group descending from the Iranian
Turks. They settled as urban dwellers in places where
an Aryan population was largely intermingled with Turk
and Arab invaders. In the course of time the connota-
tion of the term Sart changed from an ethnic to a social
one. Russians and Kirgizi alike applied the name to all
Turkic people who settled in towns or larger villages
where they developed a distinct commercial society.
Descendants of the original Sarts have notable
Aryan traits, such as medium height, heavy beard, stout-
ness, and dark complexion. On the surface they appear
to be devout Moslems, but they are of a hostile nature
61
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
and inclined to be smug, cunning, and deceitful. They
make every effort to profit in their dealings with
other people.
c. Language
The principal languages spoken in the Issyk-KulT
Basin are Russian and Kirgiz. Both are used as official
languages by the local administration.
Russian is spoken by all Slavic groups as well as
by the younger Turkic people. Many of the older natives
(Kirgizi, Dungans, Taranches, Kalmyks, and Sarts) are also ,
able to understand Russian and speak it in broken. fashion.
Although Ukrainian is spoken in many villages, Russian can '
be understood by the inhabitants.
Kirgiz, a dialect of the northwestern group of the
Turko-Tatar languages, is the predominant native language
In the area. Kirgizian differs from other Turkic languages
in having long vowels. It is closely related to Mongolian,
: particularly to Khakassian. In 1940 the Kirgizi adopted a
Cyrillic alphabet. Before that a Latin alphabet originated
by the Soviets in 1926 was used.
Other Turkic languages spoken in the area are the
dialects of the Taranches and Sarts. These are closely re-
lated to Uigur. The original orthography of the Taranches
62
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For ReleassE1M/09/21 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
and Sarts was based on Arabic script, and there is no in-
dication that they have adopted either a Latin or a Cyrillic
alphabet.
Kalmyks speak a Mongol dialect; they adopted the
Cyrillic alphabet in 1924. Dungans who formerly lived in
Sinkiang and Central China still speak Chinese.
d. Religion
The Russians and Ukrainians in the Issyk-Kul' Basin
belong to the Orthodox Christian Church, also known as
"Pravoslavny." Some of the Ukrainians, however, are Roman
Catholics or Uniats (Greek Catholic). As a rule religious
worship is .practiced only by the older people. The younger
generations of Slays have been influenced by Communist
teachings and have few if any religious convictions.
The native population is predominantly of Moslem
faith. Large groups of Kirgizi, KaImyks, and almost all of
the Dungans are orthodox Moslems. Their religious principles
and dogmas are deeply rooted and are observed with fanatical
devotion.
The Kirgizi belong to the Sunnite Mohammedans, who
acknowledge the first four Caliphs to be the rightful suc-
cessors of Mohammed. In their religious beliefs, Kirgizi
are influenced by mysticism and superstition. Pagan
63
Approved For Release qicgri09/21 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Shamanistic beliefs, talismans, and amulets are common among
the people. While moving with their livestock, some of the '
Kirgizi are less strict in their Moslem practices and forego
many of the prescribed Moslem doctrines on personal clean-
liness, fasts, and type of clothing. The women are not veiled
and generally not secluded from the men, and they do not
al-
ways strictly observe the daily hours of prayer.
The Sarts appear as strict Moslems to foreigners,
but they are essentially lax in their religious practices.
Shrewd businessmen in trade and commerce, they find many of
the Moslem rites difficult to apply in pursuing their profes
sion.
Tarancnes are the least religious group among the
Moslem population. The average man is indifferent about
religion, and in general has a low opinion of the Moslem
priests. This stems from the fact that Taranchi church
leaders (Mullahs) are more concerned with material matters
and authority than with the spiritual. Their profession in
the church is based on hereditary rights rather than on
devotion to religion. Traditionally of the upper class,
they have close ties with the social and political leaders
of the group.
Approved For Release 1999/09P2WCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
e. Political Attitudes
Political attitudes toward Soviet administration
and Communism differ considerably between the native Moslem
population, on one hand, and the large Russian and Ukrainian
ethnic groups on the other.
(1) Attitude of the Moslems
The Moslems of the Issyk-Kul' Basin, in general,
are accustomed to a carefree and traditionally nomadic
life. As a result, they do not adapt themselves readily
to the settled life prescribed by the Soviets. Soviet
efforts to increase native interest in the workings of a
socialized economy meet with little success. Moslems
are reported to show considerable lack of enthusiasm for
farming and industrial pursuits. Recent reports indicate
that in kolkhozts throughout the basin new radio relay
stations have been installed over which Communist prop-
aganda is broadcast to Kirgiz peasants. The peasants
seldom bother to listen to the programs, however, and
do not answer questions put to them in an effort to
evaluate the effectiveness of the propaganda.
Politically, the seeds of nationalism and
independence still exist in most of the Moslem groups,
particularly the Kirgizi. Nationalist traditions are
65
Approved For Release 1999/0?/2WCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
inherent in the cohesiveness of the Moslem family life.
The Soviets are fully aware of this fact and are at-.
tempting to dissolve some of the family influence. The
younger generations are being educated in Conmunist
philosophy and are induced to participate in industrial'
and agricultural activities controlled by the Government.
Kirgizi and other Moslems in the area react un-
favorably to persistent Soviet attacks against their
practices of the Shariat. This Moslem code of laws
permits polygymy, wife purchase, and the employment of
preachers (Mullahs and Ishams). Native government of-
ficials often lead the common folk in these religious
observances. Moslem discontent with Moscow is felt even
in local Communist Party organizations. Kirgiz Com-
munists have been striving for more self-rule and initia-
tive in party activities. They are known to object to
the controlling power of Russian Communists who are sent
into the area to form political cadres and are, Imfamiliar
with local conditions. As a result, many native Com-
munists are purged from their posts, particularly in
departments dealing with agitation and propaganda.
The civilian life and social organizations of
Moslems are shadowed by Soviet internal security forces
66
Approved For Release 1999/09113MCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 19921,924,21 : CIA-RDP79101018A000100090001-1
Security Information
(MOB and MVD). It is doubtful that the freedom-loving
Moslems willingly accept these restrictions, although
they tolerate them with a certain amount of resignation.
The Turkestan National Union (Turkestan Milli Birligi,
or TMB), an underground movement known to exist in
Kirgizia, may have some outlets in the Issyk-Kul' Basin.
The organization strives to build an independent Tatar
State which is to include all Turkic-speaking peoples.
(2) Attitude of the Russians and Ukrainians
The political attitudes of both Russian and
Ukrainian groups depend largely on their social or
political position in the area. Those most loyal to
the Soviet regime comprise a small but powerful group
of recent arrivals, consisting of Soviet adminstrative
officials, Communist Party functionaries, and a number
of technicians and specialists who have voluntarily
moved into the area to develop and expand local agricul-
ture and industry. Members of this group hold the key
positions in all phases of the economy. They are staunct
Communists and are entrusted with the "re-education" of
the native population.
second group of Russian and Ukrainian set-
tlers belongs to the "spets-pereselentsi" class. This
67
Approved For Release 1999WW: CIA-RDP79101018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
category includes persons who have been forcefully
evacuated from their homelands under a system of "special
resettlement." These people are either accused of col-
laborating with the Germans during World War II or are
considered politically unreliable by tho Moscow regime.
The "spets-pereselentsi" are usually employed as skilled
industrial or agricultural laborers. Their freedom of
movement is severely restricted by constant surveillance
by the MVD. Politically, this group is less reliable
than the first group and may be persuaded into collabora?
tion against the Communists. This is particularly true
of the Ukrainians, who as a result of their traditions
and sentiment are known to have an anti-Soviet attitude
Finally, there is a group of Russians and
Ukrainians who are forced laborers without any freedom
of movement. These people are usually sentenced to hard
labor for social or political crimes. They are engaged
in railroad and road construction or work in lumber and
mining camps. Such camps are believed to be in the Tamga
and Dzhargalan areas. Members of this group are politi-
cally least reliable from the point of view of the Com-
munists.
68
Approved For Release 1999/0024BYCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
2. Settlements
a. Types and Distribution
Settlements in the Issyk-Kul' Basin are concentrated
mainly in the lowland areas bordering the lake and in the
Tyup and Dzhargalan River valleys. Russian and Ukrainian
settlements are dominant throughout the area, particularly
In the eastern lowlands. Native settlements, largely Kirgizi,
are situated mainly along the lakeshore and in livestock-
raising areas in the eastern part of the basin. Health
resorts and rest homes are other forms of settlement found
in the basin.
(1) Russian and Ukrainian Settlements
Russian settlements in the area include the
towns of Przheval'sk, Rybach'ye, and Tyup, and the large
communities of Cholponata, Grigor'yevka, Anan'yeva
(Sazanovskoye), Kuturga, and Alekseyevka. In addition,
there are numerous collective farms and small villages
with a predominantly Russian population. The largest
Ukrainian settlements are Mikhaylovka and Pokrovka
(Pokroyka). Other Ukrainian villages and collective
farms are distributed in the rich farming area east of
Lake Issyk-Kul'. Russian and Ukrainian settlers are
also found in large numbers on state farms (sovkhozes),
where they are mixed with native Moslem peoples.
69
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Russian and Ukrainian settlements resemble
settlements in the southern part of the -9uropean USSR.
The towne of Przhevalfsk and Rybachlye are rectangular
in shape, with long, straight, wide streets. In
Przheval'sk, streets are bordered by irrigation ditches
and rows of poplars. Rybach'ye has hardly eny vegetation.
As a rule, the streets are unsurfaced and become ex-
tremely muddy during rainy seasons. Houses are con-
structed of colorfully painted clay or mud bricks.
Intermingled with these houses are a few etone, tile,
or brick buildings. Soviet influences are noticeable
in the commercial and industrial districts, where there
are newly built schools, libraries, and party headquarters.
Workers' housing projects and parks and recreational
facilities are other Soviet urban improvements. Little
modernization is apparent in the remaining sections of
the towns.
Most Russian and Ukrainian villages, such as
Kuturga, Grigor'yevka, and Mikhaylovka, are located on
rivers or an principal routes of transportation. The
villages generally consist of a long, wide dirt road
lined with houses of clay or wood. Larger villages,
such as Grigor'yevka and Sazanovskoye, have several
70
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
streets. Houses are, as a rule, painted white and sur-
rounded by wooden fences. Wooden houses are character-
istic of Russian villages. Ukrainian settlers prefer
their traditional clay (mud) houses. The narrow side
of each house faces the street. In many cases the eaves
are supported by wooden columns. A spacious yard sur-
rounds both the house and the stable shacks. A long
garden behind the courtyard is generally divided into
flower, fruit, and vegetable plots. The garden is en-
closed by either a clay wall or a cane fence. Russian
and Ukrainian villages have a system of irrigation
ditches running through them, usually consisting of a
main irrigation ditch parallel with the village street
or streets and secondary water ditches leading to each
farmhOuse. In some villages, irrigation ditches cut
across the village street at regular intervals and run
alongside the fruit and vegetable gardens.
In the eastern part of the Issyk-Kul' Basin and
in mountainous zones north and south of the lake, the
villages are generally grouped into sovkhozes or
kolkhozes. Villages of the kolkhoz type differ little
in appearance from the average Russian or Ukrainian
village in the area. Usually each kolkhoz village
71
Approved For Release 1996itiff1 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
specializes in a single type of economic activity,
such as fishing, crop cultivation, or animal husbandry.
Russian or Ukrainian villages in sovkhhz organizations
have a large admixture of Kirgiz, Dungan, and Tatar ele-
ments. Villages of this type are found in 10 sovkhozes
that occupy large areas of the Issyk-Kul' Basin. They
are part of the Soviet plan to integrate the native
peoples into the system of controlled socialized agri-
culture, particularly to indoctrinate them in methods
of irrigation, crop rotation, and livestock breeding.
Sovkhoz villages generally have more modern dwellings
than non-sovkhoz villages, up-to-date irrigation net-
works, and most of the available motorJzed equipment
and agricultural machinery. They also have the services
of machine-tractor and hay-harvesting etations (MTS and
MSS).
(2) Native Settlements
Native settlements in the Issyk-Kul' Basin are
mainly villages inhabited by Moslems. Of these, the
Kirgiz villages are most numerous. Some of the larger
Kirgiz villages are Barskaun, Toraygyn, Choktal,
Cholponata, Dzherges, and Sokolovka. Such villages are
groupings of walled-in farmsteads strung along a road.
72
Approved For Release 1999/09/29EXAA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
A community irrigation ditch leads through each village
and has feeders running into individual farmhouse en-
closures. Each farmstead consists of the residence,
associated farm buildings, and a fruit and vegetable
garden. The buildings are constructed of yellowish
sun-baked clay. The living quarters and an assortment
of buildings and sheds for housing livestock and storing
crops surround a square-shaped courtyard. In the for-
ward part of this cluster are the men's quarters, guest-
rooms, stables, and storage sheds for agricultural tools
and implements. These are separated by a high wall
from the women's quarters, which are located to the rear.
The outer walls of the living quarters are traditionally
without windows. Daylight is received through shutter-
type openings facing the courtyard. Interior walls are
covered with colorful carpets and richly embroidered
felting. Furniture is primitive. Open hearths serve
for cooking and heating. The people sit or squat on
very low, portable wooden platforms covered with felt
or rugs.
At the outskirts of Kirgiz villages may be
seen groups of dome-shaped felt-covered tents called
"yurtas." These tents are used mainly by livestock
73
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security_ Information
herders who are in a transition stage from nomadic to
settled rural life. 'Yurtas" are still used in moun-
tain pastures as temporary living quarters.
Dungan villages, typified by Orto-Tokay and
Karasbar, are characterized by their own special
variety of mud huts, with flat roofs and small windows.
The houses and little courtyards are generally sur-
rounded by sun-baked clay walls, which often reach to
the roof tops. Plots of barley and opium poppies are
frequently cultivated on the flat rooftops. Dungan
and Kirgiz villages include a number of Sart settlers
who are now engaged in agricultural pursuits. Sart
farmhouses are believed to be more advanced in con-
struction, interior layout, and furnishings than any
of the other native dwellings.
Taranchi and Kalmyk villages are located
chiefly in the eastern and northeastern parts of the
basin. Taranchi villages include Kurmentv, Taldy-Su,
and Chonuryukty. Taranchi settlers reportedly also
constitute tha largest ethnic group in Tamga, on the
southern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul'. Taranchi villages
are small and consist of loosely grouped fndividual
farmhouses, mostly of clay construction. Kalmyk villages
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
are located chiefly along the foothills and at higher
elevations in the mountains. They are reportedly
patterned after Kirgiz villages.
(3) Yurta Encampments
Yurta encampments, or "auls," are frequently
encountered in the mountain pastures (Figure 8). These
encampments are seasonal settlements of the pastoral
Kirgiz population. In general they consist of a group
of three to six yurtas. On some of the rich pastures,
however, encampments may occasionally include several
hundred yurtas. The yurtas chRracteristic of Kirgiz
and Kazakb nomads are circular tents consisting of a
wooden lattice framework covered with animal skins or
felts (Figure 9).
The interior arrangement of a yurta is ex-
tremely simple. The entrance is through a door flap.
Against the opposite side of the tent from this opening
are the sleeping accommodations and women's quarters.
These consist of felt and brightly colored blankets,
placed either on the floor or on trunks. In the center
of the tent is a fireplace, which is usually a hole dug
in the ground, with a large opening in the tent above
It. Household equipment, riding gear, and trunks are
75
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECMET
Security Information
Figure 9. Klrgizi herders holding council
In front of a yurta.
76
Approved For Release 1999/09/YR/CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 199/&41 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
usually stored to the left of the door flap. To the
right of the entrance are cooking utensils and food
supplies. Food is generally cooked in a large kettle
suspended over the fireplace. Yurtas are well insulated
against the cold and can be used during the winter
season. To retain interior warmth, snow is shovelled
against the outside walls of the tent and felts are
spread over the floor.
(4) Health Resorts. and Rest Homes
Because of the moderating influence of Lake
Issyk-Kul' an the climate and the presence of many hot
springs, numerous health resorts are located within
the area, mainly in the eastern part of the basin. A
few of the resorts are the "Kurort Arasan" (in the
Aksu River valley); the "Kurort Dzhety-Oguz" (in the
DPzhety-Oguz River valley), which is especially noted
for its radioactive baths; the lake resort of Koysara,
known for its salt-water baths; and the hot mineral
springs in the Kizyl-Su Valley. According to Soviet
claims, several thousand persons visit the Issyk-Kul'
resorts every year.
In addition to the health resorts, there are
numerous rest homes along the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul'
77
Approved For Release 1999/60T: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
and on the slopes of the Terskey and Kungey Ala-Tau
Ranges. These are visited yearly by groups of adults
or children who are permitted to spend their vacation
in the lake region. One rest home, at Molponata, is
known to serve as a vacation place for cthildren (Figures
10 and 11).
b. Description of Towns
Przheval'sk, Rybach'ye, and Tyup are the only set-
tlements in the area that can properly be classified as
towns. In the 1951 Administrative Territorial Handbook of
the USSR, Przheval'sk is the only settlement officially
classed as a town, but all three are referred to as towns
in Soviet scientific and popular literature.
(1) Przheval'sk
The town of Przheval'sk is located in the east-
ern part of the Issyk-Kul' Basin, near the base of the
Terskey Ala-Tau Mountains. It is the economic and
cultural center of Issyk-Kul' Oblast. The town is
located about 7 miles southeast of its .port, Pristan'
Przheval'sk, situated near the mouth of the Karakol
River.
Przheval'sk was built in 1869 as a military
administrative center for the Tsarist Amy in Turkestan.
78
Approved For Release 1999/091A-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Figure 10. Rest home at Cholponata.
Figure 11. Children vacationing at Cholponata.
79
Approved For Release 1999/09/21 FeltATIRDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
The town was originally known as Karakol and was re-
named Przhevallsk in honor of the Russian explorer,
N. M. Przheval'sky. In recent years the Soviets have
maintained considerable numbers of troops in the area.
As late as 1952, Przheval'sk was referred to as a gar-
rison town for mountain troops entrusted with security
duties along the Kirgiz-Sinkiang border. An MVD regi-
ment is also reported to be stationed there MVD bil-
lets, consisting of several barracks, are located at
the southeastern outskirts of town.
The town has an estimated population of 20,000,
predominantly Russians. The architecture iB closely
patterned after that of towns in the European USSR.
Its streets are wide, unsurfaced, and shaeed by. trees.
The main streets run in a north-south direction. In
the center of town is a large park with Tien Shan
spruce trees. Large fruit orchards divide the town
Into several sections. The city is known for its Agro-
Meteorological Institute, which is the oldest scientific
establishment in the Kirgiz republic. The town is being
developed into a significant industrial center, but at
present industrial installations produce mainly for local
needs. There are a number of plants and small shops
80
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/92A: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
that produce clothing and consumer goods, construction
materials, alcoholic beverages, and starch syrup.
Przheval'sk has a post office, located near the center
of town, and telephone communication with the port,
Pristan' Przheval'sk, has been in operation since 1928.
Prigtan' Przheval'sk is the largest port on
Lake Issyk-Kul'. It is the main shipping center for
agricultural products, construction materials, coal,
and fish from the eastern part of the basin. These
commodities are transported across the lake to the trans-
loading center of Rybach'ye. Passenger and freight
service from Pristan' Przheval'sk is available almost
every day. The port also figures prominently in ship
repair and maintenance.
(2) Rybach'ye
Rybach'ye, formerly known as Bachin, is located
at the westernmost tip of Lake Issyk-Kul'. It is the
administrative center of Balykchinskiy Rayon, which oc-
cupies the western part of the basin. The town has ap-
proximately 5,000 inhabitants, most of whom are Russians.
Moslem minorities include Kirgizi, Dungans, and Sarts.
Rybach'ye has the second largest docking facilities on
Lake Issyk-Kul' and is a significant transloading point
81
Approved For Release 1999RMT : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
between rail and road traffic and lake shipping. Al-
most all trade between the Issyk-Kul' Basin and the
hinterland and other parts of the Kirgiz SSR is handled
hare. It is the center of the fishing industry on the
western side of the lake. The town is roughly rectangular
and covers a relatively small area. The main streets of
the town parallel the waterfront. They are unsurfaced,
wide, and lined with single-story stone houses. A hotel,
several restaurants, and some smaller stores selling con-
sumer goods are reported to be in the center of town, near
the port area. Rybach'ye has only minor industrial instal-
lations, including a meat-packing plant, a small power sta-
tion, a refrigerator plant, and several granaries. Gaso-
line storage tanks have been reported in tae port area.
(3) Tyup
The town of Tyup, formerly known as Preobrazben-
skoye, is located in the eastern part of the basin near
the mouth of the Tyup River. Its population is mainly
Russian. The latest available population Tigure, 6,245
inhabitants, dates back to 1927. Tyup is classified as
a secondary port an Lake Issyk-Kul' and handles shipping
cf agricultural commodities and salted fisa. The two
small wooden piers in the port area serve a granary and
a potato warehouse.
82
Approved For Release 1999/6M-V CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
No information is available about the town
layout and street pattern. However, since it is popu-
lated predominantly by Russians it probably conforms
with the traditional planning of Russian towns through-
out the study area. Tyup has a technical school of
agriculture, the "Tyupskiy Sel'skohozyaystvennyy
Tekhnikum," which specializes in veterinary science,
zoology, and crop rotation. The only notable industrial
installation is a cement plant located approximately 3
miles northwest of town.
3. Health and Sanitation
Health and sanitation measures among the population of
the Issyk-Kul' Basin leave much to be desired. In urban areas
such as Rybach'ye and Przheval'sk, sanitary conditions are
somewhat better than in rural sections, but they are still far
below the standards of Western European nations. Przheval'sk
and Rybach'ye reportedly have facilities for sewage and garbage
disposal. Hospital and medical services are free, but their
standards are greatly affected by shortages of doctors, hospital
beds, and drugs. Medicines are rationed and difficult to obtain
even with prescriptions issued by physicians and medical tech-
nicians licensed by the Government. The available drugs can be
purchased only at state-operated pharmacies or medical stations.
83
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
The standards of hygiene in state-operated markets are theoreti-
cally controlled by the All-Union State Sanitary Inspectorate.
According to the regulations of the Inspectorate, sales personnel
are to be subjected to physical examination and must follow a
prescribed code of cleanliness, and food items must be properlY
cleansed, packaged, and refrigerated. The enforcement of these
regulations, however, is generally lax, and government stores
often fail to maintain even the minimum standards of hygiene.
Sanitary conditions in rural areas are extremely poor.
Village pharmacies, which serve both as medical aid stations
and sanitary indoctrination centers, are few in number and are
located mainly at kolkhozes and sovkhozes. Epidemics are com-
mon among the native population, particularly in remote areas.
There are practically no sewage and garbage facilities for
rural settlers. Throughout villages and winter camps it is
not uncommon to see dirt, refuse, and waste material dumped on
the grounds outside of living quarters. This is used as food
by dogs and cats and attracts large numbers of tweets and
rodents. Diseases carried by lice, fleas, and bedbugs are
very common. Body hygiene is particularly lax among peasants
and livestock herders. To maintain body warmth, clothes are
rarely removed during the winter months. In the western parts
of the basin, where water is scarce, people are extremely
filthy.
81i.
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Caution must be exercised in drinking well water,
particularly in the eastern part of the basin. Wells are un-
covered and water is often polluted. In the mountainous zones,
drinking water is Obtained from rapidly flowing mountain rivers
and is relatively free of harmful bacteria. Glacial streams,
however, especially in the higher mountains are not suitable
for drinking.
Various diseases are known to be endemic in the area.
Malaria is common in zones immediately surrounding the lake,
especially in the swampy districts of the Tyup and Dzhargalan
River valleys. Typhus, dysentery, and spotted and relapsing
fever are prevalent throughout the area. In agricultural dis-
tricts the Kirgizi type of wheat is reported to be a medium for
spreading plagues. Wheat is coniaminated by the fees of in-
fested rodents, and the inhaling of dust from infected crops
may cause disease. Trachoma and frostbite are common among
the livestock-raising population.
4. Economy
a. Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
The Issyk-Kul' Basin is one of the leading agricul-
tural areas of the Kirgiz SSR. In the Issyk-Kul'--Central
Tien Shan Region, it is surpassed only by the Chu Valley in
agricultural production. Crop cultivation and animal
85
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
husbandry, the dominant economic activities, are most ex-
tensively developed in the eastern part of the basin. Under
the Soviets, both have been collectivized and are organized
into kolkhozos and sovkhozes. Sovkhozes conduct experimental
farming and are responsible for the technical development
of crop cultivation and animal husbandry. There are 10
sovkhozee in the area. The Tamchi and Issyk-Kul' Sovkhozes
are located along the northern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul'.
Parts of the Kok-Maynak and Kockkorskiy Sovkilozes extend
into the western part of the basin. The Ulakhol and Ton
Sovkhozes are located south of the lake. The other 4
sovkhozes--Orgocher, Karakol'skiy, Sukho-Khrebtinskiy, and
Santash--are in the southeastern and eastern parts of the
basin. (See map CIA 9254.)
(1) Crop Cultivation
According to recent Soviet sources, the cul-
tivated area of the Issyk-Kul' Basin occupies about
352,000 acres. Of these, 253,000 acres aTe irrigated
farmland and 99,000 acres are in terrace Terms. Cul-
tivated areas include the narrow shores north and south
of the lake; the alluvial fans of mountain rivers
emptying into the lake (as at Toraygyn, Choktal, and
imeni Voroshilova), the lower slopes of the Eungey
86
BURET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
ISSYK-KUL' BASIN
7
42
Sary-Bular
I
ource: S. N. RYAZANTStY, KIRGIZIYA, /946
---2000? Approximate contour
.3947 Summit elevation
-x-
Glacier and fim field
Principal pass
Highway
Improved dirt road
?771?
,
LEGEND
A
Principal trail
Principal lake port
Coal deposit
Cement raw materials
Sovkhozes (state collective farm)
Forest
1 Kok-Maynak
2 Tamchi
3 Ulakhol
4 Ton
5 Issyk-Kurskiy
SOVKHOZES
6 Karakol'skiy
7 Santash
8 Orgocher
9 Sukho-Khrebtinskiy
10 Kochkorokiy
7%9254 2-53
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
map CIA 9254
87
Approved For Release 1999FMV : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Ala-Tau and the foothills of the Terskey Ala-Tau, and
several narrow valleys (Konurulen, Alabasn) lying be-
tween the foothills and the secondary range of the
Terskey Ala-Tau.
The western half of the Issyk-Kul' Basin is
largely unsuitable for crop production. Around Rybach'ye
are large, barren, rock strewn expanses. Crop cultiva-
tion is very limited as far east as Cholponata on the
northern shore and Toss or on the southern shore. Dry
farming is practiced in a few small rural settlements
along the lake littoral and on some mountain slopes at
elevations up to 7,500 feet. Approximately 90 percent
of all the crops in the basin are grown in the eastern
half. Irrigated farmlands occUipy the northern and
southern littorals eastward from Cholponata and Tossor.
Grigor'yevka and Anan'yeva (Sazanovskoye) on the northern
shore and Dzhety-Oguzov, Novo-IToznesensky, Pokrovka, and
Darkhan (Tarkhany) on the southern shore are centers of
intensively cultivated areas. Some of the nearby moun-
tain slopes are terraced up to an elevation of 7,500
feet. The largest farming areas are located within the
wide valleys of the Tyup, Dzhargalan, and Karakol Rivers.
88
Approved For Release 1999/09MviCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Numerous small tributaries, irrigation canals, and water
ditches provide sufficient water to this intensely cul-
tivated region.
An irrigation network usually consists of a
trunk canal from which smaller canals branch off at
right angles at equal intervals. The branch canals,
in turn, are connected with many irrigation ditches
that channel water to the individual fields. In a less
widely used method of irrigation, mountain streams are
tapped by a fan-shaped net of small water channels,
which distribute water to the fields. Efforts are
being made to reconstruct the irrigation systems of
the Dzhargalan, Tyup, Turgin-Aksu, Irdyk, Dzhety-Oguz,
Karakol, Zaluka-Dzhuka, and Kyzyl-Su Rivers to increase
the amount of land under irrigation. According to
Soviet plans, this will increase the irrigated area by
37,000 acres.
Grains and medicinal plants are the principal
crops cultivated in the Issyk-Kul' Basin. The basin is
one of the best grain-producing regions in Kirgizia.
The over-all area sown in grain is approximately 247,000
acres.
Wheat is the main food crop of the local popu-
lation, and makes up the larger part of the total area
89
Approved For Release 1999/MT: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
under grain. Approximately 148,000 acres are in wheat,
mostly in the eastern lowland. Barley and oats are also
grown in significant quantities; 62,000 acres are in
barley and 37,000 acres an oats. These are primarily
fodder crops, which are grown during the summer and
stored as fodder to supplement winter pasturing. To a
great extent, barley and oats are cultivated in mountain-
ous areas that are used as livestock pastures. Cultiva-
tion of barley extends to the upper limits of dry-
farming, reaching an elevation of 7,500 feet in the upper
Tyup Valley.
Medicinal crops, such as opium poppies and oil-
bearing plants, are grown in large quantities in the area
between TYup and Przhevalisk. Opium poppies are grown
almost exclusively by Kirgiz farmers, under the control
of special government agencies.
Mustard seeds, fruits, and vegetables are raised
near the larger villages, particularly in the vicinity
of Przheval'sk.
Industrial crops are currently being cultivated
for experimental purposes. Southeast of Przheval'sk,
sugar beets are grown successfully, and the Soviets
-nope to develop here a large-scale sugar-producing
region similar to that of the Chu Valley.
90
Approved For Release 1999/a/147 CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/0s1/21 CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
CRET
Security Information
Farming methods range from Soviet-introduced
mechanized plowing, sowing, and harvesting to native
hoe tillage. Modern farming equipment available to
collective farms consists of tractors, automatic seeders,
and harvester combines. The machinery is administered
by machine-tractor stations (NTS) and hay-harvesting
stations (NSS). Machine-tractor stations are currently
located near Przhevaltsk (Teplo-Klyuchenka MIS), in
Pokrovka (Dzhety-Oguzov MTS), and in Ananiyeva (Issyk-
Kul' NTS). In addition, several hay-harvesting stations
have been established in the eastern part of the basin.
These stations are responsible for mowing of natural
and cultivated hayfields. Each station is supplied with
mechanized equipment and the necessary maintenance in-
stallations.
Native implements used include a native-type
plow (wooden .hoe blade with the point reinforced by iron
plates); a heart-shaped hoe or ketment, which is used
largely in truck gardening; and a short-handled sickle.
In more remote areas, horses and oxen or heavy rollers
are used for thrashing the harvested grain. The chaff
Is separated from the grain by the wind.
In the western part of the basin, fields under
cultivation are small and often cannot be planted for
91
Approved For Release 1994ffiri1 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
more than 1 year at a time because of the shortage of
moisture. At best, a field can be cultivated for 2 or
3 years in succession and then must be fallow unless
some sort of irrigation can be supplied.
(2) Grazing Lands and Animal Husbandry
The Issyk-Kul' Basin has 2,900,000 acres of
grazing land, more than 12 percent of the total grazing
area of the Kirgiz republic. Grazing lands are located
in the narrow belt of flat land surrounding the lake,
on the slopes of the Kungey and Terskey Ala-Tau Ranges,
and on the alluvial fans of many of the small mountain
rivers.
The main grazing lands are found in the lawland.
area surrounding the lake. The western half of the basin,
however, is arid and suitable only for the hardier kinds
of livestock, such as sheep and native horses. In winter,
herders usually move most of their animals to the richer
pastures in the eastern part of the basin or in the
Kochkur and Susamyr valleys. Some herds of sheep are
sent north to pastures in the Kungey Ala-Tau Range. The
eastern part of the basin has good pasture lands, but
large-scale grazing of livestock, mainly beef and dairy
cattle, is restricted to the winter season. In summer
92
Approved For Release 1999/0912tRECIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
much of the fertile land is used for crop production.
Winter grazing is centered in the Przheval'sk and Dzhety-
Oguz areas and in the valleys of the Tyup and Dzhargalan
Rivers.
Pastures located on the mountain slopes are
used for summer grazing, particularly the high-grass
subalpine pastures of the Terskey Ala-Tau (Figures 12
and 13). The herds of some of the collective livestock
farms are driven across the Terskey Ala-Tau to the high-
altitude syrts (intermontane valleys) of the Naryn Up-
land, where livestock are generally pastured until late
fall. With the approach of winter, the herds of cattle,
sheep, and horses are driven from their mountain pasturen
down to the lowland areas surrounding the lake.
The Issyk-Kul' Basin is one of the most important
livestock-raising regions in Kirgizia. The number of
livestock in northern Kirgizia is estimated at 700,000
head, almost half of all the livestock in northern
Kirgizia and nearly one-fourth of that of the Kirgiz SSR.
Sheep and goats (550,000 head) make up the
greater part of the livestock in the Issyk-Kul' Basin.
Formerly, sheep in the area were mainly of a coarse-
wooled, fat-tailed breed that yielded large quantities
93
Approved For Release 1999/66af: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Figure 12. Cattle pasture in the foothills of the
Terskey Ala-Tau.
Figure 13. Sheep pasture in the foothills of the
Terskey Ala-Tau.
94
Approved For Release 1999/0%/kimCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
of meat and tallow. Sovkhozes along the south shore of
the lake are still breeding sheep of this type, but
emphasis has shifted toward fine-wooled sheep. Several
crossbreeds of fine-woolqa sheep (Rambouillet and
Wurtemberg) are already found in the area. These sheep
provide lees meat and tallow but yield a fine quality
of wool for textile manufacture.
Cattle (84,000 head) are concentrated in the
eastern areas of the basin. The breed has been improved
in recent years through crossbreeding with imported Swiss
cattle. Dairy cattle, particularly, have been improved.
An estimated 68,000 horses are found in the
western part of the basin. They are known for their
stamina in surviving through the winter with only
meager quantities of natural fodder. Horses are used
by native herdsmen as work animals and for transportation.
Camels are bred in the eastern part of the basin.
They are used mainly for caravan transport across the
Central Tien Shan Mountains to the Sinkiang Province of
China.
By collectivizing the livestock-raising in-
dustry, the Soviets have considerably improved the
selection and utilization of natural grazing lands, as
95
Approved For Release 1999ffiff : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
well as the distribution of supplementary fodder in
winter-pasturing areas. In the past, livestock were
subjected to mass starvation as a result of inadequate
winter pastures and the complete failure to provide
herds with supplementary fodder.
Experimentation in crossbreeding, as well as
over-all responsibility for development of the livestock
industry, is delegated to the sovkhozes. In the western
half of the basin, the sovkhozes of TamcAi, Kok-Maynak,
Ulakhol, Kochkorskiy, and Ton specialize in sheep rais-
ing. The Issyk-Kul' Sovkhoz is noted for horse breed-
ing. Located in the eastern half of the basin are the
Karakollskiy, Santash, and Sukho-Khrebtinskiy Sovkhozes,
which specialize in beef and dairy cattle, and the
Orgocher Sovkhoz, specializing in sheep.
b. Industry
Industry in the Issyk-Kul' Basin is based primarily.
on fishing and lumbering. Mining is currently insignificant
but promises to become an important branch of the economy.
The few industrial installations currently in operation are
minor as compared with those in the Chu Valley. They are
concentrated mainly in the towns of Rybach'ye and Przheval'sk.
Since the opening of a highway and railroad line from Frunze
96
Approved For Release 1999/0%/212ICIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79101018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
to Rybach'ye, the Soviets have stressed the need for ex-
panding industrial develOpment in the Issyk-Kul' Basin.
Emphasis is focused on increased production in fishing,
lumbering, and mining. Expanded exploitation is planned
for molybdenum and wolfram deposits in the Anan'yeva area
and for coal deposits around Dzhargalan and Tamga. To
facilitate this development, plans are being considered
for the extension of railroad and road facilities to the
mining areas. Przheval'sk, the economic center of Issyk-
Kul' Oblast, is being developed into an industrial center
capable of processing the agricultural resources of the
more intensively cultivated eastern littoral of the lake.
(1) Fishing
Commercial fishing on.Lake Issyk-Kul' supplies
a large share of the local food requirements, and next
to wheat, fish is the most important commodity exported
to other parts of the Kirgiz SSR. The fishing industry
is concentrated at the western side of the lake, with
Rybach'ye as its center. Fishing extends as far east-
ward as Choktal on the north shore and Ton on the south
shore of the lake. At the eastern end of the lake fish-
ing is on a smaller scale. The settlements of Grigor'yevka,
Mikhaylovka, Tyup, Pokrovka, and Przheval'sk are the chief
centers of the activity.
97
Approved For Release 1964a721 : CIA-RDP79101018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Fishing is controlled by the Rybpromkombinat
(Fishing Industry Combine), which consists of 13 fish-
ing kolkhozes and includes approximately 300 fishermen's
families. The Russians fish mainly in the lake, whereas
the Kirgizi restrict their fishing largely to the many
mountain rivers emptying into the lake.
The annual fish catch ranges from 1,500,000 to.
1,800,000 pounds. Types of fish caught include dace
(marinka), "Osman," carp, trout, "chegarkuni," and
herring. Trout and "chegarkuni" were stocked several
years ago from Lake Sevan in Armenia- "Osman" and carp
are the most valuable commercial fish. 'Fish are caught
during almost all of the year except December and Janu-
ary. During that period the fish go down to great depths,
usually far from the shorelines. The largest catches
are made during the spring.
Large dragnets are used by fishermen for opera-
tions in the lake itself. For fishing along the rivers
emptying into the lake, stationary nets attached to
anchors, small dragnets, handnets, and fish baskets are
used.
A number of salting points are located along
the northern and southern shores of the lake. The
largest are at Grigor'yevka.
98
Approved For Release 1999/MFT CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release5pg09/21 : CIA-RDP79101018A000100090001-1
Security Information
(2) Lumbering
Lumbering is also an important phase of the
economy of the Issyk-Kul' Basin. Considerable timber,
mostly Tien Shan spruce, grows along the mountain valleys
and slopes in the eastern part of the basin. Several
of the mountain rivers emptying into Lake Issyk-Kul' are
suitable for floating timber and are used extensively
for that purpose. Timber felled along the upper courses
of these streams is floated to lumber mills near the
mouths of the rivers or along their lower courses.
The annual output of cut and processed lumber
is approximately 5,300,000 cubic feet. This constitutes
more than half of the lumber milled in the entire Kirgiz
SSR. Lumbex is cut both for local consumption and for
shipment beyond the Issyk-Kul' Basin. Most of the lumber
is shipped via Rybach'ye, to centers in the Chu Valley,
particularly Frunze.
There are 8 sawmills in the eastern part of the
basin. According to one source, one of the largest is
located on the lake shore approximately 7-1/2 miles east-
northeast of Tamga. It covers an area 490 x 330 feet,
and consists of a 1-story wooden mill and 5 or 6 wooden
warehouses. The mill receives spruce, juniper, and
99
Approved For Release 19V9W/21 : CIA-RDP79101018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
some pine and poplar logs from the Ters key Ala?Tau.
Three or four truckloads of lumber are cut daily at the
mill and shipped by boat to Rybachlye
Soviet plans for increasing lumbering activities
in the basin include the establishment of mechanized
lumber-milling centers in the vicinity Df the Dzhergal'chak
River. These will have a combined yearly production
capacity of 3,000,000 cubic feet of lumber.
(3) Mining
Mining in the Issyk-Kul' Basin is little de-
veloped, with coal mining currently the main activity.
Small-scale exploitation is reported at the Dzhargalan
and Sogutin deposits.
The Dzhargalan coal fields are located along
the upper course of the Dzhargalan River, on the north-
ern slopes of the Terskey Ala-Tau about 40 miles from
Przheval'sk. The reserves are roughly estimated at
above 100 million tons, consisting mostly of lignite.
At present there are only a few small shafts at the
mines of the Uglekok Artel, with a yearly capacity of
10,000 tons. A new mine that is reported as under con-
struction is to provide up to 50,000 tons of coal per
year. Coal is transported via a dirt road (constructed
100
Approved For Release 1999/0WM9CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For ReleaseARIW09/21 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
in 1939) to Pristan' Przheval'sk. It is used almost
entirely as fuel for lake steamers or in local industries
at Przheval'sk. To increase output at the mines, the
Soviets are planning the construction of a narrow-gauge
railroad from the pits to Przheval'sk.
The Sogutin coal deposits are located near the
south shore of Lake Issyk-Kul' in the area between Ton
and Tamga. Reserves are estimated at a total of 150
million tons of bituminous coal and lignite. Mining
activity is not continuous, and currently small quantities
of coal are mined only periodically. A coal mine has
been reported in operation approximately 6 miles south-
west of Tamga and about 2-1/2 miles southwest of the
lake shore. The mine employs about 200 Soviet prisoners
and 300 civilians and produces 4 or 5 truckloads of
bituminous coal per day. Coal is hauled by truck to
the port at Tamga, where it is transloaded to lake
steamers or barges and shipped to Rybach'ye.
In the summer of 1942, significant deposits of
molybdenum and wolfram (tungsten) were discovered along
the northern shore of the lake in the vicinity of
Anan'yeva. Although there is no definite information
indicating active exploitation, it is quite possible
101
Approved For ReleasiFO9/09/21 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
that small quantities of ore are being extracted. The
Soviets plan to build a railroad lino from Rybach'ye
through the mining region to Przheval'sk.
(4) Principal Industrial Installations
The principal industrial installations in the
Issyk-Kul' Basin are concentrated in Przheval'sk and
Rybach'ye. Smaller installations are located at Tyup,
Grigor'yevka, Tamga, and other points along the lake.
(a) Przhevalisk
The town of Przheval'sk is the economic
and industrial center of Issyk-Kul' Basin. A
torpedo-testing station is located at Pristan'
Przhevalisk. A barbed-wire enc:losed installation
located on the lake shore west of town has been
identified as the torpedo-testing station. The
testing range on the lake, repwted to be 2.2
square miles in area, extends westward from the
station, and is enclosed by floating barriers. In
addition, a much larger area adjacent to the test-
ing range is closed to navigation. Torpedoes to be
tested are received either assembled or in parts
from the Alma-Ata Munitions and Torpedo Plant #175.
102
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: GIARRDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
They are shipped from Alma-Ata by rail to Rybnch'ye,
via Frunze, and from there by boat to the testing
station.
Pristan' Przheval'sk also has a ship-repair
yard and facilities for the construction of diesel
and other types of motorships, tugs, and barges for
the lake fleet. The yards at Pristan' Przheval'sk
are the largest on the lake. There is also a fish-
salting plant.
About 11 miles south-southwest of Pristan'
Przheval'sk, a large brickyard is reported to be in
operation. The yard is located a short distance
from the settlement of Komsovaisk (not shown an
avai1abl6 maps) and covers an area 165 by 110 yards.
It consists of two 1-story brick buildings and an
open storage area, enclosed by a 6-foot barbed-wire
fence.
Industries in Przheval'sk, located 7 miles
southeast of the port, produce mainly for local con-
sumption. An oil and glucose factory (producing
starch syrup), a wine distillery, a brewery., a wood-
working mill, a construction-materials plant, and
several smaller shops engaged in the manufacture of
103
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECEET
Security Information
clothes, footwear, and other consumer goods are
located in Przheval'sk. The woodworking mill is
also reportedly making furniture.
According to Soviet plans, the industrial
capacity of Przheval'sk is to be increased to meet
the demand of the growing agricultural and mining
activities in the eastern part of the Issyk-Kul'
Basin.
(b) Rybachlye
Rybach'ye is the main traffic center in
the basin. It is the transshipment station between
railroad and road traffic to and from the Issyk-Kul'
Basin and water traffic between Rybach'ye and
Przheval'sk. Almost all trade between the IssIrk-
Kul' Basin and the hinterland, as well as with the
rest of the Kirgiz SSR, passes through the town.
Rybach'ye has only a few minor industrial
installations. Soviet sources indicate, however,
that facilities will be increased in the near future.
Currently a meat-canning combine, a refrigerator
plant, a small electric power station, and Several
grain elevators are in operation. The power station
and grain elevators are located in the port area.
Approved For Rele061499/09/21 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: lAdTP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Several oil-storage tanks are also reportedly
located here. St large dairy combine is believed to
be under construction.
(c) Tyup
A cement plant with a yearly capacity of
30,000 tons is located about 3 miles northwest of
Tyup. Tyup also has a small shipyard, which is
engaged mainly in minor repairs and maintenance
work.
(d) Grigor'yevka
The port of Grigor'yevka, located about
4-1/2 miles south of Grigorlyevka proper, has the
largest fish-salting installation of Lake 3ssyk-
Kul'. Fish salted here are shipped to other parts
of the basin and to Frunze.
(e) Tamga
Tamga, located on the southern shore of
the lake, has minor fish-salting and fish-processinf
installations. A sawmill 7-1/2 miles east-northeasl
of Tamga produces 3 or 4 truckloads of lumber daily
This lumber is hauled to Tamga for transshipment by
boat to Rybach'ye. The mill consists of a 1-story
wooden building where lumber is sawed and 5 or 6
wooden storage buildings.
105
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: Clazi5F79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
5. Transportation
a. Railroads
Railroad transportation in the Issyk-Kul' Basin is
limited to a small sector of the Frunze-Rybach'ye railroad
line. This sector extends roughly from the railroad stop
of Kok-Maynak, near the eastern exit of the Buam Gorge, to
Rybach'ye. It is approximately 32 miles long, single
tracked, of broad gauge, and steam operated. The roadbed
Is well maintained and consists of impregnated wooden ties
placed on a ballast of crushed stone. The line was first
reported as completed and opened for rail traffic in 1952.
The remaining stretch to Frunze has been in operation aince
1941.
.The line ruma parallel to and north of the Frunze-
Rybach'ye Highway. Its western part is deeply cut into the
steep and rocky slopes of the Kungey and Kirgizskiy Moun-
tains. In the open flatlands near the lake, the line crosses
a barren rock desert. Rybach'ye, the terminal, has the only
railroad facilities in the basin. These consist of the stone
railroad station, a siding extending to the port area, and
two small buildings serving traffic and switching operations.
The railroad station also serves as the transloading station
between rail traffic and lake shirmina.
Approved For Relea-W199/09/21 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 199KOM : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Traffic to Rybach'ye consists mainly of freight
shipments and military supplies. Manufactured goods, con-
struction materials, cement, tlumbing equipment, and proc-
essed sugar are some of the commodities shipped. From
Rybach'ye they are distributed to various lakeshore set-
tlements. Military supplies arriving toy rail are consigned
to the Soviet mountain troops stationed at Rybach'ye, at
Przheval'sk, and along the Sinkiang frontier. Torpedoes,
either assembled or in parts, are shipped from the torpedo
plant at Alma-Ata by rail to Rybach'ye and from there by
boat across the lake to the testing area.
Westbound freight traffic from Rybach'ye consists
mainly of grain, livestock, medicinal raw materials, and
coal. The volume of westbound freight movement appears to
be less than that of eastbound shipments. A postwar report
indicates that during a 2-month period 122 freight cars
were loaded for shipment from Rybach'ye, whereas during the
same period 603 incoming cars were unloaded. The number of
freight trains operating daily on the rail sector is not
known, but a 1951 report indicates that at least one freight
train a day in each direction was seen passing the railroad
station at Bystrovka in the Chu Valley. Little information
Is available on passenger movement to Rybach'ye. The latest
107
Approved For Release 1999/BET: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
available Soviet Railroad Time Table (1950) lists only one
slow-moving passenger train operating daily in each direc-
tion between Frunze (the Kirgiz capital) and Bystrovka, the
nearest main station outside the Issyk-Kul' Basin. This
train service has probably been extended tc Rybach'ye.
The construction of two additional railroad lines
is believed to be under consideration by the Soviets. One
broad-gauge, single-track line is to run along the northern
shore of the lake and connect Rybach'ye wit.A Przhevallsk,
via Tyup. This line would also serve the lorger fishing
settlements along the lakeshore and permit direct shipment
of Dzhargalan coal to Rybach'ye and Frunze. An unconfirmed
report dated October 1951 indicates that construction of
this line was already under way near Rybach'ye in 1947.
Large groups of forced laborers were seen blasting rocks,
preparatory to laying the roadbed. The second line under
construction is a short, narrow-gauge line that will con-
nect the Dzhargalan coal mines with Pristan' Przheval'sk,
on Lake Issyk-Kul', where coal can be transloaded to lake
vessels or to the Przheval'sk-Rybach'ye ralh!oad, if con-
structed. Another plan provides for a broad gauge line
from Pristan' Przheval'sk to the coal deposits. From this
line entire coal trains could be moved by railroad ferries
across the lake to the broad-gauge terminal et Rybach'ye.
108
Approved For Release 1999/09/MICIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/R944 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information.
b. Roads
The Issyk-Kul' Basin is connected by road with the
important industrial and agricultural regions of Kirgizia,
such as the Chu, Fergana, and Naryn Valleys. Important
roads also link the basin with industrial Alma-Ata and
provide travel routes to the Sinkiang Province of China.
The four main roads of the basin, classified by the Soviets
as highways, converge at the lake port of Rybachtye. Two
of the roads lead to Przheval'sk, following the north and
south shores of the lake. The other two roads are essen-
tially sections of main highways leading into the Issyk-Kul'
Basin. These are the Frunze-Rybach'ye Highway, which con-
nects the lake area with the Chu Valley; and the Rybach'ye-
Naryn-Kashgar Highway, which links the basin with the fertile
Naryn Valley and with Chinese Sinkiang. In addition to the
main roads, one improved road leads south across the Ban:Vita-1n
Pass in the Terskey Ala-Tau and another runs eastward to
Narynkol on the Sinkiang frontier.
Numerous unimproved dirt roads traverse the inten-
sively cultivated agricultural region bordering the eastern
shore of the lake. Most of these dirt roads radiate from
Przheval'sk and Tyup and lead to small villages and collec-
tive farms.
109
Approved For Release 1999/0YFFCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Many trails and paths lead from settlements along
the northern and southern littorals of Lake Issyk-Kul' to
grazing lands on the slopes of the Kungey Ala-Tau and Terskey
Ala-Tau Mountains. Trails also lead across the mountains
to the Naryn, Bollshaya Kemin, Kegen', Sharyn, and Chilik
River valleys, and the Alma-Ata Lowland. Some of the trails
across the mountain ranges wind through hazardous passes.
At least one trail is considered a strategic trade route
between the Issyk-Kul' Basin and Sinkiang, China. Originat-
ing at Saru, 3 miles southwest of Pokrovka, the trail crosses
the Naryn Upland over the Ak-Bel' Pass (elevaLion 12,510
feet), Tozhike Pass (elevation 12,215 feet), and Ishtyk Pass
(approximately 12,300 feet) and then extends in a southwest-
ward direction to the Sinkiang border. After crossing the
border over the Bedel' Pass (elevation 14,055 feet), the
trail continues, in part, as a dirt road to Uch-Turntn and
Aksu.
Movement on mountain trails and paths is best during
the summer and fall season. During the winter snow often
conceals pits and crevices, making travel hazardous. Even
under ideal weather conditions, movement is very fatiguing
and difficult. Some trails and paths lead through mountain
gorges which are blocked by large morainic deposits. Most
Approved For Release 1999/09aST: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
trails are suitable only for foot or pack-animal traffic.
Trails leading across the Kungey Ala-Tau are somewhat
easier to travel than those leading across the Terskey Ala-
Tau. To date, only the Barskaun Pass (elevation 12,312
feet) in the Terskey Ala-Tau has been successfully widened
to carry an improved motor road from Barskaun.
(1) The Rybach'ye-Przheval'sk Highway, Northern
Route
The Rybach'ye-Przheval'sk Highway skirts the
northern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul'. It is the principal
motor road connecting the ports of Rybach'ye and
Przheva1q3k and also serves as a supply route to the
many fishing settlements along the shore. An alternate
highway, which connects Rybach'ye with Przheval'sk via
the southern shore, is less used by motor transport
because the terrain is more rugged. From Rybach'ye the
northern highway leads to Tyup, following the northern
shore of the lake at distances ranging from several feet
to approximately 4 miles. The surrounding terrain is
flat, since the slopes of the Kungey Ala-Tau begin 1 to
6 miles from the shoreline. Grain and potato fields
and fruit orchards extend back from the highway on
both sides, except where the road borders the lake.
111
Approved For Release 1999MPi'T : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
At Tyup the highway turns southward to Przheval'sk.
This stretch of the route in general de-parts from the
eastern and southeastern shores of the Lake, some
sections lying up to 14 miles inland. Only at the
eastern extremities of the Tyup.and Kara-Su inlets
does the highway run close to the Lakeshore. Here
the surrounding countryside is hilly, especially be-
tween the Tyup and Kara-Su divides. The road crosses
a densely cultivated area dotted with grain and potato
fields and fruit orchards.
The highway from Rybach'ye to Przheval'sk is
approximately 137 miles long. The width of the road
is about 25 feet. There are no soft shoulders, but
drainage ditches 1.5 feet wide border the road on both
sides. The road surface is of rolled gravel and permits
trucks and motorcars to travel at speeds up to 45 miles
per hour. The highway crosses about 23 streams flowing
from the Kungey Ala-Tau to the lake. The bridges are
of wood and all but two are 6.5 to 10 feet in length
and about 25 feet in width. The two exeptions, both
located a short distance northwest of Tyup, are re-
ported to be longer, with spans of 17 to 20 feet. The
capacity of the bridges is not known but they appear
112
Approved For Release 1999/09/2VMA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999dow : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
to be sufficiently well constructed to permit loaded
trucks to cross without slowing down.
Traffic an the highway consists mainly of
shipments of agricultural commodities (grain, live-
stock, and opium poppies), machinery, fish and fish
products, and some lumber. To a lesser extent the
road is also used for civilian and military travel.
Civilian traffic is mainly in the nature of local
movement between lakeshore settlements. Horse-drawn
wagons are the most common means of travel. Passenger
cars are rare. Military traffic consists of the trans-
port of supplies between the military installations at
Rybach'ye, Krasnogvardeisk (new military port on Lake
Issyk-Kul' about 16 miles northwest of Przheval'sk),
and Przheval'sk.
Several dirt roads branching off the main
highway lead to port facilities on the lake or to col-
lective grain or livestock farms. More of these are
found in the densely cultivated area at the eastern
part of the Issyk-Kul' Basin than to the west. Four
miles northwest of Tyup,'a dirt road leads to the east,
skirting the southern slopes of the Kungey Ala-Tau for
30 miles to the Santash State Farm near the Kyzyl-Kiya
113
Approved For Release 1999ff9M : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Pass. This road runs through the agricultural settle-
ments of Taldy-Su and Korumdy and several winter quarters
for livestock-raising sovkhozes. Dirt roads also radiate
from Tyup. One leads southwest to Nikolayevka, a second
to the east, south of and parallel to the Tyup River, to
Toktoyan. A dirt road running south from Tyup crosses
the main highway in the Malaya Sary-Tyube Mountain
Range and turns eastward to Sovetskoye. South of the
Malaya Sary-Tyube Mountains a dirt road branches off
the main highway and leads to Mikhaylovka, where it
turns southeastward and rejoins the main highway 3
miles north of Pr2heval'sk. At Mikhaylovka a motorable
dirt road follows the Kara-Su River eastward to the
agricultural centers of Cholpon, Otradnoye, Razdol'noye,
and Sokolovka. At Sokolovka the road joins a main motor
road leading from Przheval'sk to Narynkol on the Sinkiang
frontier. Cholpon and Otradnoye are small road centers
from which unimproved dirt roads run southwest to
Przhevalisk, south to Teploklynchenka and Dzherges, and
north to Toktoyan.
Numerous trails and paths also lead from the
main highway to the shore of the lake and up the slopes
ApprovedFor Release 1999/09=ziCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1 mp.,9/21 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
of the Kungey Ala-Tau to pasture areas. Some of the
trails lead across the Klingey Ala-Tau and Zailiyskiy
Ala-Tau toward Alma-Ata.
(2) The Rybach'ye-Przheval'sk Highway, Southern
Route
An alternate motor route between Rybach'ye
and Przheval'sk generally parallels the southern shore
of Lake Issyk-Kul'. The highway is approximately 135
miles long, is gravel-surfaced, and has a road width of
about 25 feet. Throughout most of its course, this
road runs from 4 to 8 miles inland and passes through
mountainous terrain. Two sections of the road, one
from Rybach'ye to Karashar and the other from Tamga to
Przheval'sk, cross relatively flat country. Only in
these stretches does the highway skirt the shoreline of
the lake.
From Rybach'ye the highway leads in a southeast
direction to Karashar. It runs close to the shoreline,
crossing a dry and barren rock-desert. Leaving Karashar,
the highway departs from the shoreline and continues
through the outer foothills of the Terskey Ala-Tau
Ranges of Tamga. This stretch of the road follows the
general contour of the lakeshore at distances ranging
115
Approved For Release 199%13E1 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/01Sb: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
from 4 to 8 miles inland. The surrounding area is
sparsely populated. Larger populated places near the
road are Karashar, Aktersk (Ak-Terek), Kyzyltu,
Bol'shevik, Bokombayevskoye (Kunchigysh), and Tamga.
From Bbl'shevik and Bokombayevskoye, unimproved dirt
roads lead northeastward across the foothills to Lake
Issyk-Kul'. West of Kadzhi-Say they unite into a
single road, which follows the shoreline tc Tamga
(Figure 1)-i-).
The sector from Tamga to Przheval'sk, in general,.
crosses flat terrain where both population density and
agricultural activity are much greater. Tha road passes
through the larger communities of Barskaun, Aktersk,
Chichan, Darkhan, Dzhangyz-Uryuk, Pokrovka, and several
other smaller settlements. Except for a 23 mile stretch
between Tamga and Chichan, which runs close to the lake-
shore, the road is up to 8 miles inland.
Several, roads branch off the main highway. A
motor road leads south from Barskaun to the Barskaun
Pass, dirt roads north from Dzhangyz-Uryuk and Pokrovka
toward the lake. South of Bosbeshik they join and con-
tinue northeastward, close to the shoreline, to Przheval'sk
The southern route from Rybach'ye to Przheval'sk
has cons-fderably less motor traffic than the northern
11.6
Approved For Release 1999Y6N1 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21 iccialiRDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
route. Traffic is restricted by the more difficult
passage through mountainous terrain. Mhny steep grade
crossings, sharp curves, and poorly maintained bridges
reduce the speed of movement and to some extent limit
the volume of cargo carried. The freight shipped over
this route consists mainly of agricultural machinery
and supplies destined for the cultivated lands north
and east of Przheval'sk and agricultural products such
as grain, fruit, wine, and opium. The only truck and
automobile repair shop along the highway is located at
Pokrovka. It is known as the "Pokrovskaya Avtoremontnaya
masterskaya."
(3) The Frunze-Rybachlye Highway
The sector of the Frunze-Rybachlye Highway
within the Issyk-Kul' Basin extends about 20 miles,
roughly from the exit of the Buam Gorge to Rybach'ye
(Figure 15). It is part of the strategic highway to
Frunze, which is the only motor route between the Chu
Valley and the Issyk-Kul' Basin. For most of its course,
the road parallels the Chu River and the Frunze-Rybach'ye
Railroad (Figure 16). The railroad lies at a slightly
higher elevation than the road.
Within the lowland area west of Fybach'ye, the
road crosses extremely desolate terrain. At Rybach'ye
118
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Figure 15. The Frunze-Rybachlye Highway near
eastern end of the Buam Gorge.
119
Approved For Release 1999/09/21geff-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRE1
Security Information
Figure 16. Highway, railroad, and the Chu River
running through the Buam Gorge.
120
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIPGROP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
it connects with the two motor roads that skirt the
northern and southern shores of the lake and with the
highway that leads south, through the hinterland area,
to Kashgar in Chinese Sinkiang.
The highway is gravel surfaced and can carry
heavy car and truck traffic (Figure 17). The volume of
annual freight traffic moving between Frunze and Rybach'ye
is estimated at 50,000 to 60,000 tons. Freight moving
to Rybach'ye consists largely of construction materials,
machinery, cement, and processed sugar. Commodities
destined for PrzheVal'sk or other places in the eastern
basin are either transloaded at Rybach'ye to lake
steamers or are shipped by truck along the northern or
southern shore roads.
Freight shipments from Rybach'ye to Frunze
include mostly coal, fish, grain, lumber, and meat
products.
The road serves also as an important military
supply route to mountain troops stationed at Rybach'ye
and Przheval'sk. Military supplies are usually trans-
loaded at Rybach'ye onto steamers or naval power boats
and shipped to the recently established military port
of Krasnogvardeisk, reportedly in use since May 1952.
121
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Figure 17. Construction work on the
Frunze-Rybach'ye Highway.
122
Approved For Release 1999/09t2IRECIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999a...,94 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Fueling facilities for motor vehicles are
located at Rybach'ye, but repair facilities are avail-
able only in the Chu Valley at Kant, Novo-Pokrovka,
and Frunze.
(4) The Rybach'ye-Naryn-Kashgar Highway
strategic highway extends southward from
Rybach'ye and leads through the Naryn Upland to the
Sinkiang frontier. Currently it is the only motorable
road across the Naryn Upland. Traffic moving between
the Soviet Union and Chinese Sinkiang is extremely
heavy throughout the entire length of the road.
The sector within the Issyk-Kul' Basin is
approximately 14 miles long. Southwest of Rybach'ye
the road crosses a flat, barren region largely devoid
of vegetation and population. At the Bozbarmak Hills,
the highway enters the foothill region of the Terskey
Ala-Tau. It bypasses the Bozbarmak Bills, runs east
of the Chu River for a short distance, then crosses the
river and follows it through the outer ranges of the
Terskey Ala-Tau. In the vicinity of Orto-Tokay the
highway passes the southern perimeter of the projected
Orto-Tokay Reservoir.
The road is gravel or stone surfaced and is
open for motor traffic throughout the year. The width
123
Approved For Release 1999/0*1317 CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
of the roadway is unknown, but it has at least two
traffic lanes and is wide enough for large trucks to
pass.
Maintenance of the road is reportedly good.
Huts occupied by Kirgiz road-repair personnel are
scattered along the route. Native herdsmon participate
in road repairs as well as in snow clearing.
(5) The Przheval'sk-Narynkol' Road
The Przheval'sk-Narynkol' Road in one of two
motorable roads that connect the Issyk-KuH' Basin with
the Sinkiang Province of China. Only a 32-mile sector
of this improved road runs through the Issyk-Kul' Basin
from Przheval'sk northeastward to the Kyzyl Kiya Pass.
r2he road has a very loosely packed gravel or stone sur-
face. It is believed to be a two-lane route_
The road crosses through one of the most heavily
cultivated and irrigated farming areas of the Issyk-Kulf
Basin. The area is also noted for its numerous herds
of livestock. The excellent grazing land that can be
seen south of the road continues up the foothills of
the Terskey Ala-Tau. In the vicinity of Przheval'sk
the road is bordered by extensive fruit orchards.
There is no information available as to the
type or density of traffic carried over this road which
124
Approved For Release 1999/0MIIT: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999129/21 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
CRET
Security Information
serves as an alternate trade route to Alma-Ata via
Karkara, Kegen', and Chilik. Mountain troops may be
transported from Przhevallsk, a garrison town, to
Narynkol' for frontier guard duty. Unimproved dirt
roads and trails branch off the main road at the agri-
cultural settlements of Teploklynchenka, Dzherges,
Novo-Voznesenovka, Sokolovka, and Sovetskoye.
c. Inland Waterways
Inland waterway transportation in the basin area
is concentrated on Lake Issyk-Kul'. The lake is an impor-
tant route for the shipment of supplies and bulk commodities
from the industrial region of the Chu Valley to the agricul-
tural and mining region along the eastern littoral of the
lake. Water transport also serves the several larger fish-
ing settlements along the northern and southern shores of
the lake. Navigation is mainly controlled by the Issyk-Kul'
Shipping Line. This state-owned organization, which has
been operating for 20 years, has its headquarters at Frunze
and a regional office at Przheval'sk. The main harbor in-
stallations operated by the shipping line are located at
Rybach'ye and Przheval'sk.
Rybach'ye is the main traffic terminal, where
freight and passengers are transferred from railroad and
125
Approved For Release 1999/gar: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
road carriers to lake steamers. The wharves at Rybach'ye
have been sufficiently improved to handle var:ous types of
cargo and vessels. Within the port area are the following
known installations: a power station supplying power to
transloading machines, personnel quarters of the lake
merchant fleet, and a fueling depot for lake vessels.
Pristan' Przheval'sk, the port of Przheval'sk, is
located about 7 miles northwest of the town of Przheval'sk.
It is the largest port installation on the lake. In addi-
tion to handling most of the freight and passenger traffic
originating from Rybach'ye, the port figures prominently in
ship repair and maintenance. The ship-repair yard at Pristan'
Przheval'sk is equipped to handle all types of repairs and
construction needs for the lake vessels. The anly other
repair yard, which is much smaller, is located at Tyup on
a deep inlet of the lake. The wharves at Pristan' Przheval'sk
have mechanized loading and unloading equipment and handle
grain, coal, fish, and other products. The port also handles
some military traffic for troops stationed in Przhevallsk
proper and for the torpedo-testing station operating from
the port area. Most of the military traffic iE consigned
to the military port opened in 1952 at Krasnogvardeisk, on
the eastern shore cf the lake. Additional smaller docking
126
Approved For Release 199910g121 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
facilities are located along the northern, eastern, and
southern shores of the lake. There are docking facilities
along the northern shore at Choktal, Cholponata, Grigor'yevka,
Anan'yeva, and Kuturga. TyUp and Mikhaylovka are important
stops along the eastern shore. Tyup has a minor ship-repair
yard capable of constructing small boats. The southern
shore has smaller landing facilities at Kichidzhargyl'chak,
Aktersk, Ton, Tamga, and Pokrovka.
The Issyk-Kul' Shipping Line handles both freight
and passenger traffic. Freight traffic averages 65,000 to
70,000 tons per year, and the passenger traffic total is
reported to.reach about 40,000 persons in a 2-year period.
Freight traffic from Rybach'ye consists largely of merchandise,
agricultural machinery, fuel, fertilizers, cement, and con-
struction materials. Much of the freight is shipped to
Przheval'sk, Grigor'yevka, and Tamga. Some of this freight
is distributed among sovkhozes, kolkhozes, and machine-
tractor stations located near port facilities. The ports
on the north and east coasts are used primarily for the
shipping of wheat, fruit, wool, fish, and fish-products to
Rybach'ye. Lumber and coal are the main outgoing products
from ports along the southern shore.
Passenger steamship service on the lake was inaugu-
rated in 1948. Passenger routes run from Rybach'ye to
127
Approved For Release 196119/I21 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Przheval'sk along the southern and northern shores of the
lake. Via the south shore, boats leave Rybacd'ye on the
3rd, 6th, 12th, 15th, 21st, 24th and 30th of each month
and stop at Aktersk, Tamga, Pokrovka, and Koy-Sara. Return
trips by the south shore make the same stops and leave
Przheval'sk on the 1st, 4th, 10th, 13th, 19th, 22nd, and
28th of the month. Trips via the north shore leave Rybach'ye
on the 7th, 16th, and 25th of each month. Stops along the
northern route are at Cholponata, Grigor'yevka, Kuturga,
and Tyup.
The merchant fleet consists of severaL large diesel-
operated and coal-burning steamers (Figure 18), one or two
tankers, a number of steam tugs, and numerous freight barges,
some of which are believed to be motor powere(H. The large
vessels are estimated to be 230 to 246 feet long and have
drafts ranging from 16 to 23 feet. Some of the vessels
offer a combination of freight and passenger accommodations.
In addition to the regular merchant f:eet, a
sizable fishing fleet is operated by the Issyk-Kul' Steam-
ship Line. This fleet operates primarily from fishing
settlements along the northern and southern shores of the
lake. In consists mainly of medium-sized sailing vessels
and large row boats. Some of the newer fishing craft are
believed to be motor powered.
128
Approved For Release 1999/0?MT CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: qmpp79To1018A000100090001-1
Security Information
129
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
d. Air Transport
Air transport facilities in the Issyk-Kul' Basin
are limited to two minor landing fields located at Przheval'sk
and Rybachlye. Only local and nonscheduled flights are
maintained between the two fields and with Frunze, the Kirgiz
capital. Air traffic, both passenger and freight, is carried
only during the summer months. Planes used are of the C-47
and LI-2 types.
(1) Air Routes
The following air routes are reportedly operat-
ing in the Issyk-Kul' Basin:
1) Leaving Przhevallsk
a) Regional and unscheduled x'oute:
Przheval'sk-Frunze
b) Regional and unscheduled route:
Przheval'sk-Rybach'ye
2) Leaving Rybach'ye
a) Regional and unscheduled route:
Rybach'ye-Frunze
b) Regional and unscheduled route:
Rybach'ye-Przhevallsk
(2) Airfields
(a) Przhevallsk (Karakol)
The Przheval'sk airfield is reported to
be located within the town limits and approximately
130
Approved For Release 1999109M : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
21 miles east of Lake'Issyk-Kul'. The field is the
terminus of regional and unscheduled commercial air
routes from Frunze and Rybach'ye. No military use
of the landing facilities has been reported as yet.
The field is accessible from the Rybach'ye-Przheval'sk
Highway and also the secondary Saru-Kegen' Road.
No information is available as to runway, surface,
capacity, or navigation facilities. The field is
not classified as the type of airfield capable of
supporting operations of light bombers, transports,
and reciprocating or jet-engine fighters.
(b) Rybach'ye? (Robach'ye)
This relatively unimportant civilian
airfield is reportedly located just north of the
town of Rybach'ye. The field is accessible from
the Frunze-Rybach'ye-Przheval'sk highways skirting
the north and south shores of the lake and from
railroad facilities in the port of Rybach'ye. The
airfield is estimated to be 3,000 feet long and is
oriented in an east-west direction. The field has
no runway; the landing surface is of sand. It is
capable of accommodating TE-type transports. Open
parking facilities are available. Telephone,
131
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
telegraph, and repair facilities are located within
the town of Rybach'ye. There are no hangars on the
field, but two barrack-type buildings have been re-
ported.
132
Approved For Release 1999/09/2gE:caTA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
IV. The Issyk-Kul' Hinterland
A. Physical Characteristics
The Issyk-Kul' hinterland is essentially an area of high
mountains. It includes the most rugged part of the Soviet Tien Shan
Mountains which, next to the Pamirs, form the most extensive and
highest mountain region in the USSR. Except for the Chu Valley, the
Kochkur Valley, and the Alma-Ata Lowland, elevations over the entire
area exceed 3,000 feet. South of Lake Issyk-Kul', only the western
part of the Naryn Valley is below 7,000 feet.
The physiography is characterized by an alternation of
roughly parallel mountain ranges, extending from west to east and
separated by intermontane depressions. Four mountain arcs make up
the basic orographic framework. The northernmost arc is formed by
the Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau and the Chu-Iliyskiye Mountains. The second
series consists of the Ketmen' Range, the Kungey Ala-Tau, and the
Kirgizskiy Range. These two arcs dominate the terrain north of Lake
Issyk-Kul'. The third arc, the Terskey Ala-Tau, lies immediately
south of Lake Issyk-Kul'; the Iourth arc, the Kok Shaal-Tau, forms
the southern boundary of tae Issyk-Kul'--Central Tien Shan region.
Many of the ranges bear the name "ala-tau," a Kirgizian term meaning
"mottled mountain," because of the spotty distribution of permanent
snow over the mountain crests.
The major intermontane lowlands are: (1) the Chu Valley,
between the Chu-Iliyskiye Mountains to the north and the Kirgizskly
133
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Range to the south, (2) the Karkara-Kegen' Basin, east of the Zail-
iyskiy-Kungey mountain mass., (3) the Kochkur Valley and the Lower
Naryn Valley, south of Lake Issyk-Kul', and (4) the Alma-Ata Lowland,
in the extreme northern part of the study area, running westward
from Alma-Ata along the northern base of the Zaillyskiy--Chu-Illyskiye
mountain are. The latter is the southern limit of the vast Ili
intermontane depression stretching northward to Lake Balkhash.
1. Terrain
a. Mountains
The arrangement of the mountain ranges north of
Lake Issyk-Kul' differs from that to the south. The two
northern mountain arcs are joined at their centers, just
north of Lake Issyk4021', and diverge toward their outer
extremities. The highest and most rugged ranges of the
arcs comprise the central node and are flanked on the east
and west by secondary ranges of lower elevations and by
intermontane lowlands. The mountain ranges to the south
of Lake Issyk-Kul' converge in the extreme east to form a
massive, heavily glaciated mountain knot, the Khan-Tengri
node, above which rise some of the loftiest peaks in the
entire Soviet Union. West of the Khan-Tengr node, the
mountain ranges fan out, elevation declines, and inter-
montane depressions become wider. The main ranges, the
134
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Terskey Ala-Tau and the Kok Shaal-Tau, run along the
northern and southern extremities of the area south of Lake
Issyk-Kul'. The area between the main ranges, which widens
abruptly toward the west, has a number of short secondary
ranges trending in an approximate east-west direction. In
this study the entire intermontane area between the Terskey
Ala-Tau and the Kok Shaal-Tau is called the Naryn Upland.
(1) North of Lake Issyk-Kul'
The area north of Lake Issyk-Kul' is dominated
by the Kungey Ala-Tau and farther north the Zailiyskiy
Ala-Tau. The two ranges are joined near their central
parts by a short northwest-southeast trending range.
Characteristics of the Kungey Ala-Tau, which forms the
northern limit of the Issyk-Kul' Basin, are described
on pages 21 and 22 of this report. The low Chu-Iliyskiye
Range stretches across the northwest corner of the
Issyk-Kul'--Central Tien Shan region. The Ketmen' Range
crosses the northeast corner. Due west of Lake Issyk-
Kul' lies the eastern extremity of the Kirgizskiy Range.
The Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau and the Chu-Iliyskiye mountains
form a mountain barrier roughly 360 miles long, with no
apparent division between them. The deep BUM Gorge is
the only significant break in the mountain wall formed
135
Approved For Release 199916?1in : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
by the Kungey Ala-Tau and the Kirgizskiy Range. The
Ketmen' Range is separated from the Kungey and Zailiyskiy
systems by an expanse of lowland, the-Karkara-Kegen'
Basin.
(a) The Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau
The Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau is an asymmetrical
range, having a long northern slope and short south-
ern slope. It rises about 6,500 feet above the
adjacent Alma-Ata Lowland. Within the upper eleva-
tions, the northern slope of the Zalliyskiy drops
sharply, but at lower levels it descends to the
Alma-Ata Lowland in a series of wide terracelike
formations. The central part of the range, cut by
the meridian Of Alma-Ata, is known as the Kebin
(Kemin) Mountain node. It is the highest and most
rugged area, with a mass of sharp ridges and very
steep slopes, which often appear almost perpendic-
ular. Most valleys are gorges, some as deep as
1.,500 feet. Several snow-capped peaks rise above
the general level of the watershed crest, which
reaches approximately 12,500 feet. Talgar Peak, the
best known peak in the area, has an elevation of
16,000 feet.
136
Approved For Release 1999/0912tHhCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1 mop 1 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
To the east and west of the central node,
elevations gradually decrease. In the eastern part
of the Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau, the summit zone also
widens considerably and loses some of its alpine
appearance. From a distance, the eastern area
appears to consist of a group of elongated, tabular
uplands separated by deep valleys. Although these
uplands appear level, they are actually quite rough
as the relief is in excess of 500 feet. The gen-
eral elevation of the watershed crest is 11,000 feet.
The range proper ends abruptly at the Chilik River.
Beyond the Chilik, the Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau continues
in the form of low outliers. To the west of the
Kebin node, the Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau remains narrow,
and the rugged alpine features continue.
A considerable part of the summit of the
Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau is. covered with glaciers and
permanent snow. Maximum glaciation occurs in the
vicinity of the Kebin node, where tongues of ice
creep down most of the valleys. From the Kebin
node the glaciers decrease in thickness and number
to the extremities of the range where they disappear.
The glaciers are not large and carry only a mall
137
Approved For Release 1 ifigi / 21 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
amount of detrital material. The largest, the
Korzhenevskiy glacier, is 4 miles Long. Many end
as hanging glaciers, a few hundred feet above the
floor of larger, ice-free valleys. In the region
of the headwaters of the Turgan RiTer, sheet ice
covers some summit areas. The permanent snowline
ranges between 11,200 and 11,900 feet.
The Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau is separated from
the Kungey Ala-Tau by the deep, narrow valleys of
the BcPshoy Kebin (Bol'shaya Kemin') and Chilik
rivers. These rivers originate it, the Kebin node
and flow in opposite directions, the Bol'shoy Kebin
to the west and the Chilik to the east.
(b) The Chu-Illyskiye?Mountains
The Chu-Iliyskiye Mountains, trending
northwest-southeast across the northwest corner of
the Issyk-Kult--Central Tien Shan region, are
essentially a low, unglaciated extension of the
Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau Range. The Chu-Iliyskiye, un-
like the Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau, are fairly well dis-
sected and seem to be an agglomeration of small
ranges. The most continuous as well as the highest
and steepest part of the range is at the southeastern
138
Approved For Release 1999/09/21UM-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
end near the Kastek Pass, which is considered as
the break between the Zailiyskiy and the Chu-
Iliyskiye. Here, the average crestal elevation is
approximately 9,000 feet, and the highest point
reaches 9,300 feet. The crestal zone rises 5,800
feet above the eastern part of the Chu Valley.
Along this whole eastern part of the Chu-Iliyskiye,
the southern slope is quite steep and is cut by
deep valleys. On the northern front there is a
steep drop to 4,300 feet; from 4,300 feet the
descent to the Alma-Ata Lowland is terracelike.
To the northwest, elevations decrease,
mountain slopes broaden out considerably and become
less steep (particularly in the south), and the
dissection of the Chu-Iliyskiye into a number of
small mountains becomes much more evident. The
highest elevations rise to 7,000 feet. West of the
meridian of Tokmak, the Chu-Iliyskiye break up into
foothills, and the range finally merges with the
level steppe lands of Kazakh.
(c) The Ketmen' Range
The Ketmen' Range is located in the ex-
treme northeast corner of the Issyk-Kult--Central
139
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/Fl!A-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRSecurity Information
Tien Shan region. It is the western, end of a moun-
tain system that crosses the international boundary:
into Sinkiang. The range is separated by the low-
land expanse of the Karkara-Kegen' Basin from both
the Khan-Tengri mountain node and the Zaillyskiy-
Kungey mountain mass. The length of the range is
about 90 miles, and the width of the crestal zone
varies between 275 and 675 feet. The average alti-
tude of the crests is about 8,500 feet, and the
highest points rise to 11,500 feet. The southern
slope is steep, but the northern is gradual. At
the international border the Kara-Tau Range, a
branch of the Ketmen' proper, strikes off southwest-
ward toward the Khan-Tengri region.
(d) The Kirgizskiy Range
The Kirgizskiy Range (also known as the
Aleksandrovskiy Range) stretches for many miles
west of Lake Issyk-Kul' to Dzhambul (42?55'N,
71?23'E). Only its eastern extent, which is also
the highest and most rugged part, falls within the
Issyk-Kul--Central Tien Shan region. The Kirgizskiy '
Range is separated from the Kungey Ala-Tau by the
very deep Buam Gorge. Within the hinterland, the
140
Approved For Release 19994?PIP. CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/OA/AI; CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
altitude of the crestal zone ranges from 9,000 to
about 14,500 feet. In form the eastern part of the
Kirgizskiy Range resembles the eastern part of the
Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau, being composed of a group of
mountain uplands with somewhat level summit zones
separated by deeply incised valleys. Much of the
watershed crest is covered by short valley glaciers,
most of which move down the southern slope.
(2) South of Lake Issyk-Kul'
The entire hinterland area south of Lake
Issyk-Kul' is essentially mountain country. Elevations
are less than 7,000 feet only in the Kochkur and the
Naryn Valleys, west of the settlement of Naryn.
The principal mountain ranges are the Terskey
Ala-Tau, immediately south of the lake, and the Kok
Shaal-Tau, which follows the international border with
China. These ranges .converge at the extreme eastern
part of the Issyk-Kul'--Central Tien Shan region to be-
come part of the Khan-Tengri mountain node. A number
of small ranges trending in a general east-west direc-
tion extend over the vast Naryn Upland between the
Terskey Ala-Tau and the Kok Shaal-Tau. The Terskey
Ala-Tau are described on pages 23 and 24 of this report.
iAi
Approved For Release 1999/ffaV. CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
(a) The Khan-Tengri Area
The Khan-Tengri area, the highest and most
inaccessible part of the Soviet Tien Shan mountain
system, is located at the extreme southeastern
corner of the Issyk-Kul'--Central Tien Shan region,
at the USSR-China border. From the boundary, the
area extends westward for roughly 70 miles to the
Ak-Shiyryak Range, which is crossed by the meridian
of the eastern end of Lake Issyk-Kul'. This range
runs in a northeast-southwest direction, counter to
the neighboring ranges.
Physiographically the Khan-Teagri consists
of a series of narrow, closely spaced, east-west trend-
ing ranges, each bisected by the gorge of the north-
south flowing Sary-Dzhaz River. The intervening
valleys are steep-sided and narrow. From north to
south, the principal ranges of the Khan-Tengri are:
(1) the eastern extremity of the Terske Ala-Tau,
(2) the Sary-Dzhaz Range and its continuation west
of the river, the Kuylyu-Tau Range, (3) the inyl'chek
Range and its western extension, the Terekty Range,
(4) the Kaindy and Ishigard ranges, and (5) the
eastern end of the Kok Shaal-Tau. The ranges east
142
Approved For Release 1999
: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET,
Security Information
of the Sary-Dzhaz are exceptionally rugged, having
very steep slopes and narrow, jagged crestal zones
with numerous distinct peaks. Many of these peaks
exceed 15,000 feet in elevation. The highest points
are Peak Khan-Tengri (22,950 feet) and, 10 miles
south, Peak Pobeda (2)--,400 feet). The slopes of
the ranges are cut by numerous short, sometimes
impassable gorges. Experienced alpine explorers
report great difficulties in traversing the area.
Snowfields are widespread, and small
valley glaciers, 2 or 3 miles long, are countless,
but several larger glaciers attain considerable
length. The 37-mile Inyltchek Glacier, immediately
south of the Sary-Dzhaz Range, is the longest.
Although often regarded as single, it is actually
two glaciers separated by the short, linear Stalin
Range above which Peak Khan-Tengri majestically
towers (Figure 19). The glaciers generally carry a
large amount of morainic debris that hides the ice
surface in many places. The most intense glaciation
extends for a distance of 35 miles west of the
international boundary.
143
Approved For Release 1999aPRI : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Approved For Release 1999/09/2tatA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999M : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
West of the Sary-Dzhaz River, the moun-
tain ranges are much lower and less rough and craggy.
The summits flatten out to produce wide crestal
zones surmounted by only a few sharp peaks. Snow
cover and glaciation decrease markedly but still are
prominent, particularly in the Terskey, the Kok
Shaal-Tau, and Kuylyu-Tau ranges. Crestal elevation;
are above 12,000 feet, and a few peaks rise as high
as 15,000 feet. The crests of the ranges tower
about 3,000 to 3,500 feet above the adjacent valleys,
which are much wider than those east of the Sary-
Dzhaz River. The streams crossing the relatively
wide and level valley bottoms are usually fordable.
These streams branch into several shallow channels
and decrease markedly in velocity as they leave the
mountain slopes and enter upon the valley lowlands.
(b) The Kok Shaal-Tau
The Kok Shaal-Tau is the southernmost
range system of the Issyk-Kul'--Central Tien Shan
region. It extends from the Khan-Tengri node south-
westward to Lake Chatyr-Kul'. The international
boundary between the USSR and China (Sinkiang)
follows its watershed crest.
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Informatioh
The Kok Shaal-Tau comprises short parallel
ranges arranged in echelon. It is an area of alpine
relief, with steep slopes and craggy vummits. Rivers
cut steep-walled, narrow valleys to a depth of
1,000 to 2,000 feet. There are secondary hanging
valleys, from the sides of which streams cascade
for perhaps 50 feet to the stream coursing through
a main valley. Elevations in the western part of the
Kok Shaal-Tau rise to 13,000 or 14,000 feet; in the
east elevations are higher, with a fey peaks slightly
exceeding 18,000 feet.
(c) The Naryn Upland
The Naryn Upland is a region of secondary
ranges. It is bounded by the Terskey Ala-Tau on the
north and the Kok Shaal-Tau on the south. The area
widens considerably from east to west. At the eastern
end (the Ak-Shiyryak Range) the width of the upland
is roughly 4o miles and at the western limit of the
study area about 100 miles. The westward-flowing
Naryn River crosses almost the entire Length of the
upland.
According to surface features the Naryn
Upland has a mountainous structure, but in profile
146
Approved For Release 1999/091211T: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 199Mgr1 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
it resembles an extensive high plateau above which
rise a number of relatively low, short, east-west
trending ranges. Some of the larger secondary
ranges are: the Dzhetym-Bel', the Karka-Taz, the
Dzhumgol-Tau, the Borkolday, the Dzhetym-Tau, the
Naryn-Tau, and the Atbashi. The secondary ranges
are flat-topped. Viewed from a distance, the
summit of each range appears to follow an unusually
even line, and only rarely do towering peaks break
the regularity of the crestal zone. The ranges are
deeply dissected by short (2 to 6 miles long),
gorgelike valleys. A cap.of permanent snowfields
and glaciers is characteristic of most of the ranges.
Separating the secondary ranges are broad
undulating valleys called syrts, which are used as
grazing lands by the native nomads (Figure 20).
The syrts are the most striking feature of the
landscape. They lie at a level of 10,000 to 12,000
feet; the mountain ranges rise above the syrt levels
to heights of 13,000 to 15,000 feet. The relative
elevations between the syrts and the summit zones of
the Terskey Ala-Tau and the Kok Shaal-Tau are
similar. Most of the syrts are less than 15 miles
147
Approved For Release 1999WW: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Approved For Release 1999/09/21sYM-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/059tniCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
wide, and each is crossed by a wide, sluggish,
meandering stream. Local relief seldom exceeds
150 feet. There are two kinds of syrt landscapes
in the Naryn Upland. At the base of the Terskey
Ala-Tau the syrts contain much wet and marshy land
and are dotted with mall, lakelike bodies of
water. Sizable boulders are also very common. The
majority of syrts, however, are located in the south
and are dry. Marshes are practically nonexistent,
vegetation is sparse, and the ground surface is
clayey. During periods of strong winds, fine
particles of transported soil cause a dust haze.
The numerous small, oval-shaped, flat-bottomed
depressions within the syrts become muddy or water-
filled in spring, and are dry, hard, and cracked jr
summer.
Movement through the Naryn Upland is not
particularly difficult. The level syrts, except
in marshy areas, are suitable even for motor trafffc.
Passes across the many short ranges are numerous and
easy to negotiate. They lie only a few thousand
feet higher than the syrts. Many are free of snow,
and only a few have glaciers. Native nomadic herders
149
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
regularly drive their animals through most of the
passes. With a little clearing many could be made
suitable for roads.
Movement across the Ak-Shiyryak Range to
the Khan-Tengri country is difficult. Only one pass
cuts the range and its approaches are blocked by
huge morainic deposits. A few foot trails also
provide routes of travel for persons familiar with
mountain travel.
b. Lowlands
(1) The Alma-Ata Lowland
The entire lowland sloping away from the
northern base of the Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau and Chu-Iliyskiye
mountain ranges is arbitrarily termed the Alma-Ata Low-
land. Two types of relief are evident. Between Alma-Ata
and Uzun-Agach the rise toward the Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau is
rolling. Elevations near Alma-Ata range between 2,000
and 2,500 feet; at the mountain base they increase to
2,800-3,300 feet. West of Uzun-Agach, the lowland
descends from the Chu-Iliyskiye Mountains in several
very wide level terraces. About half the area lies
above 3,000 feet, and elevations at the base of the
mountains reach 4,500 feet.
150
Approved For Release 1999/08MT CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/2s1E&A-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
ET
Security Information
(2) The Chu Valley
The Chu Valley lies between the Chu-Iliyskiye
Mountains to the north and the Kirgizskiy Range to the
south. The Buam Gorge at the narrow eastern end of the
valley provides the principal and easiest passage to
mountain-ringed Lake Issyk-Kulf. Westward from the
Buam Gorge to Frunze the valley widens to about 60
miles. The elevation of the Chu River decreases from
approximately 4,500 feet at the eastern extremity of
the valley to 2,000 feet near Georgiyevka, in the west.
The Chu Valley has little local relief and
slopes very gradually to the northwest. At the base of
the Kirgizskiy Range the numerous mountain streams have
built up a series of alluvial fans producing a rolling
type of terrain with a maximum local relief of 175 feet.
An extensive net of irrigation canals and ditches criss-
crosses the alluvial fans. The terrain of the narrow
strip between the Chu-Iliyskiye Mountains and the Chu
River consists of slight swells. Strips of marshland
border the Chu River near Tokmak, north of Ivankova,
and south of Georgiyevka. The largest belt of swampland
stretches for about 8 miles along the north bank of the
Chu near Ivankova.
151
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
(3) The Karkara-Kegen' Basin
The Karkara-Kegen' Basin is bounded on the
south by the Terskey Ala-Tau and Kungey Ala-Tau ranges
and on the north by the Ketmen' and the low Kuuluk-Tau
ranges. The elevation of the basin, 6,200 feet, is
approximately 850 feet above that of Lake Issyk-Kul'.
An importAnt caravan route from the Issyk-Kul' Basin
follows the southern part of the Karkara-Kegen' Basin.
With the exception of the low Chul'-Adyr Moun-
tain, at the center of the basin, the terrain is almost
flat with a very gradual slope toward the Kegen' River.
The Chul'-Adyr juts about 850 feet above the surround-
ing lowland. It has subdued and rounded -forms of moun-
tain relief and is not difficult to cross. In fact,
one of the principal roads through the Karkara-Kegen'
Basin cuts directly across the Chul'-Adyr. Two rivers
flow rather sLowly through the basin: (1) the Kegen'
River, which flows in a general east-west direction
across the entire northern extent of the basin, and (2)
the Karkara River, a north-south flowing tributary of
the Kegen' which crosses only the western part. Both
rivers are bordered by marshland. The marsh near the
confluence of the Kegen' and Karkara rivers, west of
152
Approved For Release 1999/04EFTCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
the town of Kegen', is extensive. Moist meadows and
marshes also occupy much of the valley of the upper
course of the Kegen'. A small expanse of sandy desert,
known as Peski Kum-Tekey, is located roughly 3 miles
north of the western part of the Chul'-Adyr Mountain.
South of the Kegen' Valley and beyond the
lower foothills of the Terskey Ala-Tau, there is a much
mailer basin, the Tekes Basin, with characteristics
similar to thibse of the Karkara-Kegen' Basin.
(4) The Kochkur Valley
The long, narrow Kochkur Valley is the eastern-
most intermontane depression between the Kirgizskiy
Range and the Terskey Ala-Tau. It is separated from
the southwestern part of the Issyk-Kul' Basin by a
gorge cut by the upper course of the Chu River between
the Kirgizskiy Range and the secondary ranges of the
Terskey Ala-Tau. The Kochkur Valley is about 30 miles
long and 5 miles wide. The elevation along the axis
of the depression is 5,200 feet and at the base of the
mountain slopes 6,500 feet. This valley also has a
very gradual general slope from west to east. The
numerous streams flowing from the short, steep valleys
dissecting the Kirgizskiy and Terskey slopes merge in
153
Approved For Release 1999/06YR7CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
the Kochkur Valley to form the Chu River where their
waters leave the valley. At any places along the
streams, there are wide belts of boggy meadows. Im-
portant routes of travel from the Issyk-Kul' Basin to
the Fergana Valley and southward across the Naryn Upland
toward Sinkiang go through the Kochkur Valley.
(5) The Lower Naryn Valley
The lower part of the Naryn Valley, west of
the settlement of Naryn, is similar to the syrts of the
Naryn Upland but lies at a lower elevation and is some-
what more complexly dissected. The valley is over 50
miles long, and its bottom has a maximum width of 5 miles..
At its narrowest part, Naryn, it is only a mile wide.
The elevation of the easternmost point, the town of
Naryn, is 6,800 feet; in the west it lowers to 4,600
feet. The land rises away from the river toward the
mountains in a series of distinct low river terraces
(-Figure 21).
The valley walls are fairly steep in the
vicinity of Naryn, but to the west, the slopes become
progressively more gradual and the crests of bordering
mountains are from 3 to 5 miles from the Naryn River.
The crests rise to an altitude of about 11,000 feet,
Approved
-
Approved For Release 1999/Mr: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: %ectaDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
ng the river terraces..
Valley show
155
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09TAgA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
with some peaks exceeding 12,500 feet. The Naryn
Valley serves as one of the major gateways to the Naryn
Upland, and the town of Naryn is its eccnomic hub.
2. Climate
The climate of the Issyk-Kul' hinterland is difficult
to describe, since it is marked by great diversity, due chiefly
to the mountainous relief. Climatic conditions vary with
altitude and exposure. The climate of aa exposel peak differs
from that of an enclosed valley; north-facing slopes, away from
the sun, are dissimilar climatically to those facing south;
and climatic conditions along windward slopes are unlike those
along the leeward flanks. In addition, available meteorological
data permit only broad generalizations. These we ror four
stations: Alma-Ata, Frunze, Naryn, and the Tien Shan Observa-
tory ()-i-5?11'N - 78?14'E). Data from the Alma-Ata station give
an approximation of the climate of the Alma-Ata Lowland; the
Frunze data serve the same purpose for the Chu Valley; the
Naryn data are useful for the intermontane valleys at the
western extremity of the Naryn Upland; and the data of the
Tien Shan Observatory give a rough idea of climate in the
interior of the Naryn Upland. Direct interpolations from
observed. data must be made with caution because of the effects
of purely local conditions.
156
Approved For Release 1999/MliEFCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/9k4: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
a. Temperature
The hinterland has a continental temperature regime,
with great variations between winter and summer and between
day and night. The highest average temperatures are re-
corded in the intermontane lowland areas along the northern
part of the hinterland. The lowest temperatures occur
deep in the mountains of the Naryn Upland and Khan-Tengri
areas, in the central and southeastern parts of the hinter-
land. Temperatures in the valleys at the western extremity
of the area south of Lake Issyk-Kul' are somewhat lower than
those of the northern lowlands but considerably higher than
temperatures toward the Khan-Tengri area. Throughout the
hinterland temperature inversions occur quite frequently,
particularly during winter and on summer nights. With
inversions, the temperature on the mountain slope is signif-
icantly higher than at the valley bottom. Temperatures also
change with altitude, the average change being a decrease
of 1?F per 300 feet increase in elevation. This figure
varies somewhat with the seasons. In winter it is slightly
smaller and in sumuier, somewhat larger.
In the northern lowlands, winters (December through
February) are cold, and spring brings rapidly rising tem-
peratures and recurrent cold spells. Summers (June through
157
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/28,11A-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
August) are warm to hot, and the warmth of autumn often
gives way suddenly to winter cold. Extended periods with
freezing or subfreezing temperatures do not set in until
late November. At Alma-Ata the average annual temperature
is 44.6?F. June is the hottest month with an average tem-
perature of 71?F. January is the coldest month with an
average of 15?F. During winter the daily temperature
usually ranges between 5?F and 30?F. The absolute winter
maximum is 59?F and the absolute minimum, -0?F. Average
monthly temperatures are below 250F from November through
March. In summer, a daily temperature range between 55?F
and 80?F can be expected. Although the average June
temperature slightly exceeds the July level, the highest
daily maxima are reached in July. The absolute summer
maximum is 100?F and the absolute minimum, 39?F.
May thru September
65?F (see Table 5,
At Frunze,
From
the average monthly temperature exceeds
p. 163 ff.).
in the Chu Valleys the average annual
temperature is 49.5?F. The average monthly temperatures
range from about 22?F in January to about 76?F in July.
The average for winter is 23.2?F, and for each month of
winter is below freezing. No specific data are available
on the mean of the daily minima and maxima but they
158
Approved For Release 1999/001P.E61A-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
approximate those of the Alma-Ata station. The absolute
Winter maximum is 67?F and the absolute minimum, -37?F.
As at Alma-Ata, temperatures rise quickly in the spring.
Within the hinterland, the Chu Valley has the hottest
summers. The ave-rage summer temperature is about 74?F.
A dry heat is characteristic. Frunze has recorded summer-
time temperatures as high as 100?F and as low as 3i-?F.
Afternoon temperatures of 75?F to 85?F contrast strikingly
with night temperatures of 55?F to 65?F (Table 5).
Although the temperatures recorded at Naryn are not
characteristic oT those in the intermontane valleys in the
western Naryn Upland, they serve as an approximate guide.
In general, summer temperatures are only slightly higher
than in most other valleys, but winter temperatures appear
to be noticeably higher. At Naryn the average annual
temperature is 37?F. The annual range is wider than for
the northern lowlands, owing chiefly to the much more
severe winters. January, the coldest month, has a mean
temperature of 2?F, whereas July and August, the warmest
months have an average of 63?F. The absolute maximum is
94?F and the minimum, -33?F. Cold weather lasts for most
of the year. Days with subfreezing minimum temperatures
can be expected in early October and continue through May.
159
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
The months of November through March have average tempera-
tures of about 13?F, and the three coldest months, December
through February, are bitterly cold, with an average tem-
perature of 5.3?F. The lowest average daily maximum, 10?F,
is in January, but February has the lowest mean daily mini-
mum, -5?F. In winter, the temperature has reached a high
of 43?F and a low of -33?F. Summers are usually moderately
warm. The means of the daily maxima in July and August,
the warmest months, are 74?F and 73?F respectively, and of
the minima, 49?F and 48?F. Occasionally the temperature
rises to the eighties, and a high of 94?F has been recorded.
In June and July on the other hand, night temperatures
occasionally drop to the thirties. The lowest summer
minimum recorded is 28?F (Table 5).
In the interior of the Naryn Upland and Khan-Tengri
regions temperatures vary considerably from place to place.
For this vast area the only data available are records for
a three-year period of one meteorological station, the Tien
Shan Observatory (elevation 11,800 feet). These data can-
not be regarded as characteristic of the Naryn Upland and
Khan-Tengri regions, but with proper allowances for local
conditions reasoneble estimates can be made of expected
temperatures. Average temperatures should become higher
i6o
sucRET_
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: GIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
from east to west, at least on broad intermontane depres-
sions (syrts), with the general decrease in elevation. The
temperatures should be higher at Naryn, on the west and at
a lower altitude, than at the Tien Shan Observatory. Toward
the Khan-Tengri mountain node temperatures should decrease.
Even in the vicinity of the observatory temperatures on the
lower,vide flat syrts should be a few degrees, in summer as
much as 5 degrees, warmer than at the observatory, which is
located in a narrow glacial valley only about 4 miles from
the Petrov Glacier.
The Naryn Upland--Khan-Tengri area is a region of
excessive and long-continuing cold. In the Soviet Union,
analogous temperature conditions are found on the Arctic
island of Novaya Zemlya. At the Tien Shan Observatory, dur-
ing the three years of record average monthly temperatures
were subfreezing from October through May inclusive. Sep-
tember too many be considered a month of freezing tempera-
tures, as its average was only 32.9?F. Night temperatures
of freezing or below were normal throughout the year. The
average daily minimum rose above 32?F only in July, and
even then it stood at a frigid 33.6?F. About two-thirds of
the days of the year had below freezing average temperatures.
From November through March the average daily maximum was
about 170F. This average rose to about 45?F from May
161
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information.
through September and reached its highest point, 52.3?F,
in July.
The months of December, January, and February were
intensely cold at the Tien Shan Observatory. The average
for the coldest months, January and February, was -4.2?F.
Winter cold is better expressed by the range of daily
temperatures. In January the daily temperatures ranged
from an average minimum of -18.8?F to an average maximum
of 10.9?F. The lowest temperature recorded was -36.60F..
Summer afternoons were somewhat chilly but nights were
definitely cold with temperatures near freezing. A marked
contrast in sensible temperatures was also noted between
sunny and shaded places. The maximum temperature observed
was 67.1?F, and the minimum 7.7?F (Table 5).
The temperature difference between Naryn and the
observatory amounted to 50 to 10? during the coldest months
and increased to 200 to 250 in summer.
b. -Precipitation
In the Issyk-Kul' hinterland the distribution of
precipitation is directly affected by the complicated
mountain terrain; consequently, precipitation, like temper-
ature, varies considerably in different areas. The entire
hinterland Is essentially dry. The heaviest precipitation
162
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21 .8pcmce79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Table 5. Temperature of the Issyk-Kul' Hinterland a/
(in Degrees Fahrenheit)
A. Average Monthly Temperatures
Station
Tien Shan
Month Alma-Ata a/ Frunze b/ Naryn c/ Observatory d/
January 15.0 22.3 2.0 -4.2
February 16.0 25.2 5.6 -4.2
March 30.5 36.7 24.3 11.1
April 46.5 51.6 44.2 22.0
May 59.0 61.5 53.8 29.3
June 71.0 70.1 59.4 37.0
July 70.5 75.5 63.4 41.9
August 68.5 72.6 63.2 38.3
September 59.5 62.8 54.5 32.9
October 44.5- 50.6 41.0 20.5
November 31.5 37.0 24.8 10.8
December 22.5 27.5 8.2 2.2
Year
44.6 49.5
37.0 19.8
a. 35-year record.
b. Long record; number of years not known.
c. 42-year record.
d. 3-year record, 1930-32.
163
Approved For Release 1999/09/21 :s8ZkIDID79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security 'Information
B. Average Daily Maxima and Minima
Station a/
Alma-Ata
Naryn
'nen
Observatory
Max. iT
Shan
Month Max. 21/
Min. b/
-
Max. Cl
Min. b
Min. dr-
January 23
7
10
-8
11
-19
February 23
9
15
-5
9
-17
March 38
23
32
14
27
-8
April 55
38
51
31
33
5
May 68
50
62
42
41
14
June 76
56
68
46
46
31
July 81
60
74
49
52
34
August 80
57
73
48
45
28
September 71
48
67
41
41
26
October 55
34
51
29
35
3
November 40
23
35
16
22
-1
December 90
15
17
0
its
-16
a. 18-year record.
b. 35-year record.
c. 17-year record.
d. 3-year record,
1930-32.
164
Approved For Release 1999/0/29RFCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21s;R&RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
C. Absolute Maxima and Minima
Station a/
Tien Shan
Alma-Ata Frunze Naryn Observatory
Month Max. Min. Max. Min. Max. Min. Max. Min.
January 53 -30 55 -37 35 -32 14 -37
February 58 -25 62 -13 41 -33 22 -3/
March 76 -18 73 1 62 -32 42 -29
April 87 13 82 24 76 -4 46 -19
May 96 31 96 28 89 27 55 -6
June 100 41 93 34 91 28 67 9
July 100 45 100 48 94 37 65 22
August 97 39 99 47 92 33 59 8
September 94 28 93 33 84 25 59 5
October 85 6 83 17 75 6 68 - 4
November 74 -16 74 -4 59 -13 35 -A
December 59 -25 67 -13 43 -30 31 -)3
Year 100 -30 100 -37 94 -33 68 -37
a. 3-year record for Tien Shan Observatory; other records consider-
ably longer but number of years unknown.
165
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: aiiISP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
is in the area north of Lake Issyk-Kul'. At Alma-Ata the
annual total averages slightly more than 20 inches; at
Frunze in the Chu Valley and in the Karkara-Kegen' depression,
it is about 15 inches. Over most of the area south of Lake
Issyk-Kul' the precipitation is no more than 12 inches. Be-
cause of the low evaporation rate associated with the low
temperatures, this area is not as dry physiologically as the
law precipitation totals might indicate. Field research men
have described the climate of some of the syrts near the
southern base of the Terskey Ala-Tau as damp despite the low
precipitation. Precipitation also increases with altitude,
and windward slopes are wetter than those facing leeward.
The precipitation also varies from year to year,
especially in summer. This variability is pronounced in the
area south of Lake Issyk-Kul'. The season of maximum pre-
cipitation swings from spring in the northern part of the
hinterland to summer deep in the mountains of the Naryn Up-
land and Khan-Tengri. In the north a slight secoadary maximum
occurs toward the end of the year, but no such period occurs
south of Lake Issyk-Kull.
At Alma-Ata 50 percent of the yearly precipitation
falls between March and June; the rainiest months are April
and May, with 3-1/2 inches or more of precipitation. The
166
Approved For Release 19911101N21 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
secondary maximum occurs during October and November.
Slightly more than 1 inch of precipitation per month falls
during winter and during the late summer and early fall
period.
At Frunze, 40 percent of the annual total falls
during the months of March through May. The monthly maximum,
2.6 inches, occurs in April, and a minor secondary maximum
comes during November and December. The wet months are
followed by a definite dry period.
At Naryn the maximum shifts to the months of May
through July, when about 5 inches of precipitation, or close
to half the annual average, is received. From August through
March, precipitation averages only a half inch per month.
Judging by the three years of observations at the
Tien Shan Observatory, the interior of the Naryn Upland ha3
a great preponderance of summer precipitation, with 60 per-
cent occurring during the period of June through August. In
the eastern part of the Naryn Upland and in the Khan-Tengri
area very little precipitation falls from October through
March.
c. Snow Conditions
Snow conditions in the Issyk-Kul' hinterland remain
almost totally uninvestigated. Few statistics are available,
167
Approved For Release 1999/09ffiR:EtIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
and descriptive materials by scientists are the primary
source of information. Only general approximations of snow
conditions can be given.
The pattern of distribution and duration of snow
cover and even the period of snowfall are extremely variable
and complex because of the mountain structure. Throughout
the hinterland, most of the precipitation during the cold
months falls as snow. The snow particles are small and,
over the area south of Issyk-Kul', even powdery. Over the
northern lowlands there is an enduring winter cover from
the latter part of November to the middle of April. The
snow lies at a more or less even depth but is thickest
apparently over the Alma-Ata Lowland where its depth exceeds
6 inches during most of January and February. The maximum
depth of cover in the Chu Valley and the Karkara-Kegen de-
pression is described as 6 inches in late February.
South of Lake Issyk-Kuli the snow layer is exception-
ally variable in different areas. The depth of cover is
thickest in late February and early March, and over most of
the large valleys probably does not exceed 6 inches. To-
ward the west, in the Naryn Valley and in other valleys that
are somewhat open to the west, the depth increases to 12 inches
or more. Occasional snowfalls can be expected as late as May
168
Approved For Release 199St4t21 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/020E:TCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
or as early as September. In some of the enclosed valleys,
such as the Kochkur Valley, on the other hand, the snow cover
is sparse and remains on the ground only a few days. Winds
blow the snow from the exposed mountain slopes into the
valleys. Over the Khan-Tengri area, and also over much of
the area east of 77?E, precipitation for the entire year is
principally in the form of snow. Even during the hottest
months, July and August, the number of days with snow is
apparently greater than the number of days with rain. From
May to September precipitation may change from rain to sleet
or snow, or vice versa, several times during the course of
a day. Snow is absent from the syrt, or lowland, areas from
about late April through October.
d. Winds
The general circulation is dominated by westerly
winds. Above about 10,000 feet, westerlies prevail through-
out the year. At the surface the general pattern of circule-
tion is disrupted by winds of local origin. Mountain and
valley breezes are characteristic of the entire hinterland.
Nighttime winds blow downslope (mountain breezes), and day-
time winds blow upslope (valley breezes). These local winds
are most common during the warm half of the year and strongest
in the larger and deeper intermontane lowlands north of Lake
Issyk-Kul'.
169
Approved For Release 1999/09124RYCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999pepa : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Throughout the year winds attain their highest
velocities during late afternoon. Night winds over the
whole hinterland are, on the average, probably no more than
light breezes with velocities between 2 to 5 miles per hour.
Afternoon winds probably reach average velocities close to 10
miles per hour; over the sytts of the Central Tien Shan
region these winds sometimes whip up large quantities of
dust. The daily periodicity of wind velocities is less
distinct during the cold months. Occasionally winds of gale
force, around 32 miles per hour, are experienced, but calms
are frequent.
e. Cloudiness and Fca
Normally the atmosphere of the Issyk-Kuli hinterland
appears to be semi-clear, with a cloud cover of approximately
50 percent. Minimum cloudiness occurs in AuguSt, September,
and October, when the cover for about half the days of each
month drops to less than 20 percent. The period of maximum
cover differs between the areas north and south of Lake
Issyk-Kul' North of the lake the greatest number of cloudy
days occurs during December and January, when roughly one-
third of the days have a mean cloudiness of 80 to 100 percent.
South of Lake Issyk-Kul', at Naryn, the period of maximum
cloudiness extends from March through. May. Over the remainder
170
Approved For Release 1999 'ffir : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21' CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
of the area the maximum shifts to May and June. Cloudiness
is most extensive in the middle of the day. Clouds are
common near the mountain summits, and crests that carry
glaciers are almost continually enveloped by clouds.
Fog is rare and is no particular obstacle to visi-
bility in the intermontane valleys. Light fogs are most
common and are likely during the early morning hours from
October through April.
3. Vegetation
The cover of natural vegetation over the mountainous
hinterland is extremely diverse and is arranged roughly in
altitudinal zones. There are also variations within each of
these zones, depending upon local conditions. By far the
larger part of the area is in grassland. The generally high
elevations and aridity preclude extensive development of forests.
Forests are almost lacking throughout the entire area south of
the crest of the Terskey Ala-Tau range and are confined largely
to the northern slopes of the Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau, Chu-Iliskiye,
and Kirgizskiy mountain ranges (Figure 22). Cultivation has
significantly disturbed the natural cover only in the Chu Valley
and the Alma-Ata Lowland.
Vertical zonation of vegetation is best developed over
the area north of Lake Issyk-Kuls, where relative elevations
171
Approved For Release 1999/0VPIETCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
172
o ? a)
ro
rcl 0
? Cr)
ri
? cd
)
ca Pi
r-i cd
a)
(I)
H ?
ri)
+)
el ?
a) 4
? P)
? -P
-P ?rl $-1
-P 140
CH U.) 0
0
0 0
0.) 0 4
P-1 P.1
O4-'
w
Co 0 4
F.-1 4-
Si 0
;-) 4-1
0 0
4 W
+) 4 F.-1
$-, -P
O -4)
? ed) cl
a) o 0
o
(1.1 43
d
0 W
t) 0'
+'
cd F-4 rd
+3 P4 f--1
0
? cd
4 0
4-) ci)
cn +3
II) ?r-I
;-4 a) '?:1
o .f-1
F.1 El
a)
rI
en
PT-t
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: Cf1AMP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
between mountain crests and intermontane basins are greatest.
Along the northern slopes of the mountains four major altitudinal
provinces can be distinguished: (1) woodland-grassland, (2) sprue
forest, (3) juniper brushwood, and (4) alpine meadow. Above the
alpine meadow lies the region of perpetual snow and glaciers,
where vegetation is scanty and extremely limited in species.
The southern slopes of the ranges are grass-covered, and only the
deeper valleys are forested. The Ketmero range is also largely
grass-covered. The lowland bottoms of the Chu Valley and the
Karkara-Kegen' depression have a cover of shallow-rooted, short
grasses. From a distance the ground appears to have a continuous
cover, but actually much of it is bare. There are also patches
of wormwood shrub. Along some of the stream banks are moist
meadows with high grass.
Widespread development of the woodland-grassland belt is
confined largely to the Zailiyskiy--Chu-Iliskiye mountain wall.
The belt rises from the lower elevations to about 5,500 feet.
The natural cover is an intermingling of grasslands with open
woodlands and thickets. The trees in the woodlands are not
closely spaced. Wild apple and apricot are especially numerous.
Maple is also common, and stands of aspen and birch grow near
the upper limit of the zone. The many thickets include several
varieties of thorny bushes, such as the barberry, the buckthorn,
Approved For Release 199901f1T : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
and the hawthorn. The grasslands consist primarily of herbaceous:
plants 3 to 5 feet high. True grasses are most abundant in the
upper part of the belt. The beautifully flowering plants of the
meadows, such as the iris, peony, crocus, and violet, attract
attention in the spring. Birch groves and honeysuckle thickets
are found in the valleys of the larger streams.
Westward from Alma-Ata and in the Chu Valley the lower
part of the woodland-grassland zone has been substantially modi-
fied by agricultural activity. Wheat and barley fields cover
much of these areas, but sugar beets and hemp are important in
the Chu Valley and fruit orchards in the vicinity of Alma-Ata.
The spruce forest zone is best developed at elevations
of 5,500 to 8,500 feet on the northern faces of the Zailiyskiy
Ala-Tau and Kungey Ala-Tau. Light forests of Tier, Shan spruce
grow in open parklike fashion (Figure 23). The area between
the patches of forest is covered by high grass and brush. Brush
is more prevalent in the dense undergrowth of the lower part of
the zone, with gooseberry, several varieties of honeysuckle,
sweetbrier, and ivies being dominant. Birch, aspen, and mountain
ash are also intermixed with the Tien Shan spruce, but they are
lower in height and too few in number to dominate the forest.
At about 7,500 feet the number of trees and bushes in the under-
growth decreases sharply, leaving high grass as the principal
174
Approved For Release 1999/0NclAcIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: wigipP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
175
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: a9ii1DP79T01018A000100090001-1
Cr)
C
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
ground cover. In the same altitudinal belt on the southern
slopes of the mountains, most of the surface is covered. by grasses
that grow to a height of 2 feet.
In the 500 to 600 feet above the spruce forest zone (the
juniper brushwood zone), squatty juniper bushes are the most
striking vegetation feature, although subalpine meadow is more
extensive. Of the junipers, the archa (Juniperus turkestanica),
indigenous to Central Asia, is by far the commonest. The branches
spread horizontally and remain close to the ground, forming a low
creeping bush. The archa grows as an isolated shrub and in
thickets intergrawn with honeysuckle. Vegetation in the grass-
lands grows to a height of 3 to 5 feet and forms a derse, com-
plete cover. Many flowering plants, such as the aster, geranium,
and violet, are represented in the meadows.
The zone of alpine meadows begins at 9,000-9,200 feet and
extends to the lower limit of permanent snow. At the lover margin
of the zone the meadow growth is 8 to 10 inches high and the sur-
face of the ground is fairly completely covered. Near the upper
limits, much bare ground is visible; on south-facing slopes about
half the surface is bare. Plants are short, most oi them not
over I. to 6 inches high. The alpine meadows have a high propor-
tion of flowering plants, notably the cowslip, violet, globe-
flower, and buttercup.
176
Approved For Release 1999/QAMT CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
The vegetation cover south of Lake Issyk-Kul' is largely
sparse grass. Forests are very widely scattered and form only
small patches in some of the deeper mountain valleys. Only the
Lower Naryn Valley has a substantial amount of forest. Much of
the valley is overgrown with a mixed forest consisting mostly of
spruce, birch, and poplar. The level surfaces of the syrts have
a dull appearance, with much bare ground, throughout the year.
In general, vegetation is patchy and covers only 10 to 15 per-
cent of the ground surface. The dry syrts have grayish, woody
wormwood shrublets, about 3 or 4 inches high at the most, inter-
mixed with several varieties of short grasses. Stream courses
are usually bordered by a belt of brush growth. Some of the
moister northern syrts have more extensive tracts covered by
dense grass. Salt incrustations at the surface are common in
the dry areas.
4. Animal Life
Most of the animal life is found on the slopes of the
mountain ranges north of Lake Issyk-Kul'. South of the lake,
the cold climate limits the species as well as the number of
animals. Of the fauna, birds are most abundant.
Over the northern lowlands and the lower slopes of the
Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau, Kirgizskiy, and Chu-Iliyskiye mountains,
birds are numerous--particularly the starling, jackdaw, lark,
177
Approved For Release 1999/6WT: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
oriole, pigeon, and windhover. Many game birds inhabit the
Issyk-Kul' hinterland, particularly the zone of open woodland-
grassland at elevations between 3,000 and 4,500 feet; these game
birds include the quail, partridge, black grouse, and pheasant.
Rodent-type small mammals, such as the porcupine, dormouse, var-
ious types of wood and field mice, and the hamster, are also
present. These mammals remain at the lower elevations, and even
mice are no longer found at an elevation of about 10,000 feet.
The carnivores include the weasel; fox, badger, and wolf, but
they are not particularly abundant. The wild boar is also
occasionally seen.
Larger animals are confined to the higher elevations,
generally above 8,000 feet. The alpine jackdaw, the crow, and
the Himalayan mountain turkey are among the commonest birds.
The Himalayan mountain turkey is most character:stic of the
craggy, snowy summit zones. Among the large mammals inhabiting
the high elevations are the mountain goat and the wild sheep.
The wolf and fox also penetrate the alpine meadows. The marten
and the ermine, though now scarce, are still hunted for their
fur. The Tien Shan brown bear and the Siberian roe deer also
live in the higher reaches of the mountains. The Tien Shan
area is the only place in the USSR where the snow leopard is
still plentiful.
1.78
Approved For Release 1999/09/24cAllA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/Ca& CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
On the Naryn Upland, south of Lake Issyk-Kul', animals
are not abundant even though hunting is important to the economy
of the sparse population. The snow-covered and glaciated eastern
part of the Khan-Tengri is very inhospitable to animals. Here
animals appear to be almost totally absent. Scientists have
stated that animals were only rarely seen during the normal
course of their field research. On the Naryn Upland probably
the commonest animal is the marmot, a short-legged rodent. It
Is also the animal of greatest commercial value. Colonies of
relict suslik (ground squirrels) are scattered through the area.
This is not the species of suslik that lives on the plains of
Kazakh and European Russia. Foxes, badgers, and panthers also
Inhabit parts of the area. In general, there are few insects,
and they do not hamper travel.
The lark, plover, and raven are numbered among the
birds. Ducks and mountain geese can be seen above the lakes
Chatyr-Kul' and Son-Kul' and over the small lakes along the
southern base of the Terskey Ala-Tau.
B. Cultural Features
1. Population
a. Density, Distribution, and Types
The population of the Issyk-Kul' hinterland is
estimated at 1,000,000. Approximately 720,000 inhabitants
179
Approved For Release 1999/00H7CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
are concentrated in three regions that together comprise
about one-fourth of the land area. These reg-Lons are the
Chu Valley, the Alma-Ata Lowland, and the Naryn and Atbashi
River valleys.
The Chu Valley is the most densely populated area.
It has an estimated total of 300,000 inhabitants, settled
mainly along the Chu River and the Frunze-Rybach'ye Railroad.
The average population density is 175 per square mile. More
than half the population is settled in urban communities, the
largest of which are Frunze (140,000), Tokmak (20,000), and
Kant (13,000).
The larger Alma-Ata Lowland has an estimated popula-
tion of 400,000 but averages only about 95 persons per square
mile. Alma-Ata, the capital of the Kazakh SSR,has 292,000
inhabitants.
In the Naryn and Atbashi River valleys, the densely
populated areas are around the town of Naryn and the settle-
ment of Atoashi. About 20,000 inhabitants are located here.
Naryn, the largest settlement, has a population of 5,000.
Within an 80-mile stretch extending east and west of Naryn,
the population density averages 45 persons per square mile.
The region around Atbashi is somewhat more densely populated,
averaging abode 95 persons per square mile.
i8o
Approved For Release 1999/09AMCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
The remaining three-fourths of the hinterland is
very sparsely populated. The interior mountain ranges of
the Naryn Upland are largely uninhabited except for isolated
nomadic groups in the alpine pastures. The upper reaches
of the Kungey and Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau ranges are also practi-
cally uninhabited. The valleys of mountain rivers provide
a few limited areas suitable for livestock grazing and farm-
ing and support a small rural population. The valleys of ?the
Cholok-Kapchigay, Irtash, and Ak-Say, all tributaries of
the Naryn River, average about 2 persons per square mile.
Settlements here are mainly summer or winter quarters of
native cattle herders. A similar population density is
found throughout the valleys of the Kochkur and Kara-Su
Rivers, and in the basins of Lakes Son-Kul' and Chatyr-Kul'.
The valleys of the Chilik, Sharyn, and Kegen' Rivers are
more densely populated, averaging about 13 persons per
square mile.
Throughout most of the hinterland the population is
predominantly rural, consisting to a large extent of pastortl
nomads. These people, mainly Kirgizi and Kazakhs, move with,
their herds between traditionally established pasture grounds,
where they generally live in temporary yurta encampments.
Each aul, or encampment, has its traditional grazing lands,
181
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
usually used jointly by several auls. The seasonal migra-
tion is performed in stages. Each encampment ts followed by
short daily advances, the length of which depends on the
size of the herds involved and the quality and. extent of
available grazing land.
The longest period of encampment is during the winter
season. Winter quarters are chosen in sheltered areas, such
as lowlands or river valleys. With the camiag of spring the
nomads move from their winter camps toward the mountain
pastures. Spring quarters ("kokteus") are generally located
In the foothill regions. As the snowline retreats, the
herdsmen move into higher mountain zones. They establish
their summer camps, or "dzhaylya:us," above the forest zone and
in the syrts. Summer camps are maintained for only a short
period. With the beginning of fall, the nomads descent into
lower mountain zones where they establish fall quarters
("kusen"). These quarters include a number or fields where
grass is sown by the poorer members of the tribe. The migra-
tion cycle is completed with the approach of winter, when
the clans return to their winter quarters.
Under the Soviet regime, some of the nomads in the
area have assumed more sedentary characteristics. In place
of the traditional yurta encampment used as winter quarters,
182
Approved For Release 1999/09/ffTIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
they have established permanent villages in which they
spend the winter. These villages usually belong to a live-
stock kolkhoz. Women, children, and older people remain in
the villages during the migration season and cultivate food
and fodder crops in adjacent fields. The mountain pastures
chosen are at relatively short distances from the villages.
Livestock on pasture are often provided with supplementary
fodder grown in the village hayfields.
The settled rural population of the hinterland is
distributed mainly in the agricultural districts of the
Chu Valley and the Alma-Ata Lowland. Small concentrations
of rural settlers are also found in the Naryn and Atbashi
Valleys. These people are primarily engaged in farming,
raising food and industrial crops. Rural settlers live either
in individual villages or in kolkhozes and sovkhozes.
Russians, Ukrainians, Kirgizi, and Kazakhs predominate among
the settled rural population. The Russians and Ukrainians
are found in areas where conditions of terrain and climate
are similar to those of their homelands. Most of the people
are irrigation farmers who specialize in growing sugar beets,
tobacco, and fiber plants. The Kirgiz rural settlers live
chiefly in the Chu Valley, largely in kolkhozes and
sovkhozes. The Russian and Ukrainian farmers who are
183
Approved For Release 1999704/24 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
frequently found in the Kirgiz settlements are placed there
by the Soviets to indoctrinate the former nomads in new
methods of crop rotation, irrigation, and harvesting. In
the northern parts of the hinterland, Kazakh s predominate.
They are settled in small villages and collective farms and
are mainly engaged in livestock breeding. They still are
to a large degree seminomadic. Although theDr 2ormiunities
(auls) are permanently established, the men migrate with
their livestock to mountain pastures in Zaillyskiy Ala-Tau.
In the vicinity of the Issyk-Kul' Basin the population
includes smaller numbers of Sarts, Taranches, and Dungan,
who are engaged mainly in the cultivation of fruit orchards,
medicinal plants, and rice.
Since World War II, the settled rural population of
the hinterland has increased somewhat owing to the resettle-
ment of Volga Germans and North Caucasians in the area.
About 20,000 Volga Germans are distributed taroughout the
Alma-Ata area and in the Chu Valley. Bystrovka (population
5,000) is reported to have a predominantly German population.
In the vicinity of Alma-Ata are about 8,000 North Caucasians,
mostly Kalmyks, Karachais, and Balkarians, who were accused
of collaborating with the German invaders and were forcibly
settled in kolkhozes and sovkhozes. The small number of
184
Approved For Release 1999/09/24Ecabk-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/MT: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Baits (Lithuanians, Latvians, and Estonians) located here
serve mainly as agricultural experts.
The urban population of the hinterland is largely
concentrated in the cities of Alma-Ata and Frunze and in the
towns of Tokmak, Kant, and Naryn. Other smaller urban
settlements are located in the foothill region of the
Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau and in the Chilik, Sharyn, and Kegen'
River valleys. Most of the urban settlers are Russians or
Ukrainians. In Alma-Ata and Frunze, native settlers form
large minorities.
A small part of the hinterland population consists of
forced laborers, but little information is available on
penal labor camps in the area. Prisoner of War Camp #7040
in Alma-Ata was still in operation in early 1949, housing
300 to 600 German P's and an unknown number of Japanese.
Since January 1950, however, the camp is believed to be used
for penal and forced labor. About 3,000 convicts have been
reported in the Alma-Ata area. The number of forced laborerE,
in the Chu Valley area is believed to be even greater. Such
labor gangs have been used to build the railroad extension
from Bystrovka to Rybach'ye. Plans for further extension of
railroad and road facilities in the Chu and Issyk-Kul' areas
undoubtedly include the extensive use of forced labor.
185
Approved For Release 1999/6?PRI CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
b. Ethnici_Physical, and Social Characteristics
The population of the hinterland is characterized
by a great diversity of ethnic groups, each with its indi-
vidual social customs and physical traits. Representative
groups are Russians, Ukrainians, Kirgizi, Sarts, Taranches,
Kalmyks, and Dungans. Their cultural characteristics are
the same as those of the corresponding groups in the Issyk-
Kul' Basin. The Kirgizi, many of whom are still nomadic,
are the largest group. Other etlinic groups found mainly in
the Issyk-Kul' hinterland are Kazakhs and smaller numbers
of Uzbeks, Volga Germans, and Baits. A negligible number
of North Caucasians are also found in the area.
(1) Kazakhs
The area north of the Kazakh-Kirgiz boundary
is predominantly inhabited by Kazakhs, who are of Turkic
origin. They are Mongoloid in physical appearance, with
medium stature and stocky build. Ethnically, they are
closely related to the Kirgizi and Kara-Kalpaks. Their
most striking features are small, black, almond-shaped
eyes; broad flat noses; high cheek bones; flat faces;
and relatively dark complexions (Figure 24).
Kazakh social structure is based on an elaborate
family system, which prevails in spite of Soviet efforts
186
Approved For Release 1999/09/2CREOIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/gMT: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Figure 24. Kazakh herdsman in conventional dress.
187
Approved For Release 1999/0ffir.TCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
to break the strong family ties. Class ELstinotion
among the Kazakhs is determined first on the basis of
hereditary caste and secondly by economic position within
the community. Although private ownership on a large
scale is illegal by Soviet standards, wealth among the
Kazakhs is still often based on ownership of cattle,
yurtas, and size of winter quarters and garden plots.
According to ancient Kazakh tradition, a pass-
ing traveler is entitled to stop at any man's hut
(kibitka) and remain indefinitely. The host is respon-
sible for the welfare of any stranger who succumbs to
starvation or exhaustion within the vicinity of the
camp or village. Theoretically even enemies have the
right to hospitality. In order to avoid the burden of
his obligation, Kazakh camp sites are generally located
at a distance from frequently traveled routes. As a
rule travelers take advantage of this custom only when
forced to by necessity.
(2) Uzbeks
Uzbek settlers are encountered in. the Chu
Valley, where they live in mixed villages and kolkhozes.
The Uzbeks are not a clearly defined ethnic group,
although they are generally considered as being of the
188
Approved For Release 1999/09CMCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09a1RiCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Turko-Tatar strain, mixed with Persian stock. Uzbeks
are well built and average about 5 feet 6 inches tall.
They have oval heads and yellowish faces with fairly
prominent cheek bones, dark eyes, and jet-black hair.
Most of the men have completely shaven heads, and the
women wear their hair in tresses wrapped around their
heads.
Most of the older women are veiled, and it is
considered an insult for a stranger to look upon a
woman's unveiled face or to unveil it. The women and
children have tJ do most of the work. They farm and
make carpets while the fathers and husbands remain idle
or do some hunting or sheep breeding. The Uzbeks are
very hospitable. To refuse an invitation to a home is
taken as evidence of animosity. Women usually have to
leave the room when a guest enters. The master of the
house entertains the visitor, while the wife or wives
prepare tea and food, which are served through the room
curtains. The Uzbeks are notably fond of music.
(3) Volga Germans and North Caucasians
Volga Germans are tall, blond, and robust.
North Caucasians, including Kalmyks, Karachais, and
Balkarians, are hybrids of Mongolian, Turkic, and
189
Approved For Release 1999/09F/TIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Japhetic-speaking peoples. They are of meaium stature
with round heads, broad flat faces, and slanted eyes.
Some of the North Caucasians are Sunnite Moslems and
are traditionally hostile to Christians. Socially, these
people are very backward. Women have inferior status
in the fatally and are responsible for all of the heavy
work. The Balkarians are considered friendly and gay,
but may be reduced to brigandage in periods of poverty.
()4.) Baits
Baits are generally of medium-to-talL stature
and heavy build, with long bodies and well-developed
arms and shoulders. As a rule they have light hair.
All are very nationalistic and cohesive.
c. Language and Religion
The languages and religions of the various ethnic
groups in_the hinterland correspond to those of the same
groups found in the Issyk-Kul' Basin. Kirgiz, Russian, and
Kazakh are the predominant languages, with Kirgiz spoken
throughout most of the area. The Kazakhs speak a Turkic
dialect related to Kirglz and to Osman Turkish The Latin
alphabet originally introduced by the Soviets was replaced
in 1940 by a Cyrillic alphabet. Although Moslems, the
Kazakhs are not strict in observing the practices of Islam,
a laxity attributed partly to nomadic living.
190
Approved For Release 1999/0S1211ETCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
The Uzbeks also speak a Turkic dialect and have an
orthography based on the Cyrillic alphabet. Most Uzbeks
are Moslems of the Sunnite Mohammedan group and are in-
fluenced by mysticism.
The Germans and Baits have maintained their own
languages and religions.
d. Political Attitudes
The political attitudes of the population of the
Issyk-Kul' hinterland are identical with those prevailing
in the Issyk-Kul' Basin. The Kazakhs in the northern
hinterland share the general Moslem attitude toward the
Soviets, but manifestations of political unrest have been
more strongly expressed by this group. A political body
called "Centkom Legpartgrup" (Central Committee of
Political Groups) with headquarters at Alma-Ata, has the
task of pacifying Kazakh agitation.
2. Settlements
a. Types and Distribution
Two basic types of settlements are found in the
hinterland. Slavic cities, towns, and villages comprise
the first and more important group. In organization and
type of construction they resemble Russian and Ukrainian
settlements in the European USSR. Soviet improvements and
191
Approved For Release 1999/09YOFCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
architectural influences are most conspicuous in these
settlements. The second group of settlements consists of
native towns, villages, and yurta encampments. The towns
and villages, in particular, are similar to Moslem settle-
ments throughout Soviet Central Asia and large areas of the
Near East. In addition to these two basic groups, there
are in the area a number of kolkhozes (collect.lve farms) and
sovkhozes (state farms), which developed with the introduction
of Soviet collective agriculture. Kolkhozes consist of one
or several villages with either a Russian, Ukrainian, or
native population. Sovkhozes also include one or more rural
settlements, but frequently have mixed populations.
(1) Russian Cities and Towns
Most of the Russian urban settlements are
located in the Chu Valley and in the Alma-Ata Lowland.
They are usually of square or rectangular shape. Streets
are generally wide and bordered by rows of poplars.
Most are unsurfaced and turn into mud tracks cut by
ruts during rainy seasons. Individual dwellings are
mostly constructed of clay or mud bricks, often color-
fully painted. Houses are separated from each other by
low mud walls enclosing fairly large garden plots. In
commercial districts and along main thoroughfares, stone,
192
Approved For Release 1999/09NitriCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
tile, or brick structures are common. These generally
include the administrative and cultural buildings of
the Soviet Government, the local and municipal adminis-
tration, and the Communist Party.
Soviet improvements in street building,
architectural designs, and public utilities are most
noticeable in the cities of Alma-Ata and Frunze and in
the towns of Tokmak and Kant, where many of the main
streets are paved with asphalt or macadam. Impressive
public buildings, such as libraries, schools, theaters,
and cultural institutes, are located in the centers of
these towns. Large residential sections are comparatively
modern and offer facilities of more or less western
standards.
New workers' settlements are being constructed
near large industrial enterprises, notably sugar plants,
as in Kant. According to Soviet claims, some of these
settlements already have several thousand inhabitants.
The number of skilled workers has increased proportion-
ately. In the early 1920's, Frunze had only a few
hundred industrial workers, whereas in 1945 several
thousand persons have been reported working in industrial
enterprises there.
193
Approved For Release 1999fortinT: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
(2) Russian and Ukrainian Villages
Russian and Ukrainian villages also resemble
villages of central and southern European Russia. In
the narrow sections of the Chu, Naryn, and Kochkur
valleys, the elongated villages follow the rivers, the
major roads, or the Frunze-Rybach'ye Railroad. In the
wide, flat areas of the Alma-Ata Lowland and Chu Valley,
the villages are square or rectangular. Southwest of
Alma-Ata and Frunze, where Russians and Ukrainians
settled in already densely populated areas, their vil-
lages are irregular in shape.
Most villages consist of one unimproved dirt
street lined with poplar or elm trees, though some
villages may have two or three streets. Village char-
acteristics and irrigation systems are like those found
in the villages of the Issyk-Kul' Basin.
During years of Soviet rule, many Jf the larger
Russian villages on the Frunze-Rybach'ye Railroad line
and on main roads of the hinterland have developed into
rayon centers. Their streets have been considerably
improved, and new buildings housing schools and vil-
lage stores are not uncommon. Frequently the villages
also have machine-tractor stations, as well as small
194
Approved For Release 1999/09/21vOik-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
industrial enterprises. According to Soviet claims, some
of the villages, such as Voroshilov, have populations
larger than 10,000. The formerly unmixed Russian popu-
lation now contains Turkic elements, such as Kirgizi,
Dungans, Uzbeks, and Kazakhs.
(3) Native Towns
There are few native towns in the hinterland.
The best examples of native urban settlements are the
ancient Moslem sectiona of Frunze and Alma-Ata, the towns
of Uzun-Agach and Kara Kystak in the foothills of the
Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau, Kegen' at the western end of the
Ketmen' ranges, and Naryn and Atbashi in the Naryn and
Atbashi River valleys.
Towns, as a rule, are larger settlements that
have developed near routes of transportation or in pro-
ductive areas with good natural irrigation. Native towns
in general are patterned after Moslem settlements through-
out the Near and Middle East. In the center of such
towns is usually the bazaar section, where the main
trade routes leading into town intersect. This section
comprises a number of badly arranged, narrow, and un-
surfaced streets, frequently covered with reeds or plank;,
and hardly wide enough for two large pack animals to pas.
195
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
The sides of the streets are lined with artisans' wprk-
shops, merchandise vendors' shops, teahouses, and an
occasional bathhouse. Buildings in the bazaar sectLon
are generally constructed of fire-resistant materials
such as tile, stone, or clay. In some native towns the
bazaar section, has a large square, usually surrounded by
dilapidated buildings used for religious and commercial
purposes. Surrounding the section are residential areas
with large homes and gardens, caravan resting places,
burial mosques, and large cemeteries. In some cases, the
residential area is encircled by a high clay wall, which
was used in the past as fortification.
Some of the larger native towns, such as Naryn
and the Moslem sections of Frunze and Alma-Ata, show
signs of Soviet cultural and architectural influences.
Communist cultural centers are located in the busy
sections of town. Some public utilities, usually elec-
tricity or running water, are available :n Limited quan-
tities.
(4) Native Villages
Among native villages of the hinterland, the
Kirgiz and Kazakh settlements (kishlaks) are predominant.
Their location and design depend largely on the
196
Approved For Release 1999/09PZWCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/0N.liCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
availability of water. In lowland areas with adequate
irrigation networks (Chu Valley, Alma-Ata Lowland), the
numerous Kirgiz or Kazakh villages are of irregular
shapes. In the mountain foothills, they are more
scattered and are mainly ribbon settlements along moun-
tain streams. In the interior mountain regions, where
areas suitable for settlement are considerably restrict-
ed, the few villages are small and are located on ter-
races, alluvial fans, and mountain slopes.
Village streets are generally unimproved dirt
tracks. During rainy seasons they are extremely muddy
and are most easily traveled on horseback. In mountain
villages, the streets frequently have a mixed dirt, rock,
and stone surface. Farm quarters in both Kirgiz and
Kazakh villages deviate little from those of other
Moslem villages of Soviet Central Asia. They are de-
scribed under settlements in the Tssyk-Kul' Basin.
Dungan villages are located in the Chu Valley
and in areas adjacent to the Chinese frontier. Some of
the larger villages are Alexandrovka to the south of
Frunze and Milyanfan and Yushanylo in the Kantskiy Rayon.
Village streets are narrow and unsurfaced. Farmsteads
are built of sun-baked bricks and are enclosed by high
197
Approved For Release 1999affFCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
mud walLs. Living quarters, utility shacks, and stables
are grouped around an interior courtyard. All of the
buildings have flat roofs, which are frequently used as
garden plots to grow barley and opium poppies. Vegetable
gardens and rice paddies of individual farmhouses are
located outside the villages. The interior arrangement
of Dungan farmhouses is modeled after that of houses
in Northern China.
In the Chu Valley also are a small number of
Uzbek villages. One of the larger Uzbek settlements is
the Iskra Kolkhoz. Uzbek farmhouses arelconstructed of
sun-dried clay and are surrounded by high mud walls.
No windows face the street, and only a small, narrow
opening se/ryes as entrance from the outside. Each house
has a courtyard that provides daylight to the individual
roams.
(5) Yurta Encampments
Yurta encampments are the dominant form of
settlement of nomadic and seminomadic Kirgizi and
Kazakhs. The grouping, constructiontand organization
of these encampments follow the same pattern as those
described under the Issyk-Kul' Basin.
Approved For Release 1999/
198
t2I1 CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
(6) Kolkhozes and Sovkhozes
Most of the kolkhozes in the hinterland are
located in the Chu and Naryn valleys and on the Alma-Ata
Lowland. They generally consist of one or several larger
villages with a predominant Russian, Kirgiz, or Kazakh
population. The Kenesh Kolkhoz in the Ivanovskiy Rayon
of the Chu Valley is one of the larger collective farms
in the area. According to ?Soviet sources, this kolkhoz
(originally the village Oktyabri) is a large ranch?type
operation, consisting of three sheep-raising farms, two
horse-breeding farms, and one farm each for raising
cattle, camels, hogs, and poultry. Collective farmers
are engaged mainly in crop cultivation and livestock
raising. Their methods of farming and animal breeding
are more advanced than those used. in noncollective
villages. Crop rotation is widely practiced in the
kolkhOzes.
In mountainous areas, kolkhozes are considerably
smaller. As a rule, they consist of a single village
with 5 to 10 farmsteads. The population is predominantly
native and is engaged in animal husbandry.
Sovkhozes are located mainly in the Chu Valley.
They consist of several large villages with a mixed
199
Approved For Release 19?M?P21 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
population of Russians, Ukrainians, and natives.
Sovkhozes serve as experimental farms for newly developed
methods in crop cultivation, irrigation, and livestock
breeding. They are efficiently operated and are supplied
with agricultural machinery.
In the northwestern part of the Chu Valley is
the Novolubtrest group of sovkhozes that specialize in
the production of fiber plants. The group consists of
the sovkhoz villages of Dzhanti-Dzher, Dzhanti-Pakhta,
Nizhne-Chu, and Vasillyev. In the foothill region of
the Chu Valley are the cattle-raising scvkhozes of Imeni
Frunze, Alamedin, Kegety, and Shanisi, and the sheep-
raising sovkhoz of Kzyl-Oktyabr. The Imeni Frunze
sovkhoz also specializes in'meat packing.
The number of sovkhozes throughout the remainder
of the hinterland is extremely small. Noteworthy are
two sheep-raising sovkhozes, located -In the Kochkur and
Dzhumgol River valleys, and a horse-breeding sovkhoz in
the Naryn Valley.
b. Description of Cities and Principal Towns
Alma-Ata and Frunze are the only cities in the
hinterland. The most important towns in the area are Tokmak,
Kant, and Naryn.
200
Approved For Release 1999/09/21 sie1ATRDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
(1) Alma-Ata
The city of Alma-Ata* is located near the
northern foothills of the Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau, about 48
miles north of Lake Issyk-Kul' (Figure 25). Alma-Ata
(formerly known as Verny) is the capital of the Kazakh
SSR. Its total population is estimated at 300,000. In
area, Alma-Ata covers about 54 square miles and is
approximately rectangular in shape. The Vesnovka, a
small stream, flows through the city area. The Malaya
Almatinka River skirts the eastern edge of Alma-Ata, and
the Bol'shaya Almatinka (the largest stream in the area)
flows along the western outskirts of the town. The
Bol'shaya Almatinka and the Vesnovka discharge into a
reservoir located about 4-1/2 miles northwest of town.
Formerly the city was separated into two parts, the old
(southern) and the new (northern) city. The two parts
are now connected by housing developments, industries,
and a single-track railroad line. Much of the present
city was built after 1910, when an earthquake almost
completely destroyed the old city of Verny. Alma-Ata
has a number of impressive public buildings and modern
*Alma-Ata in Kazakh means "father of apples." It is so named because
of the numerous apple orchards throughout the city. Alma-Ata is con-
sidered to be the fruit-growing center of Soviet Central Asia.
201
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Approved For Release 1999/09/21gEgf1*RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 159/R9/21 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
apartment houses constructed of stone or reinforced
concrete (Figure 26). Streets, as a rule, are wide
(approximately 33 feet) and form almost square city
blocks. Stalin Prospekt, the main thoroughfare, is
asphalt surfaced and electrically lighted. Other main
streets that have asphalt or stone surfaces and electric
lights are: Ulitaa Mira (formerly Issyk-Kul'skaya); UI.
Tashkentskaya, which crosses the Vesnovka and Bol'shaya
AImatinka Rivers; Ul. Komsomol'skaya, which bridges the
Vesnovka River; Ul. Kalinin and Ul. Kirov, business
streets; and Ul. Dzerzhinski, Ul. Uspenski, UI. Furmanski,
UI. Karl Marx, Lenin Prospekt, Ul. Artillereyskaya, Ul.
Gogol', and Ul. Maxim Gorki. The main squares in Alma-
Ata are the Red Square, located in the center of town, the
Opera House Square, and the large square located in
front of the railroad station known as Alma-Ata IT.
There are also two large parks, one of which contains the
city zoo.
Urban transportation within the city limits is
maintained by streetcars, buses, trolley buses, and
taxis. Alma-Ata has three streetcar lines. The first
line begins at Plant No. 175 (Torpedo Plant) and runs
to the railroad station, Alma-Ata II, via Komsomolskaya
203
Approved For Release 19965E1 : CIA-RDP79101018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
204
Approved For Release 1999/09/21 :451AIRDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 12E09/21 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Ulitsa and Ulitsa Karl Marx. Another line, also begin-
ning at Plant No. 175, takes the same route to the rail-
road station, Alma-Ata II, but it continues to a grain
warehouse located about 1 mile southeast of the railroad
station Alma-Ata I. The third streetcar line also starts
at the factory, but merely circles the southern part of
town. The streetcar depot is located within the com-
pounds of Plant No. 175. A bus runs every half hour
between the railroad stations of Alma-Ata I and II.
Three other bus lines operate at regular intervals be-
tween Alma-Ata and the towns of Kaskelen, Ili, and
Talgar. In addition to the regular lines, a trolley-
bus line circles the center of the city. Numerous
taxicabs of the "Pobeda" type have been seen in Alma-Ata
since 1949.
Since World War II, Alma-Ata has developed into
an important industrial center. This growth is attributed
largely to the evacuation of numerous industrial plants
from the threatened areas of the European USSR to Alma-
Ata. The main industrial area is located in the western
part of the city. The northeast section of town is also
being developed into an industrial area. At present
Alma-Ata is one of the most important torpedo-manufacturing
205
Approved For Release 191:10:4/21 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: SICAR-ErP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
centers in the Soviet Union. It also contains a heavy
machine-building industry (including railroad shops),
spinning mills, fruit-preserving and meat-packing plants,
a wine distillery, tobacco factories, tanneries, and
sawmills. South of Alma-Ata, several hydroelectric
stations and dams have been constructed on the Bol'shaya
Almatinka River. Sewage and water systems are inadequate,
but the city has adequate telephone and telegraph service.
Other installations located within Alma-Ata include an
electric equipment plant and a series of hydroelectric
power stations. Local industry supplies many of the
component parts used in the torpedo assembly. Manu-
factured torpedos are tested at the Przheval'sk testing
station on Lake Issyk-Kul'. Industrial workers, number-
ing approximately 20,000, include skilled and semiskilled
Russians and Ukrainians, and Mongolian and Kirgiz
laborers.
Alma-Ata is also considered the cultural center
of the Kazakh SSR. It has a university, established in
1928, and 8 higher educational institutions, 2 specializ-
ing in pedagogy, 1 in mining and metallurgy, 1 in medi-
cine, 2 in agriculture, and 1 in law. The city has 19
technical and other special schools, as well as 25
206
Approved For Release 1999/09/21s:E1W-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
scientific research institutions. The latter function
under the supervision of the Academy of Sciences of the
Kazakh SSR. In addition, Alma-Ata has a Kazakh branch
of the Lenin Academy of Agriculture, a large public
library and regional museum, Kazakh and Russian opera
houses, theaters, and public parks.
Located on the strategic Turksib Railroad,
Alma-Ata is a significant transportation and trade
center. The Turksib has greatly facilitated the eco-
namic and industrial development of the city by linking
It with the grain- and lumber-producing areas of Western
Siberia, the cotton regions of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan,
and the industrial regions of the Central Urals. Raw
materials, such as ore, coal, and lumber, are brought
into the city by rail from Karaganda. Alma-Ata has a
lively trade in such commodities as cattle, meat, butter,
livestock products, fruit, and fish. Owing to its
proximity to the Chinese border, Alma-Ata is an important
trade center between the USSR and the Sinkiang Province
of China.
A civilian airfield is located in the north-
eastern section of the city. Scheduled air routes of
the Civil Air Fleet link the city with Moscow, Frunze,
Tashkent, Karaganda, and Novosibirsk.
207
Approved For Release 1999/OgigH.FCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
(2) Frunze
Frunze, the capital of the Kirgiz SSE, lies in
the center of the Chu Valley on the Lugovoy-Rybachvye
branch of the Turksib Railroad. It spreads over the
alluvial fans of the Alarcha and Alamedin rivers (trib-
utaries of the Chu River). Frunze is the fourth largest
city in Soviet Central Asia, and has an estimated popu-
lation of 140,000. The city was built in 1873 as a
Russian fortress and named Pishpek. In 1925 the city
was renamed for the Bolshevik general, M. V. Frunze.
The city is built around a number of straight
streets and avenues, whichtas a rule, lead in a north-
south or east-west direction. Ulitsa Dzherzhinskogo,
one of the main avenues of Frunze, running in a north..
south direction, connects the center of the city with
the Frunze railroad station, located about 3 miles south
of the main part of town. The avenue conJists of two
asphalt-paved roadways, each for one-way traffic. The
low buildings along the avenue are concealed during
summer by rows of poplar trees planted along the side-
walks. Several newer 2- or 3-story build-Ings facing til.
Dzerzhinskogo include the Kirgizskiy Filial Akademii
Nauk SSR (Kirgiz Branch of the Academy of Sciences of
208
Approved For Release 1999/09/MiCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/0mi, CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
the USSR), the RespUblikanskaya Prokuratura (Republic
Prosecuting Magistracy), and the Tsentralinyy Telegraf
(Central Telegraph Office). The center of town is
modernized, having most of the streets surfaced, a large
city square, and the main government buildings, libraries,
and theaters (Figure 27).
The main east-west streets of Frunze are the Ul.
Lenina, Ul. Frunze, UI. Stalina (along the main trolley-
bus line), Ul. Toktogula,,and Ul. Pionerskaya. The main
course of the old Semirechenskiy Ttakt coincides with
the present Ul. Lenina. Ulitsa Frunze is known to be
surfaced only in part, dirty, and without electric
lighting. Parts of this street are flooded with liquid
waste from the Municipal Dairy. Traffic is known to
stop at dusk along entire sections of the avenue. In
the western and eastern outskirts of Frunze, the east-
west streets merge into a motorable highway, which
leads to Tashkent to the west and to Lake Issyk-Kul'
to the east.
Other streets in Frunze are Ul. Gertsena, Ul.
Sovetskaya, Ul. Yervomayskaya, Ul. Voroshilova, Ul.
Kaganovicha, Ul. Pushkina, Ul. Zapadnaya; and Ul. L'va
Tolstogo.
209
Approved For Release 1999/0ffiEFCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
210
park in the center of Frunze, 1945.
Approved For Release 1999/09/MMA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
There is a great deal of green vegetation
throughout Frunze. Poplars and oaks are planted along
most of the streets. Orchards are located in many
sections of town. In the northeastern section are
several parks with elm trees.
Frunze nas ecome an important industrial center
for the processing of agricultural products from the Chu
Valley and other districts of Kirgizia. The city accounts.
for about 65 percent of the total industrial production
and has over 30 percent of the total number of industrial
workers in the Kirgiz SSR (Figure 28). Industrial etter-
prises within the city include chemical works, a large
and modern meat combine, a mill combine, a leather plant,
a tobacco-curing plant, a liquor distillery, and a
brewery. Metal-working plants produce parts for tractors,
machine tools, munitions, hydroelectric turbines for
kolkhoz electric power stations, and various agriculturat
machines, implements, and tools. A hemp and jute in-
dustry has been established to manufacture rope and
fabrics from the fiber plants grown in the Chu Valley.
There is also a sewing and clothing factory in the city.
Numerous mailer industrial enterprises include the
brick plants of Krasnyy Stroitel' and Novo-Pavlov.
211
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
to 0
r0
-
212
Approved For Release 1999109121 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Frunze is the cultural center of the Kirgiz
SSR. It has several institutions of higher education,
Russian and Kirgiz theaters, a regional museum, and a
number of scientific and cultural research organizations.
The latter group includes individual institutes for
history, language and literature, biology, geology,
epidemiology, and microbiology. There are also research
agencies working on livestock, fruit, vegetable, and
tobacco raising. Most of the scientific institutions
are under the jurisdiction of the Kirgiz branch of the
Academy of Sciences of the USSR.
Frunze is also an important transportation and
trade center. The Lugovoy-Rybach'ye sector of the
Turksib Railroad crosses the Chu Valley from west to
east, passing through Frunze. To the east, the line
reaches Lake Issyk-Kul', providing one lap of the com-
bined rail-water traffic route from Frunze to Przheval'A.
To the west and southwest, the line connects Frunze by
way of Dzhambul, Tashkent, and Kokand with the highly
Industrial and agricultural Fergana Valley. Trunk
highways (partly asphalted or gravel improved) connect
Frunze with the principal industrial or cultural centers
of Kirgizia, such as Dzhalal-Abad, Osh, Kzyl-Kiya, Kant,
213
Approved For Release 1999/002113:EtIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Tokmak, Rybach'ye, and Naryn. Scheduled civil air
routes lead from Frunze to Alma-Ata, and also to Tashkent
and Dzhusaly' from which connection can be made for
Moscow. Regional and nonscheduled air routes also link
Frunze with secondary airfields at Naryn, Rybach'ye,
Priheval'sk, Dzhalal-Abad, and Dzhambul.
(3) Tokmak
The town of Tokmak is located near the southern
bank of the Chu River approximately 37 miles east of
Frunze. An increase in the agricultural activity of tle
Tokmak area has caused a great influx of Russians,
Ukrainians, and some Dungans. Tokmak with a total
population of 20,000, has become the second largest
urban settlement in the Chu Valley. Its industries are
largely concerned with the processing of fiber plants
and wool. A cannery and a beet-sugar refinery are
located in the suburb of Oktyabr'skiy. In addition,
an auto repair plant and a hydroelectric station (Tokmak
GES) are located within the town limits.
Tokmak has adequate transportation facilities
for its beet-sugar and wool trade. The Lugovoy-Frunze-
Rybach'ye railroad line, which passes through the
southern section of town, handles a sizable volume of the
214
Approved For Release 1999/09/2IT: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/0s9E/Ari CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
freight traffic moving in or out of Tokmak. The remain-
ing freight traffic is by road. The main highway leading
from Frunze to Rybach'ye and Przheval'sk passes through
the center of town, where it becomes the main thorough-
fare. Improved dirt roads also connect Tokmak with the
settlements of Kegety, Korokonyz (Kara-Kunuz), Krasnogorka,
and the health resort of Issyk-Ata. One of the main
streets in town is the Ulitsa Sadovaya. On this street
is located the Tokmak Technical School for the Mechani-
zation and Electrification of Agriculture.
(4) Kant
Kant is located some 11 miles east of Frunze.
It is a rayon center and has a population of approxi-
mately 13,000. Road and railroad faGilities connect
Kant with Frunze in the west and with the Issyk-Kul'
Basin in the east. The economy of the city is based
primarily on the sugar-beet industry and truck gardening.
Two sugar mills have been in operation since 1932. Other
industrial installations include a cement plant, a rayon
industrial combine, and the main supply and repair shops
of the Kirgiz Ministry for Auto Transport (Ministerstv
Avto-transport, Kirgiz SSR). Known cultural and medical
institutions within the city are two secondary schools,
215
Approved For Release 1999/09/22TIMA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
two workers clubs, a radio receiving and wire relay
station ("radio uzel"), a polyclinic, and a hospital.
Recent information indicates that a garrison of mountain
troops has been stationed in Kant along the Frunze-
Rybach'ye highway and railroad.
(5) yaryn:.
The town of Naryn is located south of the left
bank of the Naryn River and approximately 50 miles south-
east of Lake Son-Kul' on the trade route from Kashgaria
to the Chu Valley. Naryn has a population of approxi-
mately 5,000 and is the administrative center of the
raen Shan Oblast of the Kirgiz SSR. In the past the
town was known as Narynsk. It had considerable impor-
tance as a fortress, and a small Cossack detachment was
stationed here. After the Revolution, NarTnsk was further
developed and renamed Naryn.
The town consists of several main streets run-
ning parallel to the river. The streets ar'e lined with
one-story houses, which are surrounded by gardens. The
houses have flat roofs and adobe walls. The number of
buildings in the town is relatively small. On many of
the numerous open tracts between different parts of the
city are wheat and barley fields. Local industrial
216
Approved For Release 1999/CigMETCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/qati CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
activities include sawmilling, brick making, and tan-
ning. There are several small craft artels in town.
Located on the strategic auto road linking
Rybach'ye, Naryn, and the Sinkiang border, Naryn serves
as a supply point and trading center for the seminomadic
and nomadic population of the area. An improved dirt
road that leads westward from Naryn is suitable for
automobile traffic as far as the settlement of Dyur'-
beldzhin (the administrative center of Aktalinskiy
Rayon). The road continues to Kazarman, center of the
Togus-Torausskiy Rayon, but this section is unimproved
and not suitable for motorized traffic.
Naryn is also believed to have a secondary air-
field for nonscheduled flights from Frunze.
3. Health and Sanitation
Public health administration and sanitary regulations in
the hinterland are highly centralized and relatively modern in
concept, but their enforcement is usually inadequate. Improper
diet, poor living conditions, natural conditions favorable to
breeding germs, unsanitary practices, and inadequate medical
attention facilitate the spread of diseases among the rural and
nomadic population. Rodents, insects, and community wells are
the chief carriers of the large number of contagious diseases
common to the area.
217
Approved For Release 1999/099IA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Malaria is prevalent in the mosquito-infested, swampy
flood plains of the Chu, Kegen', Tekes, and Naryn rivers and
near Lake Son-Kul'. Fleas and ticks, which are widespread, are
carriers of typhus and relapsing fever. The hinterland is es-
pecially noted for tick typhus. Worm infestation i6 prevalent
among the cattle-breeding population. In regions along the
Chinese border, cases of plague and cholera have been reported.
Kirgiz wheat is claimed to be a source of the plague; the wheat
becomes contaminated from the feces of infected rodents, and the
disease may be acquired by inhaling dust from such wheat.
Dysenteries and diarrheal conditions are commonly caused by
head, body, and crab Lice, as well as by numerous types of bed-
bugs and cockroaches. The bite of the karakute, a poisonous
spider found in loamy river-bank areas, produces :pains in the
abdomen, head, and limbs. It also causes depression, thirst,
and chills, and may induce paralysis of the nerveb. Unsanitary
methods of staring food and drinking water by the nomadic popu-
lation result in numerous intestinal disorders aml diseases.
Among the other contagious and infectious diseases known to the
hinterland area are trachuma, scabies, venereal diseases,
spotted fever, and leprosy.
Medical services are free, but standards of medical care
are at a low level because of inadequacies in personnel,
218
Approved For Release 1999/0912ctRECIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/069gli CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
hospitals, and medical supplies. Although the Soviets have
raised health standards in the larger populated centers by
establishing new hospitals, sanitariums, and health resorts,
their efforts are still far below requirements in the vast
rural areas of the hinterland.
Modern hospital facilities are available in Alma-Ata
and Frunze. These establishments are provided with adequate
medical equipment and qualified staffs of doctors and nurses.
Two military-civilian hospitals, a maternity clinic, and a
scientific medical research laboratory are located in Alma-Ata.
All "workers" are permitted to enter and receive treatment with-
out restrictions. In addition, X-ray and prophylactic establish-
ments have been reported. According to Soviet claims, Frunze
has the following medical institutions: (1) 75 city and republ:c
medical and prophylactic establishments, including an X-ray
center; (2) a station for blood transfusions; (3) several
hospitals (of unknown size and capacity); and (4) establishment;
for consultations on mother-child care.
Medical and hospital services are of much poorer quality
in smaller towns such as Tokmak, Kant, and Naryn than in Frunze
and Alma-Ata. Facilities of this type in the towns usually
consist of inadequate and ill-constructed buildings with meager
219
Approved For Release 1999/091N7bIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
furnishings, little and often poor medical equipment, and a
harassed staff handicapped by continued shortages of essential
medicines.
Several health resorts (kurorts) and convalescent
homes are in operation in the hinterland. These are located
chiefly at mineral hot springs in the northern foothills of the
Kirgizskiy Ala-Tau Mountains. The health resorts of Issyk-Ata
and Ak-Su are well known for their sanitariums and rest homes
where practically all types of chronic diseases (tuberculosis,
rheumatism, nervous disorders) are treated. Other health re-
sorts are being developed at mineral springs in the Tien Shan
Oblast; of these the Dzhal Bogoshty mineral springs, in the
northern foothills of the Atbashi Mountains, are the most
important.
4. Economy
The economic activity of the Issyk-Kul' hinterland
includes both agriculture and industry, but agriculture is
dominant with respect to area and number of people involved.
a. Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
The Issyk-Kul' hinterland contains threE agricultural
sub-regions -- the lower Chu Valley, the Northern Highlands,.
and the Southern Highlands.
220
Approved For Release 1999/09V2TRECIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
(1) Crop Cultivation
(a) The Lower Chu Valley Region
The Chu Valley is considered to be one of
the best grain-producing areas of the Kirgiz SSR.
About 90 percent of the total cultivated area,
approximately 250,000 acres, is used for grain grow-
ing. The remainder of the cultivated area (same
28,000 acres) is in industrial crops, such as sugar
beets and fiber plants. Irrigation farming predomi-
nates throughout most of the cultivated area. Wheat
is the principal food grain, and comprises about 70
percent of all the grain crops. The other grains
Include barley and oats, which are used as fodder
crops. Most of the sugar-beet farms are located in
the Frunze-Kant-Tokmak region, along the Frunze-
Rybachiye railroad. Sugar refineries at Frunze,
Kant, Tokmak, and Kaganovich process more than
27,600 short tons of sugar beets per day.
The irrigated regions north and south of
the Chu River specialize in growing fiber plants,
particularly hemp. The largest fields under culti-
vation are located in areas irrigated by the
Georgiyevskiy and Atbashinskiy canals. Fiber plants
221
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
are used for the manufacture of ship lines, canvas,
fish nets, sugar bags, and fine fabrics. About
15,000 acres of fiber crops are cultivated annually
on four large sovkhozes ?- Vasil'ye7, Dzhanti-Dzher,
Nizhne-Chu, and Dzhanti-Pakhta. An additional 5,000
acres are devoted to fiber crops annually by the
Byatrovskiy and Keminskiy kolkhozes in the eastern
part of the Chu Valley.
East of Frunze, rice is an important crop
on kolkhozes with a predominantly Dungen population.
Frunze and Tokmak are noted for their large fruit
orchards, vineyards, and vegetable gardens.
The area in grain and industrial crops
will repoi-tedly be increased substantially with the
completion of the Great Chu Canal Project. This
project includes the Orto-Tokoi Reservoir and a
large irrigation-canal system embracing the Western
and Eastern Great Chu canals. The Orto-Tokay
Reservoir is located below the outflow of the Chu
River from the Kochkur Valley. According to plans,
the reservoir is to irrigate an additional 174,000
acres for the cultivation of industrial crops. The
Western Great Chu Canal begins at the village of
222
Approved For Release 1999/09/VIRFCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Ken'-Bulun' west of Tokmak. The total length will
be 90 miles. The first 31 miles have been completed,
and the canal reaches approximately to Voroshilov-
bkoye; the remainder is under construction. The
Eastern Canal begins near the settlement of Dzhany-
Alysh, above Tokmak, and the total length is esti-
mated at 76 miles (Figure 29). The canal runs south
of the Chu River and terminates in the region of
Stalinskoye (Belovodski).
(b) The Northern Highlands
The Northern Highland agricultural region
is located north of Lake Issyk-Kul'. It covers, in
general, the area between the Chu-Iliyskiye Mountains
and the Sinkiang frontier, including the small part
of the Chu Valley north of the Kirgiz-Kazakh SSR
boundary.
The over-all area under cultivation in this
region is estimated at 650,000 acres, in the Chu
Valley, the Alma-Ata Lowland, and the Chilik and
Kegen' Valleys. Some 6o to 70 percent of the culti-
vated area is sown in grain -- winter wheat., barley,
oats, and rice. Wheat, barley, and oats are grown
up to elevations of 5,300 feet. Wheat is the
223
Approved For Release 1999/0eifFtIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Figure 29. Spillway on the eastern branch of the Great Chu Canal
at the Alamedin River, southeast of Frunze.
224
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/2..1 : CIA-RDP79101018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
principal food crop and constitutes about half of
the total grain planted. Barley and oats, which
occupy about 20 percent of the cultivated areas, are
used mainly as concentrated fodder for livestock.
In highland areas barley and alfalfa are raised up
to elevations of 6,000 feet. In addition to these
basic crops, rye, millet, pumpkins, rice, and vege-
tables are grown on irrigated fields, particularly
around Alma-Ata. The Alma-Ata Lowland is also
famous for its fruit, especially apples, grapes, and
watermelons.
The principal industrial crops, raised
mainly in the Chu Valley area, are sugar beets and
tobacco. Sugar beets are planted on some 32,000
acres and yield approximately 750 bushels per acre.
Cultivation of tobacco in the area has been increas-
ing since World War II. Tobacco patches are generally
found in conjunction with fields of sugar beets.
According to 1948 data, the area in sugar beets and
tobacco in the Alma-Ata Oblast amounted to 5,500
and 9,200 acres, respectively.
Irrigation farming is practiced throughou-,
the river valleys and lowland areas. Postwar Soviet
225
Approved For Release 1999/09iFfEEIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21SL-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
RET
Security Information
irrigation policy provides that temporary feeder
canals be dug each spring before plowing and be
filled in each fall after harvesting. This policy
is aimed at reducing the number of small garden
plots available to farmers (each garden plot usually
has access to a feeder canal) and increasing the
average size of collective farms.
Dry-farming is practiced. at elevations up
to 6,000 feet. The principal crop is fodder.
The Soviets are introducing dairy and
poultry farms in the more heavily populated areas.
A large poultry farm in Tastak, a suburb of Alma-
Ata, is claimed to have a yearly capacity of up to
15,000 fowls.
(c) The Southern Highlands
The high mountain area south of Lake
Issyk-Kul' is referred to as the Southern Highlands.
The difficult terrain features of this region con-
siderably restrict the extent of cultivation. The
total cultivated area is estimated at 183,000 acres.'
Crop production is limited mainly to the Naryn,
Kochkur, Atbashi, and Ak-Say River valleys, and to
the basins of Lakes Son-Kul' and Chatyr-Kul'.
226
Approved For Release 1999/09MITCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Crops grown in the area consist primarily
of wheat and barley. Both crops are used for human
food as well as for supplementary livestock fodder.
They are raised mainly on irrigated fields in the
bottom lands and on the lower slopes of river val-
leys. The total irrigated area in wheat and barley
is some 170,000 acres.
Production of barley, alfalfa, and clover
by dry-farming methods is practiced on mountain
slopes and alpine pastures up to 6,500 feet. Above
this elevation, the barley is undersized or dies
before it matures, because of the short growing
season. Some dry-farming is also practiced in the
bottom lands of river valleys.
Crop cultivation in the eastern half of the
Southern Highlands (which includes the Upper Naryn
Valley and Inyl'chek Mountain complex) is relatively
insignificant. The area is very sparsely populated
and used primarily for grazing. The small amount cx!'
crops grown by the pastoral population consists
mainly of fodder. Recent experiments with growing
barley in the Upper Naryn, Terek, and Inyl'chek
Valleys have proved successful. Through experimental
227
Approved For Release 1999/09/YrtIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
farms in the Issyk-Kul' Basin, the Soviets are
attempting to raise fodder crops in the Cholok-
Kapchigay, Irtash, Kuylyu, and Inyltchek River
valleys.
(2) Grazing Lands and Animal Husbandry
(a) The Chu Valley Region
The Chu Valley is a significant livestock-
raising area. Approximately 60 percent of the
2,200,000 acres of land in the valley is used for
grazing. This includes the slopes of the Kirgiz
Ala-Tau and Chu-Iliyskiye Gory, as well as large
stretches of flatlands that are not under cultivation
(Figure 30).
The greater part of the grazing land in
the Chu Valley is used for spring and fall pastur-
ing. During the summer and winter seasons, live-
stock are driven to pastures in the Chu-Iliyskiye
and Eirgizskiy Mountains. The most important summer
grazing areas are in the Susomyr Valley. Livestock
kolkhozes and sovkhozes own most of the pasture
lands in the Chu Valley. Pastures in the Susomyr
Valley also are frequently used for winter grazing.
The total number of livestock in the Chu
Valley is approximately 570,000 animals of which
228
Approved For Release 1999/OPTIRFCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Figure 30. Herd of Kirgiz horses on pasture in
the Chu Valley.
229
Approved For Release 1999/09/2T9WA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
sheep and goats account for 350,000, cattle for
150,000, and horses for 70,000. Over 10,000 head of
cattle and more than 60,000 sheep and goats are
distributed among the large livestock sovkhozes of
Imeni Frunze, Alamedin, Kegetye, Shams-I, and Kzyl-
Oktyabr'. All of these sovkhozes are :ocated along
the northern slopes of the Kirgizskiy Ala-Tau. The
sovkhoz Imeni Frunze also has large grazing areas
northwest of Frunze.
(b) The Northern Highlands
Lands suitable for grazing are found on
the northern slopes of the Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau and
Kungey Ala-Tau, in the bottoms and on the slopes of
the Chilik, Charyn, Kegen', and Tekes River valleys,
and in the upper zones of the Ketmen' Mountains.
The Zailiyskiy and Kungey Ala-Tau ranges have
numerous high-altitude pastures at elevations be-
tween 9,200 and 10,000 feet.
The grazing period for high-altitude
pastures in the Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau ranges from 2 to
5 months. The Great Kebin Valley, sandwiched between
the Kungey Ala-Tau to the south and the Zailiyskiy
Ala-Tau to the north, provides extensive summer
230
Approved For Release 1999/091at: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999qm CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
grazing in the bottom lands and along lower slopes.
The Chilik and Kegen' River valleys are used by
native sheep and cattle herders as winter pastures.
Yurta encampments are found throughout these valleys.
Animal husbandry is the most important
branch of the rural economy of the area. As in the
Chu Valley and the Southern Highlands, animal
husbandry is based primarily on the breeding of
sheep, cattle, and horses. Hog raising has devel-
oped increasingly since World War II. To a small
degree, camels also are raised, mainly in areas
adjacent to the Sinkiang border.
Sheep raising dominates the animal hus-
bandry of the region. The total number of sheep alio
goats is estimated at some 150,000. Special emphasis
is given to the development of fine-fleeced and semi-
coarse-fleeced sheep. By crossing the local Merino
sheep with the wild Akhar mountain ram, the Kazakhs
developed an improved breed, the "Akharomerino,"
which is better adapted for all-year grazing on
mountain pastures. This sheep yields high-quality
wool and mutton and attains considerable weight.
231
Approved For Release 1999/09iFFbIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
(c) The Southern Highlands
The Southern Highlands include some of
the most important grazing lands of the hinterland.
Numerous intermontane valleys (syrts) and mountain
meadows provide rich pastures for large herds of
livestock. The area supports almost one-fifth of
all the sheep, goats, and horses in the Kirgiz SSR.
Grazing lands in the Southern Highlands
are basically of two types: (a) high-altitude
pastures, which begin at an average elevation of
9,500 feet, and (b) low-altitude pastures, which
are usually located in the lower river valleys and
lake basins of the area.
High-altitude pastures are used mainly
for summer and fall grazing. The richest of these
pastures are located in intermontane valleys at
Aevations above 10,000 feet. The grazing period in
these valleys ranges from 2 to 3 months. Many high-
altitude pastures are of little use because of their
small grazing area and difficult approach. Some et
the high-altitude pastures are free of snow cover
during most years and are used for winter grazing.
Pastures in the valleys of the Tyulek, Karakudzhur,
232
Approved For Release 1999/0fffTCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/s0E9C/A1T : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Karasaz, Orchaly, and Bolgart rivers are widely
used for winter grazing. Herds of cattle and horses
are also driven to pastures in the Kuylyn, Kaindy,
Inyl'chek, Ak-Shiyrak, and Sarydzhas River valleys.
Cattle, horse, and hog breeding is practiced
mainly in irrigated areas in the lowlands and on lower
mountain slopes. The number of cattle and horses is
estimated at 65,000 each; hogs number approximately
45,000. The Auliye-Ata breed of cattle particularly
is common throughout this area. Domestic horses are
famous for their stamina and endurance under severe
climatic conditions. This hardiness enables native
herdsmen to graze their horses on high-altitude
winter pastures that are often covered with layers
of ice and snow and offer meager supplies of natural
fodder.
The Soviets are making an effort to induce
collective farms in the area to breed more than one
type of livestock. The hope is to increase the
number of animals in the area and utilize the natural
fodder resources more efficiently.
The principal low-altitude pastures are
located in the Naryn and Kochkur valleys. Grazing
233
Approved For Release 1999/00HFCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Lands in the Naryn Valley are suitatle mainly for
summer, fall, and spring pasturing. Summer pastures
are usually found on the upper slopes of the valley
where the meadows are adequate for large-scale
grazing. Fall and spring pastures are located on
the lower, southern slopes of the valley. Live-
stock driven onto these pastures consist mainly of
horses and sheep. Some winter pastures are also
found in the Upper Naryn Valley, but livestock kept
in this part of the valley must be supplied with
supplementary fodder throughout most of the winter
months. Most of the livestock in the Naryn Valley
is driven to winter pastures in the high, enclosed
valleys cf the Tyulek and Karakudzhur rivers. In
the bottom lands or on the lower mountain slopes,
the Kochkur Valley has many pastures suitable for
summer, fall, and winter grazing.
Other low-altitude pastures are found in
the Atbasni, Orpa, and Ak-Say River valleys in the
vicinity of Lakes Son-Kul' and Chatyr-Kul'. These
are suitable fall and winter pastures for horses,
sheep, and goats.
234
Approved For Release 1999/09121RECIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release I 99ptq1 : CIA-RDP79101018A000100090001-1
Security Information
At present, livestock in the Southern
Highlands total about 980,000, including 140,000
goats. More than 80 percent of all livestock is
owned by kolkhozes and Covkhozes; the remainder is
still owned by nomadic herders. There are three
large livestock breeding sovkhozes in the area.
Two of these are sheep-breeding farms in the Kochkur
and Dzhumgol region, and the third is a large horse-
breeding farm near Naryn.
b. Industry
Sparse population and lack of adequate transportation
facilities have greatly restricted the expansion of industry
throughout most of the region. Industrial development in
the hinterland is consequently concentrated mainly in the
cities of Alma-Ata and Frunze. Minor industrial installa-
tions are located in the towns of Tokmak, Kant, and Naryn.
In addition, there are several clothing and shoe factories,
as well as sugar mills and fruit canneries strung along the
Lugovoy-Rybach'ye railroad in the Chu Valley.
(1) Alma-Ata
The city of Alma-Ata has developed into an
important industrial center since World War II. The
evacuation of industrial plants from the war-threatened
235
Approved For Release 1999/0grgE:TCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
areas of the west contributed largely to the rapid
industrial growth of the city. Alma-Ata is one of the
most important torpedo-manufacturing centers in the
Soviet Union. There are also industrial plants that
manufacture munitions and armaments such as artillery
shells, bombs, and mortars. Other plants in the metro-
politan area repair railroad equipment and produce
chemicals (including oxygen and carbonic acid), cement,
aircraft, various types of heavy machinery, electrical
equipment, woolen textiles, clothing, and shoes. Proc-
essing installations include meat-packing combines, a
fruit and vegetable combine, sawmills, grain elevators,
tobacco factories, an oil refinery, and 1 sugar refinery
(Figure 31). The main industrial aectiol is in the
western part of the city, although the northeast section
is also gaining in prominence as an industrial area.
Information on the principal industrial installations
is as follows:
a) Munitions Plant and Torpedc Factory #175--
This plant, also known as "Zavod #175," is probably
the Largest industrial establishment In Alma-Ata.
It is located in the northwestern outskirts, 1 mile
southwest of the Alma-Ata Railroad Station and
236
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21 ?&CIARDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information_
237
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: dRflibP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Yards II. An 8-foot-high brick wall surrounds the
industrial installations, which consist of numerous
individual shops rather than one integrated plant.
Two separate industries, the Alma-Ata streetcar
barn and repair shop and a tobacco plant and machine
shop are also located within the over-all compound
of Plant #175.
The plant ranks third in importance among
the six torpedo-producing installations in the USSR.
Its estimated production is approximately 300 tor-
pedoes annually. Minor items produceel include
paravanes, parts for gasoline-burner ntoves, torpedo
parts, buoys, anchors for water mines aerial bombs
(since 1948), and tool sets for torpedo servicing on
shipboard. The plant employs approximately 3,500
workers in three 8-hour shifts.
Completely assembled torpedoes, without
explosive charges, are reported to be shipped from
the Alma-Ata plant to Voroshilov, north of Vladivos-
tok, for the use of the Soviet Fifth and Seventh
Fleets. In addition to this primary output, consid-
erable quantities of torpedo parts, particularly
torpedo heads, are supplied to the Makhach Kala
238
Approved For Release 1999/OPPFJCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Ammunition Plant, "Dvigatel 182," and Torpedo Plant
nDvigatel 181" at Leningrad. Torpedoes are also
sent to the testing station of Przheval'sk on Lake
Issyk-Kul', which works in close collaboration with
Plant 0175.
b) Alma-Ata Machinery Plant ("Alma Atinskiy
Zavod Tyazhelogo Mashinostroyeniya" (AZTM)--This
heavy-machinery plant is located approximately 5
miles northeast of the Alma-Ata Railroad Station and
Yard II. The plant is of moderate size. It produced
munitions during the last war, when Russian civilians
and some Japanese prisoners of war were known to be
employed on three 8-hour shifts daily. The main
installations of the plant are a foundry and casting
shop where machinery frames and bases, tractor parts,
farm implements, and meat grinders are cast from
scrap iron. Other parts include two machine shops,
a blacksmith shop, and a shovel-manufacturing sec-
tion. The "AZTM" Plant is reportedly also manufactur-
ing an undetermined number of vehicles, tank gears
and wheels, entrenching shovels, and numerous small
household utilities. Raw materials and finished
products are shipped by means of a single-track
239
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
railroad spur connecting the plant with the Alma-
Ata Railroad Station and Yard II.
c) Alma-Ata Electric Equipment Plantl"Trans-
signal")--This installation is reportedly one of
the larger plants in the Kazakh SSR. Its exact
locatiori is not known, but it is most likely situated
in the west-southwestern part of town The plant
produces telephone, aircraft, and motor-vehicle and
railway-signal equipment, as well as electrical
appliances and a wide variety of machine tools.
During the war it produced parts for military vehicles
and army personnel equipment. The plant consists of
about 10 brick buildings of assorted sizes, which
contain a forging shop and galvanizing and assembly
plants. Some 2,000 persons are employed by the
"Trans-signal" plant.
d) Alma-Ata Locomotive and Coach, Repair Shoe--
This shop is considered to be the main locomotive
and coach repair shop for the Turksib Railroad Sys-
tear Repairs are also undertaken for railroad equip-
ment of other operating railroads. The plant employs
some 67000 workers in three 8-hour shifts.
e) Alma-Ata Municipal Thermal Electric Power
Plant --The location of this important installation
214.0
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
is known only by its coordinates: 43?17'N-76?56'E.
The installation has an estimated capacity of 24,000
kw, which surpasses the combined capacities of all
small hydroelectric power plants in the vicinity of
Alma-Ata. Practically all the power requirements of
the industrial plants within the city limits are
furnished by this plant. The fuel used by the plant
Is hard coal. It also receives power via underground
cables from a transformer station and several smaller
hydroelectric power plants on the Bol'shaya Almatinka
River.
(2) Frunze
Frunze is one of the largest industrial centers
of the Kirgiz SSR, with 65 percent of the total industrial
production and over 30 percent of the industrial workers
of the SSR. Its plants and factories are engaged mainly
in the processing of agricultural raw materials grown in
the Chu Valley Region. Prior to World War II industrial
enterprises within the city included a large meat combire,
a mill combine, a metal-working plant, sewing and furni-
ture factories, tobacco and cigarette factories, and a
leather and clothing plant. During the war, several
plants were added to the industrial complex, including
241
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
one producing cast-iron equipment, an aircraft sub-
assemblies and components plant, two ammunition plants,
and several hemp-jute and fabric-processing plants.
The following are the most signtficant industr al
installations in the Frunze area:
a) Frunze Agricultural Machinery Plant (Imeni
"Frunze")--This plant is located in the western see-
tion of the city. The plant includes an engineering
shop, aSsembly shop, machine shop, and foundry. An
additional foundry and a power station are reportedly
under construction. Available sources indicate that
the plant employs about 1,500 workers, some of whom
may be classified as forced laborers. The principal
products are harvesters, mowing machines, horse-drawn
rakes, and a variety of machine tools and spare parts
for agricultural machinery. Finished machine products
mainly serve the needs of the Kirgiz rural economy,
although many are sent to collective farms throughout
Soviet Central Asia. Principal raw materials, such
as steel and pig iron, are received by rail from
industries in the Urals and the Moscow region. A
single-track, broad-gauge spur line connects the
plant with the main rail line through Frunze.
242
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
b) Frunze Tool Plant ("Instrumental'nyy
Zavod")--It is believed that this plant is the same
as the one called "Frunze Avtotraktor Zavod." In
addition to manufacturing screw-cutting lathes, the
plant repairs autos, tractors, and trucks. As of
1939 the plant employed some 1,000 persons, but the
number of employees is believed to have increased
since World War II. During the war the plant was
used as a major tank-repair station. Since World
War II the production of rifles and cartridges has
been attributed to this plant but has not been
confirmed. A single-track, broad-gauge rail spur
leads from the plant to the main rail line passing
through Frunze.
c) Frunze Meat Combine ("Myasokombinat")--
This plant was constructed in 1931 for the processing
of agricultural raw materials in the Chu Valley
Region. Since that date the combine has been ex-
panded into a number of large installations with
modern equipment. The combine consists of sausage,
meat-canning, and jar plants, as well as a large
cold-storage installation. Livestock are sent to the
meat-combine from all parts of northern Kirgizia
(Figure 32).
211-3
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
0
-P
!Z
0
0
re4
4.)
r-r4
P-4
tO
rl
U.)
a.)
a)
cr,
244
Approved For Release 1999/09/2TMA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09a1RiFIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
d) Aircraft Subassemblies and Components
Plant--This factory was evacuated from Moscow in
1942. At that time it was engaged in the manufacture
of aircraft subassemblies and aircraft component
parts. The last available information indicating its
presence in Frunze is dated 1947, and it is not clear
whether the plant is still in operation.
e) Voyenni Ammunition Plant (also known as
Ogon Armament Plant)--This plant, located south of
the railroad stations, produces small-arms and
artillery ammunition. Since World War II the plant
has expanded in size and productive capacity. Avail-
able reports indicate that it was supplied with new
machinery in 1945. In 1946 some 3,000 workers were
employed. A second munitions plant is located in
the western part of town between the main highway
and railroad leading westward to Dzhambul. This
plant has not been sufficiently identified, but it
appears to be a subsidiary of the Voyenni Ammunition
Plant.
Other significant industries in Frunze include
a mill combine with a rice-processing plant; a tobacco-
curing plant, which processes tobacco grown in the Talas
211-5
Approved For Release 1999/0e11111A-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
and Fergana Valleys; a liquor distillery and brewery;
a leather plant; an antimony-mercury combine; a chemical
and pharmaceutical plant that produces camphor, strych-
nine, caffeine, glucose, arsenic, and calcium chloride;
a furniture- and cart-making combine; three brick plants
that produce 50 million bricks annually, two of which
are identified as the Krasnyy Stroitel' and Novo-Pavlov
Plants; and a sewing and clothing factory, which supplies
clothing to various parts of northern Kirgzia. Frunze
has also a number of small local workshops engaged
mainly in serving the urban population.
The Moscow "Lebedev" Institute has recently
established an atomic research department In Frunze,
but its location is not known. The Institute is super-
vised by the '"Irugvost Komplab" (Southeast Complex of
Laboratories), Department of the Academy ar Science.
The Frunze department specializes in mathematical and
physical research on atomic energy. It also serves as
a. central laboratory for the atomic researeh centers in
the Bet-Pakdala and Balkhash Deserts in the Kazakh SSR.
(3) Tokmak
Toa, 37 miles east of Frunze, is undergoing
increasing industrialization. Its positioa cn the
246
Approved For Release 1999/091MICIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Lugovoy-Rybach'ye railroad and the increasing agricultural
activity surrounding the city has resulted in the develop-
ment of several industrial installations. Most of the
industry located in Tokmak is engaged in processing
agricultural materials such as fiber plants, wool,
sugar beets, fruits, and vegetables. Installations are,
in the main, concentrated in the suburb of Oktyabr'skiy
and reportedly include a sugar refinery, a wool-washing
plant, a fruit cannery, two machine shops (one of which
has been cited for machine-gun production), and an
asbestos and peat deposit station. In addition, an auto
repair plant and a power station (Tokmak GES) are located
within the city limits.
(4) Kant
Industrial installations in Kant are based
primarily on sugar-beet processing and truck gardening.
Some of the products are transported to Frunze. Two
sugar mills have been in operation in Kant since 1932,
one of which is believed to be a subsidiary of the
Frunze sugar refinery. Other known industrial installa-
tions within the town limits include some larger supply
and repair shops of the Kirgiz Ministry for Auto Trans-
port, a small thermoelectric power plant, a cement plant
247
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
(referred to as the Chuvski Plant), and a rayon industrial
combine. Three miles east of Kant, in the village of
Dmitriyevskoye, is a large sugar refinery that processes
large quantities of sugar beets grown in the agricultural
region surrounding Kant.
(5) Naryn
Naryn has several small establishments that
serve local needs only. A motor-vehicle repair shop
services commercial trucks and automobiles that use the
Rybach'ye-Kashgar Highway. Other installations reported
in Naryn are a dairy-products combine, several sawmills,
a tannery, a brickyard, several primitive artels, and a
hydroelectric plant with a capacity of 500 kilowatts.
Recent information indicates the existence of a wolfram-
collecting point.
5. Transportation
a. Railroads
Railroad facilities in the hinterland tu.e limited
to the Alma-Ata area and the Chu Valley. In the vicinity
of Alma-Ata these facilities consist of the Alma-Ata railroad
center and a short railroad connection with the Turksib
Trunkline. A branch line of the Turksib Railroad runs
through the Chu Valley, from Lugovoy to Rybach'ye. This
248
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/02a: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
part of the line, completed after World War II, is vital to
the economic development of the hinterland. It goes through
FrunZe, Tokmak, Kant, and Bystrovka and leads through the
narrow Buam Gorge, the only mountain pass between northern
Kirgizia and the Issyk-Kul' Basin. The line connects the
Chu Valley and the basin with the industrial centers of the
Fergana Valley, the Kuznets Basin, and the Ural Mountains.
(1) The Alma-Ata Railroad Center
The Alma-Ata railroad center is one of the
principal rail installations along the Turkestan-Siberian
Trunkline. It consists of two railroad stations (Alma-
Ata I and Alma-Ata II, connected by a single-track rail-
road line), a medium-sized railroad yard, several engine
sheds, and a wheel shop. Numerous spur lines lead to
major industrial installations.
Railroad Station Alma-Ata I is located north
of the city proper, at the junction between the Turksib
and a single-track, broad-gauge line 7.4 miles long that
leads south to the city railroad terminal, the Alma-Ata
Railroad Station and Yards II. Station Alma-Ata I is
believed to have 8 tracks, 3 of which are used for
passenger traffic. It also has several sidings leading
to engine sheds and wheel shops. Turksib rail traffic
249
Approved For Release 1999/091ffnIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
passing through the station is relatively heavy. Freight
trains 20 to 25 cars long reportedly pass in each direc-
tion about every half-hour. Freight moving in the
direction of Novosibirsk includes assembled trucks (Zis
and Molotov models), oil, rails, cement, bricks, pig-
iron ingots, and food items. Freight consigned to
western regions (Tashkent and the Europeal USSR) con-
sists, in the main, of large amounts of wood (mostly
logs), brown and hard coal, large quantities of fur,
and potatoes. Passenger trains stopping at Alma-Ata I
(according to the 1950 Railroad Timetable) are the
Moscow Express, which makes one round trip per week,
and a slow passenger train operating once daily in each
direction. Passenger movement at the station is
supervised by civilian guards, whereas armed uniformed
guards control freight operations.
The single-track line between Alma-Ata I and
Alma-Ata II parallels one of Alma-Ata's main thorough-
fares, over which streetcars run to a point about a mile
southeast of Station Alma-Ata I. Two passenger trains
and 10 to 12 freight trains a day move in each direction
over this line.
Railroad Station and Yards Alma-Ata II handles
both passenger and freight traffic. It probably has
250
Approved For Release 1999/09/AttinCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/0WRIUICIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
10 or 11 tracks. Several of these lead to industrial
installations in the city, including the Munitions Plant
and Torpedo Factory #175, the Machinery Plant "AZTM,"
the railroad locomotive and car repair shop, a powerplant,
and others. The terminal railroad station also has
locomotive sheds and fueling facilities.
Freight trains arriving at Station Alma-Ata II
carry baled cotton, lumber, cement, limestone, tobacco,
assembled trucks, coal, saksaul (a dried desert plant
widely used as fuel), pig-iron bars and ingots, and iron
pipes. Outgoing freight trains carry consignments of
cigarettes, canned meats and fruits, cotton textiles,
heavy machine parts, flywheels, and other locally manu-
factured products.
(2) The Frunze-Rybach'ye Railroad Line
The Frunze-Rybach'ye line is one of the most
significant transportation routes in the hinterland.
Approximately 105 miles long, it is a sector of a singl-!.-
tracked, broad-gauge line that branches off from the
Turksib at Lugovoy. From Lugovoy to Rybach'ye is 201
miles.
The line was completed to Frunze in 1924. In
1932 it was extended to Kant, and the Kant-Bystrovka
251
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09111RiCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
section was completed by 1941. The final sector, be-
tween Bystrovka and Rybach'ye, was reported as completed
in 1952. The line has become vital to the economic
development of the Chu Valley and the Issyk-Kul Basin.
Grain and lumber shipments from the basin have doubled
since the opening of rail traffic, and a lively trade
has developed witb the industrial centers of the Fergana
Valley, the Ural Mountains, and the Moscow area. The
Soviets plan to extend the railroad from Eybach'ye to
Przheval'sk following the northern shore of the lake.
The principal railroad installation; in the
rssyk-Kult--Central Tien Shan Region are located at
Frunze. They consist of a locomotive repair shop,
engine shed, rolling-stock repair shop, watering and
fueling facilities, and a small freight yard. A mall
engine shed and a modern depot for railroad coaches are
located at the suburb of Pishpek. Between Frunze and
Ivanovka, a distance of 39 miles, the line runs between
the Frunze-Rybachlye Highway and the Krasnorechenskiy
Irrigation Canal. Stops along this stretch are at Kant
and Ivanovka. Between Frunze and the Buan Gorge, the
main stops are Tokmak, Chimkurgan, and Bystrovka.
Station "Post KM 222" between Tokmak and Chimkurgan is
252
Approved For Release 1999/09-1197t1A-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/WAE,i CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
a flag stop. The railroad station at Bystrovka, 57 mile;
east of Frunze, is located approximately 2.5 miles east
of the settlement. The station building is of stone,
and there are two sidings in addition to the main line.
Through the Buam Gorge, the roadbed is cut deeply into
the mountainside and lies at a slightly higher elevation
than the Frunze-Rybach'ye Highway. The route has many
sharp curves, and up and down grades. Tunnels have been
reported between Dzylt-Aryk and Kyz-Kiya. Near the
latter, the line crosses the Chu River and continues
along the right bank to Kok-Maynak and Rybach'ye.
Freight traffic along the line is heaviest
between Frunze and Tokmak. Eastbound freight consists
largely of manufactured goods and machinery, coal,
lumber, construction materials, cement, salt, and water
pipes. Westbound freight includes wheat, sugar beets,
fruits and vegetables, fish from Lake Issyk-Kul', and
some coal from the Dzhargalan fields. According to 1951
reports, at least one freight train passed Bystrovka
daily in each direction at that time (Figure 33).
Passenger service as listed in the 1950 Soviet
Timetable consists of one train a day in each direction
between Frunze and Bystrovka. The same service is
253
Approved For Release 1999/64FHT: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: FeiERpP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Figure 33. A freight train on the. Frunze-Rybach'ye Railroad.
25L.
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: MY'kbP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
believed to have been extended to Rybach'ye. Passenger
traffic west of Frunze, on the Lugovoy-Frunze sector,
is considerably heavier. Daily service in each direction
is offered by two slow trains and one fast train.
b. Roads
The road net in the hinterland consists of several
highways of various degrees of adequacy, a few short improved
dirt roads, and a great number of mountain paths and trails.
The best roads are in the vicinities of Alma-Ata and Frunze.
Main roads from Alma-Ata lead (1) north to Iliysk, (2) west
to Frunze, and (3) east to Kegen' via Talgar and Chilik.
A highway passing through Frunze leads eastward through the
Chu Valley and Buam Gorge to Rybach'ye, where it branches
into three main routes. One of these leads to Kashgar in
Sinkiang; the other two skirt the northern and southern
shores of Lake Issyk-Kul', respectively, leading to
Przheval'sk.
Other improved dirt roads in the area emanate from
Frunze, Tokmak, Naryn, and Przheval'sk. Two improved roads
lead westward from Kochkorka and Naryn, respectively, to the
industrial center of Dzhalal-Abad, outside the study area.
A third road originating at Przheval'sk cuts across the
northeastern part of the hinterland to Sharyn, via Kegen'
255
Approved For Release 1999/0FITTbIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
and Podgornoye. Unimproved dirt roads, many of which are
little more than winding paths used primarily for driving
cattle to pasture or to market, connect outlying communities
with the economic centers. These primitive roads are found
chiefly in mountain valleys.
Narrow trails and paths are the only means of travel',
over mountain crests or through deep canyons. The degree to
which these are used by local traffic depends largely on the,
difficulty in traversing the associated mountain passes
(Figure 34).
Several of the trails in the area are used as
caravan routes (Figure 35). The trail running southward via.
the Ak-Bel', Tozhiko, Ishtyk, and Bedel' Passes is considered
an important caravan route to Sinkiang.
(1) Major Roads from Alma-Ata
(a) Alma-Ata--Chilik--Kegen' Highway
Only the eastern and western sections of
the Alma-Ata--Chilik--Kegen' Highway are located
within the Issyk-Kul' hinterland. The western section
extends from Alma-Ata to Talgar and the eastern
section from the settlement of Kegen' to the Sharyn
River. The longest stretch, 94 miles, from Talgar
to the Sharyn River, lies outside the Issyk-Kul'
256
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/216W-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Figure 34. A characteristic mountain trail, showing hazards to
movement.
257
Approved For Release 1999/09/2-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
258
Approved For Release 1999/09/24cMIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999npal : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Basin--Central Tien Shan Region. The section between
Alma-Ata and Talgar is 22 miles long. It has an
asphalt surface and is approximately 20 feet wide.
About 11 miles east of Alma-Ata, the highway narrows
for a short distance to less than 10 feet, and trucks
can pass each other here only with extreme difficulty.
A drainage ditch parallels the road for a distance
of 12 miles from Alma-Ata.
Several important installations are located
along this sector of the highway. At the north-
eastern outskirts of Alma-Ata, military barracks
south of the road reportedly house an artillery unit.
Approximately 3 miles northeast of Alma-Ata, about
300 feet north of the road, is a motor-vehicle repair
shop. A small powerplant and a water reservoir are
located 13 miles east of the city.
The highway reenters the hinterland at the
Sharyn River (approximately 43?15'N-78?56'E). From
that point it leads due south to the low Kuuluk-Tau
Mountains, at the base of which the road turns sharpy
eastward and continues parallel to the mountains.
Near the Termelik River the road crosses the Kuuluk-
Tau and leads southward to Kegen'. The distance by
259
Approved For Release 1999/0?fREFCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21E-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
road between the Sharyn River and Kegen' is approxi-
mately 50 miles. At Kegen', a junction is made with
two improved dirt roads, which lead south. to Karkara
and southeast to Akbent, respectively.
Traffic from Alma-Ata to Kegen' consists
mostly pf truck movements. Much of the eastbound
freight goes beyond Kegen', via Narynkol', to Kuld-
zha in Sinkiang Province. Freight westbound to
Alma-Ata consists mainly of fruits and vegetables.
(b) Alma-Ata--Illysk Road
This improved dirt road runs north-north-
east from Alma-Ata to Iliysk, a distence of approxi-
mately 46 miles. Only an 8-mile stretch of the road
lies wi1hin the Issyk-Kul--Central TfLen Shan Region.
The road parallels the railroad line connecting
Stations Alma-Ata I and II. Within Alma-Ata the road
is paved with stone; beyond the city limits it is of
rolled crushed stone and is approximately 20 feet
wide. Drainage ditches reportedly parallel the road'
on both sides in some sections. A streetcar line
follows the road and terminates at a grain warehouse
about a mile southeast of Station Alma-Ata I. On the
east side of the road approximately 2 miles north of
260
Approved For Release 1999/09MIRMIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
the outskirts of Alma-Ata are three large, wooden,
grain warehouses. About 3.2 miles north of Alma-Ata
the railroad crosses the road, and barrier gates are
operated manually at the crossing. From this level
grade crossing the road parallels the railroad as
far as a second level crossing 5.5 miles north of
Alma-Ata.
Traffic is heaviest in the section leading
from Alma-Ata to the airfields north of the city.
Mostly military and civilian vehicles engaged in
operations connected with the airfield use the road.
(c) Alma-Ata--Frunze Road
From Alma-Ata a road runs westward, skirt-
ing the foothills of the Zailiyskiy Ala-Tau and Chu-
Iliyskiye Mountains. At Chagay Pass (elevation 4,000
feet) the road cuts across the Chu-Iliyskiye Ranges
and continues southwestward to Frunze. The road is
147 miles long and is the shortest motor route be-
tween Alma-Ata and Frunze. The road is 23 feet wide,
and the surface is gravel except in the sector from
Alma-Ata to Kaskelen, which is paved with stone.
Heavy truck traffic and poor maintenance have re-
sulted in considerable surface damage, and in 1949
261
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
the road was reported to be in bad condition. Plans
for reconstruction include asphalt surfacing.
Between Alma-Ata and Kaskelen the road
passes over two large bridges. According to avail-
able sources, one of the bridges, located. 5 miles
west of Alma-Ata, can be bypassed, since trucks can
easily ford the stream about 32 feet north of the
bridge by crossing over an artificially built,
underwater gravel causeway. The bridge has concrete-
reinforced girders. The road surface across the
bridge is 23 feet wide and has a 3-foot sidewalk on
each side.
Westward from Kaskelen the road runs
relatively close to the foothills of the Zaillyskly
Ala-Tau. The 46-mile stretch to Targan is bordered
on both sides by collective farms. One of these is
the Koikhoz Mayskiy, some 11 miles west of Kaskelen.
Fabrichnyy, Uzun-Agach, and Samsy are larger settle-
ments along the route. From Targan to the Chagay
Pass the road passes numerous winter quarters of the
seminomadic Kirgiz and Kazakh cattle herders.
Except for the small villages of Kurdsor and Otar-
Rgayty, there are no permanent settlements along
262
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
the route. The Chagay Pass (elevation 1,800 feet)
Is easily crossed. It is sufficiently wide for the
road to maintain its 23-foot width. Crossing the
Chu-Iliyskiye mountains, the road follows a south-
westerly course as far as the settlement of Syugaty
and then swings southward to Frunze. The road
crosses the Chu River at the large settlement of
Georgiyevka.
Traffic along the entire Alma-Ata--Frunze
sector consists mainly of trucks. Most of these are
Zis-5 models (3 tons), Zis-150 (4 tons; 1948 models),
and Gaz-150 (1/2 to 2 tons; a new model copied from
American Studebaker trucks). Freight carried con-
sists chiefly of agricultural products being dis-
tributed to local kolkhozes.
(2) The Frunze-Rybach'ye Highway
This strategic highway is the only motorable
route connecting the Chu Valley with the Issyk-Kul'
Basin. For its length of approximately 107 miles, the
highway parallels the Frunze-Rybach'ye railroad line.
Truck and automobile traffic between Frunze and Rybach'ye
is very heavy.
At Frunze, the highway connects with the
Tashkent--Alma-Ata Road. From Frunze eastward to Tokmak,
263
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
along a stretch of about 36 miles, the highway is asphalt
surfaced. The road passes through a thickly populated
agricultural. area. Along the first 9 miles from Frunze,
rural settlements merge together in a rflpbonlike pattern.
Near the town of Kant (11 miles east of Frunze) and
beyond, the sugar-beet, alfalfa, and grain fields border
the road on both sides. The outlines of the Kirgizskiy
Mountains to the south and the Chu-Iliyskiye Ranges to
the north can be seen, at first faintly, but more clearly
as the highway approaches Tokmak. From Tokmak eastward,
the highway is surfaced with gravel and, according to
the Soviets, quite suitable for heavy automobile and
truck traffic. As the road enters the mcuntains,
cultivated fields are smaller and populated places
farther apart. The road ascends the foothills of the
Kirgiz Ala-Tau Ranges and enters the narrow and haz-
ardous Buam Gorge between the Chu River to the north and
the Frunze-Rybach'ye railroad line to the south and at
a slightly higher elevation. The road alignment through
the gorge is highly irregular, with numeroas sharp curves
and steep grade crossings (Figure 36). At approximately
the middle of the Buam Gorge, the road crosses the Chu
River by a bridge 33 feet long and 26 feet wide (Figure
264
Approved For Release 1999/09/AcTIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: COUIV6P79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
37). This appears to be a single-lane bridge of wooden
construction with two brick abutments. There are no
piers in the river because of the very swift current.
The water clearance of the bridge is 6.5 feet. There
are catwalks on each side of the roadway. The bridge is
closed to night traffic. No road tunnels within the
gorge have been reported.
There are some repair and fuel:Ing installations
along the highway. At Frunze, repair and maintenance of
trucks and civilian cars are handled by the Frunze Tool
Plant, "Instrumentaltnyy Zavod." A motor repair shop
is also located in the eastern outskirts of Frunze at
Novo-Pokrovka. The main car repair shop 3 of the Ministry
of Automobile Transport (Ministerstvo Avtotransport) for
the Kirgiz SSR are located at Kant. Another auto repair
shop is located in Tokmak. Fueling stations are located
at Frunze, Tckmak, Kant, and Rybachiye. In addition
large gasoline tanks are believed to be located near the
railroad station in Bystrovka.
Within the Chu Valley, numerous unimproved dirt
roads and paths branch off the highway anCi lead to neigh-
boring sovkhozes, kolkhozes, and winter quarters. Most
of the better branch roads radiate southward from Frunze
266
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Figure 37. Highway bridge across the Chu River in the Buam Gorge.
267
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
and Tokmak. A Soviet newspaper report indicates that
construction of a new motor road leading south from
Frunze to the high mountain valley of Susamyr has been
completed. The health resort of Arasan, located about
40 miles southeast of Frunze in the narrow valley of the
Issyk-Ata River, is connected by a dirt road with Novo
Pokrovskoye (a suburb of Frunze) and with Ivanovka.
Several dirt roads connect Tokmak with outlying agri-
cultural districts at the Kegety and Shamsi River
valleys in the Kirgizskiy Range.
(3) The Rybach'ye-Naryn-Kashgar Highway
This highway is currently the main truck route
crossing the Naryn Upland. It connects the railhead of
Rybach'ye with the city of Kashgar in Chinese Sinkiang.
The distance from Rybach'ye to the Sinkiang border, at
the Turugart Pass (elevation 13,307 feet), is approxi-
mately 210 miles. The highway surface is gravel or
stone up to the Sinkiang border. In Sinkiang the road
is of unimproved dirt. The road is open all year for
motor traffic and is used by the Russian mountain troops
guarding the Chinese border (Figure 38). The exact
width of the road is not known, but it is wide enough
to permit two trucks to pass each other.
268
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21 :s%ARDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
g frontier.
on the Kirgiz-S
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CafliffP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Maintenance along the entire route from Rybach'-
ye to the Sinkiang frontier is good. Huts occupied by
personnel of the road-repair service are scattered along
various stretches of the road. Native herdsmen also
participate in road repairs and help keep traffic lanes
open during the winter season.
Improved branch roads meet the main highway only
at Kochkorka and Naryn. At Kochkorka an improved dirt
road branches off the highway and leads in a southwesterly
direction to Dzhalal-Abad, the third larges city of
Kirgizia. This branch road is a significant trade route
between the Issyk-Kul' Basin and the Fergana Valley.
From Kochkorka to Naryn, the road passes thPough the
gorge of the Dzhuvanaryk River and crosses Polonskiy Pass
(elevation 10,040 feet). From Naryn a surfaced branch
road leads westward to Dyur'beldzhin. Beyond Naryn, the
main highway cuts through the Naryn-Tau Mountains and the
Atbashi River valley. The route is characterized by
steep grades and sharp and hazardous curves. The settle-
ment of Atbashi is the largest community between Naryn
ani the Sinkiang boundary. At Atbashi, the highway turns
to the southwest, following the course of the Kara-Koyun
River. Near the western end of the Atbashi Motntain
270
Approved For Release 1999=M : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09RhiFIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
range the road turns southward and leads to the winter
pastures of the Ak-Say Syrt and Lake Chatyr-Kul', passing
the lake along its south shore and reaching the Sinkiang
border at the Turugart Pass.
(4) The Przheval'sk-Narynkol' Road
This improved motor road is significant because
it offers a secondary approach to the Sinkiang Province
of China. The Przheval'sk-Narynkol' Road has an approxi-
mate length of 107 miles, only 75 miles of which are in
the hinterland. The road has a surface of loose gravel
or stone and is believed to have two lanes.
The road enters the hinterland through the
Kyzyl-Kiya Pass (approximate elevation 7,200 feet) and
leads northeastward to the settlements of Karkara and
Akbent. Numerous tombs and burial mounds are found
along the route from the Kyzyl-Kiya Pass to Akbent.
From Akbent to Narynkol' the road skirts the foothills
of the Bas Ogly-Tau Ranges and follows the Tekes Valley
to Narynkol'. At Karkara and Akbent improved dirt roads
branch off from the Przheval'sk-Narynkol' Road and lead
to Kegen'.
c. Inland Waterways
The narrow, swift, and unregulated channels of the
principal rivers of the hinterland prevent any type of
271
Approved For Release 1999/00EB:EtIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
commercial navigation (Figure 39). A 1947 source states
that a planned dam across the Chu River may permit navigation
by small commercial craft. Flat-bottom boats or lumber rafts
may be used by the native population along certain stretches
of the Chu and Naryn Rivers. There are no reports of navi-
gation on Lakes Son-Kul and Chatyr-Kul'.
d. Air Transport
Air-transport facilities in the study area are
centered at Alma-Ata and Frunze. These cities have airfields
with scheduled and unscheduled airline traffic. They are
also used by the Soviet Air Force for training purposes.
(1) Air Routes
The following "Aeroflot" routes use the air
terminals at AIma-Ata: Alma-Ata--Karaganda--Kustanay
(alternate route through Akmolinsk); Alma-Ata--Omsk--
Sverdlovsk--Moscow; Alma-Ata--Semi-Palatins"?--Novosibirsk
(alternate route through Taldy-Kurgan); Alma-Ata--Tash-
kent. Two unscheduled (or regional) routes also operate
from Alma-Ata: Alma-Ata--Usti-Kamenogorsk--Semi-
Palatinsk--Leninogorsk, and Alma-Ata--Panfilov--Taldy-
Kurgan--Ayaguzkiy--Bakhty.
"Aeroflot" routes utilizing the Frunze air
facilities are: Frunze--Alma-Ata; Frunze-Dzhusaly-
Ural'sk-Penza-Moscow; Frunze-Tashkent. The unscheduled
272
Approved For Release 1999/C19.12IT CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: WIDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
273
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: drabP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information.
(or regional) routes operating from Frunze are: Frunze-
Naryn; Frunze-Przhevalisk; Frunze-Rybach'ye-Przheval'sk;
Frunze-Osh; Frunze. -Dzhalal-Abad; Frunze-Tales.
(2) Airfields
The Issyk-Kul' hinterland area has five air-
fields--three are at Alma-Ata, one at Frunze, and a minor
landing field at Naryn is used mostly for local flights.
(a) Alma.-Ata
l'he Alma-Ata (Fort Vernyy) Airfield is
located about 6 miles northeast of the Railroad
Station Alma-Ata II and approximately 2 uiles north-
east of Station Alma-Ata I. This field is the
terminus of the Moscow--Alta-Ata air route, and one
of the most important airfields in the hinterland.
It is also used by the Soviet Air Force and is capable
of supporting sustained operations of Light transport,
reciprocating-engine fighters, and possibly limited
operations of jet fighters. Its graded earth runway
is approximately 4,500 feet long and is criented in
a north-south direction. The field has a large steel
and concrete hangar and several graded taxiways.
Communication facilities at the field consist of
ground-to-air radio, telephone, telegraph, and a
274
Approved For Release 1999/094VICIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 199E9Ra1 : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
wireless station. Storage facilities, workshops,
and several supply sheds are located on the southern
part of the field. Access to the field is by the
Alma-Ata--Iliysk railroad and road.
The Alma-Ata North Airfield is located
about 7 miles north-northeast of the Railroad Station
Alma-Ata II, just west of the Alma-Ata--Iliysk High-
way and railroad line. From Station Alma-Ata I the
distance is 2 miles. This is a relatively important
military airfield of the Alma-Ata area and has been
used for paratroop training. In addition to recip-
rocating-engine fighters and TE transports, the
field may be used for limited jet-fighter operations
(Figure 4o). The sodded runway has an estimated
length of 4,000 feet and runs in a north-south
direction. Open parking is available. Communication
facilities consist of air-ground radio and telephone.
The airfield has no hangars, but three brick barracks
for military personnel, an administrative building,
and some underground installations have been reported.
The Alma-Ata Northwest Airfield is reportedly
located 6 miles north of Railroad Station Alma-Ata II,
and 1 mile west of the Alma-Ata--Iliysk road and rail-
road. The airfield is used exclusively by the Soviet
275
Approved For Release 1999iMi : CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
276
Approved For Release 1999/09/MVPX-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999S/09/21 RET: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
Air Force and has been used in connection with para-
troop training in the Alma-Ata area. No information
is available as to the runway except that the surface
is sodded. Also, no information is available regard-
ing communication facilities, supply, and fixed in-
stallations, such as hangars, shops, fuel depots, and
administrative buildings.
(b) Frunze (Pishpek)
The Frunze airfield is reported to be 1 or
2 miles south of the city. It is the terminus of a
civil air route originating at the Moscow-Lyubertsy
Airfield. The airfield was used for pilot training
during World War II, but at present it is used chiefly
by civilian-type aircraft. The field is capable of
supporting sustained operations of light transports,
reciprocating-engine fighters, and possibly jet
fighters. The field has a runway estimated at 4,000
feet. The surface is sodded. Its capacity is limited
to planes of types 11-12 and 11-2. Only open parking
is available. Radio facilities at the field consist
of an air-ground station where messages can be sent
in voice or code. Some storage and main organiza-
tional facilities are reported, also the existence o:r
a building for passenger traffic and several workshops.
277
Approved For Release 1999/0WFCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
(c) Naryn
The Naryn Airfield is reported to be
located on the Atbashi-Rybachiye main motor road
within the town limits. It is the terminus of the
passenger and mail air service between Frunze and
Naryn. The field has no known military significance.
It is used by civilian planes of the 11-2 class and
may be capable of supporting operaticns of light
transports and reciprocating-engine fighters.
278
Approved For Release 1999/0EMETCIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
APPENDIXES
A. Gaps in Intelligence
A substantial proportion of the materials used in this study was
taken from basic geographic sources. Only a very limited amount of
current data concerning peoples, industry, health and sanitation, and
transportation is available for the Issyk-Kul' -- Central Tien Shan
region, and much of the information was necessarily taken from raw
intelligence documents.
Some of the most critical gaps in current intelligence are in
population figures and information on the status of people from the
European USSR who were forcibly resettled in the region. Populatior,
figures in most cases are no more than rough estimates.
Although the quantity of data available for the waters of Lake
Issyk-Kul' is insufficient for a detailed analysis, only those data
were included for which the methods and conditions of observation were
given.
Climatic data for the Naryn Upland and Khan-Tengri areas are aiso
inadequate. Only short-period observations are available for two
meteorological stations. Observations from one of these stations,
the Tien Shan Observatory, are for 3 years -- a very short period on
which to base averages.
279
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
B. Sources and Evaluation of Sources
1. Evaluation of Textual Sources
A large part of the information included in this study has
been taken from Russian scientific publications and texts.
Scientific publications were used for the bulk of the data on
physical characteristics. Most of these publications were issued
between 1925 and 1935, although a few are as recent as 1950 and
Some as early as 1904. Such publications are considered completely
reliable, however, since the physical factors involved have under-
gone no substantial change.
A great deal of the basic information for the sociologic and
economic conditions in the region was also taken from scientific
publications. For more recent data, however, Soviet texts and
semipopular regional studies and documents of U, S. intelligence
organizations were used. Raw data from intelligence documents
were substantiated wherever possible, but a great deal could not
be checked. Although Soviet texts and semiDopular regional
studies are generally accurate, they tend to overemphasize plaas,
and it is sometimes difficult to determine the exact status of
the projects described.
2. Evaluation of Map Coverage
No uniform large-scale topographic coverage for the entire
Issyk-Kul'--Central Tien Shan region is available (see Map CIA
280
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
12568). Unedited proofs of the Army Map Service series N502 at
1:250,000 are the largest-scale American maps that cover a major
part of the region. Reproductions of these proofs, at a slightly
smaller scale, are included with the report. The AMS N502 series
provides no coverage of the Khan-Tengri node nor the area along
the Kok Shaal-Tau Range. Coverage at 1:200,000 is available for
most of the region through a combination of Russian and German
maps. An old Russian series at 1:84,000 gives coverage of the
Issyk-Kul' Basin and much of the western part of the Naryn Upland.
This series is probably more artistic than accurate, since topo-
graphic research undertaken in the area at the time of its publica-
tion was not sufficient to provide the amount of detail that the
maps portray.
Only one chart showing detailed information for Lake Issyk-
Kul' is available. This chart, published in 1937 by the Admin-
istration of Naval Communications of the Workers' and Peasants'
Red Army (UMS RKKA), is based on information gathered in the
years 1894, 1914, 1928, and 1930. Depth information appearing
on the map CIA 12545 has been taken from this chart.
The maps listed can be obtained through the CIA Map Library.
3. Textual Sources
1. Alisov, B. P., Klimaticheskiye Oblasti i Rayony SSSR
(Climatic Zones and Regions of the USSR), Gosudarst vennoye
281
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Izdatelfstvo Geograficheskoy Literatury, Moscow, 1947.
2. Balzak, S. S., V. F. Vasyutin, and Ya. G. Feigin, Econ-
omic Geography of the USSR, (translation), MacMillan Co., New
York, 1952.
3. Belotskly, M., Kirgizskaya Respublika (The Kirgiz Republic),
Gosudarstvennoye Sotsial'no-Ekonomicheskoye IzdaLellstvo, Moscow,
1936.
Benzing, Johannes, Turkestan, Verlagsanstalt Otto Stoll-
berg, Berlin, 1943.
5. Berg, L. S., "Fizicheskaya Geografiya i KLimatologiya
Ozera Issyk-Kulya" (Physical Geography and Climatology of Lake
Issyk-Kul'), Zemievedeniye (Geography), Knizhka 1.2, Izdatel'stvo
Akademii Nauk SSSR, Moscow, 1904.
6. Berg, L. S., "Gidrologicheskoye Issledovaltiye Issyk-Ktlya
1928 Goda" (Hydrological Study of Issyk-Kul' in 928), Izvestiya
Gosudarstvennogo Gidrologicheskogo Instituta (Bulletin of the
Government Hydrological Institute), Izdatel'stvo kkademii Nauk
SSSR, Moscow, 1930.
7. Berg, L.S., Natural Regions of the U.S.S.R., (translation
MacMillan Co., New York, 1950.
8. Berg, L.S., and others Issykkullskaya Ekspeditsiya 1928 Goda
(The Issyk-Kul' Expedition of 1928), Isdatel'stvo Akademii Nauk
SSSR, Moscow, 1930.
282
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
9. Bobrinskiy, N.A., Zhivotniv Mir i Priroda SSSR (Animal
Life and Nature of the USSR), Izdatel'stovo Moskovskogo Obshchestva
Ispytateley Prirody, Moscow, 1948.
10. Bykova, N.B., and Zavadovskiy, A. Kh., Tyan'-Shan',
Verkhov'ya Bol'shogo Naryna (Tyani-Shan, the Upper Course of the
Bol'shoy Naryn River), Izdatel'stvo Akademii Nauk SSSR, Leningrad,
1935.
11. Central Intelligence Agency, National Intelligence Survey
26, U.S.S.R., Chapter II, Section 25, "Towns," 1949. (Secret)
12. Central Intelligence Agency, National Intelligence Survey
26, U.S.S.R., Chapter III: Section 31, "Railroads"; Section 32,
"Highways"; Section 33, "Inland Waterws$s"; Section 37, "Civil
Air"; 1950. (Confidential).
13. Central Intelligence Agency, National Intelligence Survey
26, U.S.S.R., Chapter IV: Section 41, "Population"; Section 42,
"Characteristics of the People"; Section 43, "Religion, Education,
and Public Information"; Section 45, "Health and Sanitation";
1949. (Secret)
It
14. fdermaa7 Generalstab des Heeres, Abteilung fur KriegskartEa
und Vermessungswesen (General Staff of the Army, Department for
ft
Military Maps and Surveying--Mil-Geo) Militargeographieche
Angaben uber des Asiatische Russland: Kazakstan-Turkestan
(Military-Geographic Data on Asiatic Russia: Kazakhstan-Turkestaa),
Berlin, 1942.
283
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
15. Gregory, J. S., and Shave, D. W., The U.S.S.R.. A
Geographical Survey, George G. Harrap & Co., Ltd., London, 1944.
16. Grigor'yev, A.A., editor, Kazakhstan, Obshchaya Fiziko-
Geograficheskaya Kharakteristika (Kazakhstan, The General Physical-
Geographical Characteristics), Izdatel'stvo Akademii Nauk SSSR,
Moscow-Leningrad, 1950.
17. Gryushe, P.A., Geologicheskaya Karta Sredaey Azii (Geo-
logical Map of Central Asia), Gosudarstvennoye Nauchno-Tekhnicheskoye
Izdatel'stvo Neftyanoy i Gorno-Toplivnoy Literatury, Moscow, 1940.
18. Informatsionno-Statisticheskiy Otdel pri Sekretariate
Prezidiuma Verkhovnogo Soveta SSSR, SSSR Administrativno-
Territorial'noye Deleniye (Administrative-Territorial Divisions
of the USSR), izvestiya Sovetov Deputatov Trudyashchikhasya SSSR,
Moscow, 1951.
19. jorr4, Georges, The Soviet Union, The Land and Its People,
Longmans, Green & Co., New York, 1952.
20. Karnaukhova, Ye., Kazakhstan, Novaya Baza Ovekloseyaniya
i Sveklosakharnoy Pranyshlennosti (Kazakhstan, A New Base of Sugar-
Beet Culture and Sugar-Beet Industry), Izdatel'stve Akademii
Nauk SSSR, Moscow, 1944.
21. Kartavov, M. M., "Chuyskaya Dolina Tyant-Shanya" (The
Chu Valley of the Tien Shan), Voprosy Geoarafii (Problems of
284
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
Geography), Gosudarstvennoye Izdatel'stvo Geograficheskoy
Literatury, Moscow, Vol. 20, pp. 69-98, 1950.
22. Kashchenko, B.P., and others, Po Nashey Rodine (Across
Our Country), Gosudarstvennoye Uchebno-Pedagogicheskoye Izdatel'stvo
Ministerstva Prosveshcheniya RSFSR, Moscow, 1949.
23. Keyser, N.A., Materialy Dlya Istorii, Morfologii i
Gidrologii Oz. Issyk-Kul' (Materials for the History, Morphology,
and Hydrology of Lake Issyk-Kul'), Izdatel'stvo Sredne-Aziatskogo
Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta, Tashkent, 1928.
24. Kolarz, Walter, Russia and Her Colonies, George Philip
and Son, London, 1952.
25. Korovin, Ye. P., Rastitel' nost' Sredney Azii i Yuzhnogo
Kazakhstana (The Vegetation of Central Asia and Southern Kazakhstan).
Ob"yedineniye Gosudarstvennykh Izdatelestv, Sredneaziatskoye
Otdeleniye, Moscow, 1934,
26. Kuznetsvo-Ugamskiy, N.N., "Kotlovina Ozera Issyk-Kulya kak
Geograficheskoye Tseloye" (The Basin of Lake Issyk-Kul' as a
Geographic Entity), Trudy Geomorfologicheskogo Instituta (Works
of the Geomorphological Institute), Vol. 1, Izdatel'stvo Akademii
Nauk SSSR, Moscow, 1931.
27. Leimbach, Werner, Die Sowjetunion, Natur, Volk und
Wirtschaft (The Soviet Union, Physical Features, People, and Econ-
omy), Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart, 1950.
285
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
28. Lorimer, Frank, The Population of the Soviet Union:
History and Prospects, Princeton University Press, Princeton,
N.J., 3.946.
29. Lus, Ya. Ya., and others, Domashniye Zhivotnyye Kirgizii
(Domestic Animals of Kirgizia), Izdatel'stvo Akaitemii Nauk SSSR,
Leningrad, 1930,
30. Machatschek, Fritz, Landeskunde von Russjsch Turkestan
(Regional Geography of Russian Turkestan), Verlag von J. Engel-
horns, Stuttgart, 1921.
31. Matthews, W.K., Languages of the U.S.S.R. The University
Press, Cambridge, 1951.
32. Ministerstvo Putey Soobshcheniya SSSR, OfLtsial'nyy
Ukazateli Passazhirskikh Soobshchenyy Leto 1950 Goda (Official
Handbook of Passenger Communications, Summer 1950), Gosudarstvennoye
Transportnoye Zheleznodorozhnoye Izdatel'stvo, Moscow, 1950.
33. Murzayev, E. 14., "K Geograficheskoy Terminologii i
Nomenklature Kirgilov an'-Shanya" (Geographic Terms and Nomen-
clature of the Kirgizi of the Tien Shan), IzvestiyA Vsesoyuznogo
GeograficheskoEo Obshchestya, (Bulletin of the A1143nion Geograph-
ical Society), Izdatel'stvo Akademii Nauk SSSR, Vo:. 72, No. 3,
pp. 314-319, Leningrad, 1940.
34. Murzayev, E. M., Srednyani Aziya (Central Asia), IzdatePsVo
Akademii Nauk SSSR, Moscow, 1947.
286
SECRET
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
35. Pavlov, N. V., Botanicheskaya Geografiya SSSR (Botanical
Geography of the USSR), Izdatel'stvo Akademii Nauk Kazakhskoy SSR,
Alma-Ata, 1948.
36. Rakitnikov, A. N., Tsentral'nyy Tyan'-Shan' i Issykkul'ska?ya
Kotlovina (The Central Tien Shan and the Issyk-Kul' Basin),
Izdatel'stvo Akademii Nauk SSSR, Moscow, 1936.
37. Ryazantsev, S.N., Frunze, Stolitsa Kirgizskoy SSR
(Frunze, the Capital of the Kirgiz SSR), Gosudarstvennoye
Izdatel'stvo Geograficheskoy Literatury, Moscow, 1950.
38. Ryazantsev, S. N., Kirgiziya, Ekonomiko-Geograficheskaya
Kharakteristika (Kirgizia, Economic-Geographic Characteristics),
Gosudarstvennoye Izdatel'stvo Geograficheskoy Literatury, Moscow,
1946.
39. Shabad, Theodore, Geography of the U.S.S.R., A Regional
Survey, Columbia University Press, New York, 1951.
40. Shcherbakov, D. I., "Po Poberezh'ye Issyk-Kulya" (On the
Shores of Issyk-Kul'), Nauka i Zhizn" (Science and Life), No. 1,
pp. 13-37, Moscow, January 1952.
41. Shul'ts, S.S., Analiz Noveyshey Tektoniki i Rel'yef Tyan -
Shanya (An Analysis of the Most Recent Tectonics and Relief of the
Tien Shan), Gosudarstvennoye Izdatel'stvo Geograficheskoy Litera-
tury, Moscow, 1948.
42. Soviet Narodnykh Komissarov SSSR, Boleshoy Sovetskiy Atlas
Mira (The Great Soviet Atlas of the World), Vol. II, Moscow, 1939.
287
Approved For Release 1999/09/2F.caRDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
SECRET
Security Information
43. Suslov, S.P., Fizicheskaya GpErafiya SSSR (Physical
Geography of the U.S.S.R.), Gosudarstvennoye Uchebno-Pedagogicheskoye
Izdatel'stvo Ministerstva Prosveshcheniya RSFSR, Moscow, 1947.
44. Timashey, E.V., "Materialy k Orografii Mass iva Khan Tengri"
(Information on the Orography of the Khan Tengri Massif),
Problemy Fizicheskoy Geogratii (Problems of Physical Geography),
Izdatel'stvo Akademii Nauk SSSR, Vol. 14, pp. 48-151, Moscow, 1949.
45. U. S. Air Force, U.S. Climatological Data Sheets, prepared
under the direction of the Chief of Staff, Air Targets Divisions,
USAF Directorate of Intelligence, 1948-1950. (Confidential)
46. USSR Railroads East of the Urals. Central :Intelligence
Agency, Foreign Documents Branch Translation No. 2/49, 26 October
1949. (Confidential)
4. Map Coverage
1. Turkestan. 1:84,000, [Russian] Korpus Voyennykh Topog
rafov (Corps of Military Topographers), 1891-1908.
2. Kazakhskaya SSR (Kazakh SSR), 1:200,000 General'nyy
Shtab, Krasnoy Armii (General Staff, Red Army), 1939-42.
3. Ozero Issyk-Kul' (Lake Issyk-Kul'), 1:200,000, Izdaniye
Gidrograficheskogo Upravleniya (Publication of the Hydrographic
Office), 1937.
4, Turkestan, 1:200,000, [German] Generalstab des Heeres
(General Staff of the Army ), 1941.
288
Approved For Release I999! 1r: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/2V*-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Security Information
5. Der Issykkulsee (Lake Issyk-Kul'), 1:500,000, Berliner
Lithographisches Institut, Berlin, 1932.
6. U.S.S.R., 1:500,000, General'nyy Shtab, Krasnoy
Armii (General Staff, Red Army), 1930-40.
7. Politiko-Administrativnaya Karta Kirgizskoy SSR (Political-
Administrative Map of the Kirgiz SSR), 1:1,000,000, Glavnoye
Upravleniye Gosudarstvennoy Snyemki i Kartograf ii, SSSR (Chief
Administration of State Survey and Cartography, U.S.S.R.), 1938.
8. Politiko-Administrativnaya Karta Kazakhskov SSR
(Political-Administrative Map of the Kazakh SSR), 1:1,500,000,
Glavnoye Upravlenniye Geodezii i Kartografii SSSR (Chief Adminis
tration of Geodesy and Cartography, U.S.S.R.), 1950.
9. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, 1:4,000,000, Army
Map Service, 1951.
10. Plotnost' Naseleniya SSSR (Density of Population of the
USSR), 1:5,000,000 Glavnoye Upravlenniye Geodezii i Kartografii
SSSR (Chief Administration of Geodesy and Cartography, U.S.S.R.),
1951.
289
Approved For Release 1999/09/21-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
:142.
?
THE ISSYK-KIX ? CEnTRAL
Tien SHAn AREA
Statute Mlles
20 60 60 80
CONFIDENTIAL
-'7001 1018A0001i0-60b001-1
-of
."00.
? ? I
1),
AO*/ lb
AL,' mix
?mom,- AgLiswIltriMbh4 ' A4177(tif
20`
,47
:Asss 1 1 1 ? 1 1 1
RESTRICTED
SECURITY INFORMATION
illy?tartHWAntw eiwint-trwiem
mr,? 14 4 4
two
A,ek
"
12545 3.53
76.00'
SC,
Approved For Release 1999109121: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
U.S.S.R. Issyk-Kul'-Central Tien Shan Area
79
SECRET
SECURITY INFORMATION
? Charyn
A?r..
.f
'70///i/AV, /7'
/ /1r1,./:///:,/:
/".
i'2,/,(/),;:///
,?????? ?
H IN A
????????
AVAILABLE MAP COVERAGE
at scales 1:84,000 to 1:500,000
7472 1:84.000
1:100,000
N. te IS, erIttre are, i
I 1:200.000
1:500,000
Scan, 1:2.000.000
5E. K.1,10..1 ?
I k
_,J_, 1. L
I 80
I
\
43
42??
411
1
c.
D
17
'.1
.0
?I
D
?%
D
?%
XI
D
D
D
D
?%
D
D
D
.0
D
f
,D
1
1
12568 CIA 4-53
WESTERN SIBERIA
Approved For Release 1999M9a1 : CIA-RDP79T01018A0001000/0001-1
NK 43-2
AMS SERIES N50
" .
74?20 31 /2
a
75 0' 2
.00,
---'r- --
'1,1"
--. ''. ?
\-,
- -_:-- Th: ? _--L?
,..?, ---,`------, '
I , i
\:! 1
/ _
,-,1 ,1 ,,,
, 1 ) \-ri /---
( ---'--, -' y
- ,
///
, /
7 I
/ )
, i ,
ii (il
,
/
'`,
I //)
),
& (-\\ , ,
...)11, , '
i(ill',111
J2 ,y,
, ici ,.
Vi , / \
-
C' __., i
\ :k'?5'7- - - - j
7-',
' _ I
, /
/ 1 '
/ r /
,... i
/ ,, ,
.6
----\' ,
C--,-/,:-'__..,..__
,
7'
7
(
/
\ j 7`'/
, 2_7,, ,
// .
_,//,, \
r--' /
)) /?_/
,__.,}
\
.

t 1 / ))./.."
-, 111
/
// 77;?;),1
"
5 \
(---._ .0 -,
\ I
\N\
, --,..
\ (
---
\
_-
N
N
/ ,,,,,,,
?
*Oh ?
(-r?--, ,_ \
1
.0111111116
\
)
, I
-
4,1
0%,
...', ?
4Y?0?9,-) ,..,
\
?
-- ? --- . '?`
11Plirl-1
(
NMI
, ?
)----,
r ) (
lism L _I---=--
? ? )
l_ r" )
\
r` --, ,
-
.
?
(-
\ \
\
? \
\ )
........\"a3
, c,,,,,,ni
'\ \
\ '--)
\
\a
_-r
.. ----1
- i)
__ ? .,.., -_,
._,,? ,
A,'
,
K
.
____
_,)
--\\
, \ ,_,
-
?-/
11P.004
I
._
7-- . , ___
( .
,
_---
_) \ ,
\ '
\
-
'
....,A,/
"/- r ? ) ',_-___--- -i_ \ t', - */ -
-- ,. -.,,,,,,t,- /2. ----- - --
_ ,
,
-
.?.
1
2.--
' --- ?
'-t-r
'' Whig
/ --, r70/0W1
? ....
qurters ?
.. /
/ ?) __, _ /
---.I
.
Llepikr '''''' ___ .7 . ? >
/
----11
TA
V?,
A
1
?
i /
\
)
( /----,_
i
1
Rivs.7-14
,44
A
.\N`
.11
0
7-
. amea- /
i
, .iii.0
, :-
..._ _.
C- //
?
----
) / ,
OA.,
-
,.. je...,
.. ?
cp 't
1
Wilk 1 Vrt
1
.
:- ',___
. ,..-.
I/
Irri.
'-I\ I
,/ ,
Ube 1 1

''.'""
/---). 1 / (
.
r
7
AZ:111.mmil
mor-
,
rilah,lir
Ad Ko n ' 111;4Nall A
',a
4
l c'
--) -;?,,
--
-'7L- - ''l' \''
?,_, '-r---)
li A it: -
* -"1-?-?-* 4`..""-
, \
\--1\-- OkAOANIIMEMIA1.7-44%,FAMISL.
7,1111111
t011k..11442(A41.11
a
0
. 71.1, 1
?,,,,,4 j ',...._ ,
111,Ar 1
1? . eg.?
..,
- \ 7 \ 1 '- `, 1 .0;
/
,
ilkb
`-4.??
W -.
-"I"'
7,7'
4
?,,,,,...4,e37 1... , ,
., Mr ? ,,,,1 t
,4177:z____ ,,,to
its 400 0.4; -T, , -,,je?Cf:. .,we''''',-.4. A 1
/
,
III
.7
0....
- * 0 ' 0 . /
.1)-$
1
41
?
, II
/ad.*. 1114
so? .? ? ,?0 . - ?
M=
1
.,_,,,-
,
----- ?
---.0.--...,
-.
, c_._ , , Ne,
----I"
- , ,?-'1'......---,,,,,,e--
. ,--
-.N.,.., ,,
'"'
A-5';',
..,..,
*vow
liori----
aid
PA...Ali '1":
... ?
, 0 ??A ?i, he 3
c.----,r,
--A.)1
I A _J. .1
,, - ,K...so_Aldi
,., - i - ,,
y?Ofir;.,.,,,,,NIP-A-s?-.-z., Atz-4?44-------
4,,,,..,L.-
it.,,N < -1' `-? ?.. ? , *044
..,?. tt. `0,- .., '
? ?,,,,
70.0.7
,
5' 4 )6 ,........,. ,,,, 4 7 OCV
GLOSSARY
15
20
25
CONTOUR INTERVAL 100 METERS; RELIEF PARTIALLY SHOWN BY FORM LINES
TRANSVERSE MERCATOR PROJECTION
BLACK NUMBERED LINES 1NDICATE THE 10.000 METER UNIVERSAL TRANSVERsE NERCATOR GRID. ioNE. BESSEL SPHEROID
SHE SRST POPP OROS DP SHE ESIP SUPPERS SPE DROP..
TXT
LOCATION DIAGRAM FOR NK 43-2
Approved For Release 1999/09/21 : CIA-RDP79701018A000100090001-1
DJ
011
4770)03
El
OTAR, U. S.S. R
UNEDITED PROOF
NESTERN SIBERIA
Approved For Release 19919/29122TEACIA-RDP79T01018A0001Cr0019170131-1
NK 43-3
A S SERIES N.
M ? ?
78.CKY
WOO'
45
Solonchak
76.00'
.2
POPULATED PLACES
ALMA-ATA
50 000 100 000 CHIMKENT
,00.. 50,000
2 000 to 0 000
Fgab
- Woodt.M.1
10
20
15
25
CONTOUR INTERVAL 100 METERS: RELIEF PARTIALLY SHOWN BY FORM LINES
TRANSVERSE MERCATOR PROJECTION
DICATE TNE 10 000 mETER PRIPERsAL TRANSVERSE MERCATOR GRID. ZONE SESSEL SRRER0,0
Lpfl? roun 0... op A..
E:61.:=5'ELETLYT'I'LYZL'=':;'INTE797:1:;' L=aTI.r..?CnZIL
T.V21=.77,:t7.7=re.
.9
LOCATION DIAGRAM FOR NK 43.3
Approved For Release 1999/09/21: CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
?
15'
453
4,8
117
TO'
41?11/91110
ALMA-ATA, I.Y.S.S R
UNEDITED PROOF
;TERN SIBERIA
Approved For Release 19
CIA-RDP79T01018A000100090001-1
NK 43-5
AMS SERIES N502
44,444,
58 76?00
74.00 4, 4 45 6 47 ' 7:?00
-^?,---......
,6
al ? 'ON
i I
! 1
1
d A
+
!!
.^.,
...
"II
? :=15..,,,4.7_7--- , t --......, -
T
2
741?--'
A i
.4
Air
III 1 W
....
WWI" " -
' '5' - ,-, , 1 ( '
- , ? , , & , .... , ' - - ---. 4 - , - ,:4 ' , 0
, 701,:t..,
7" --- ' 4.4-,,e,`,-, ?
i 'T?t. ? i _ _
c".1. '
5 rij
1 VW/44iiii c 1
i . Ilk
ks ?414116.2.0"11174
../I
, .... ,41 ..,, KANT...''
iiiliVillell.
6:
T....ala_ARiZIMEENIN/01111.111111116961
" c ii.wiliiiirlegaLiii-.
Ifierk+-
.111111111111157nrign PfrIMINMTall....4.
01-4?..,50prommt 1111
W.1.1151-111/Pk14.1.--
.
(0 /' *()(0, t,q,
(-,-/-0--,,,. --- ----To ,