Kochkor-Ata
Encyclopedia
Kochkor-Ata is a Kyrgyz town located northwest of the major city Jalal-Abad
in Kyrgyzstan
. It is located along the major Bishkek-Osh route, approximately 3 miles from the Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan
border. During the Soviet-era, the town was known for its rich oil wells.
The town itself maintains a high level of contrasting polarity. The center of the town, by the bazaar and municipal buildings, highlights a late Soviet-era style of structural design and color. Large concrete structures painted in bright colors outline central avenues and plazas. Soviet propaganda is still framed high on old billboards and posters. "Oil is the strength of the people," reads one of the central banners. However, much of Kochkor-Ata is rural. East of the central plaza past the Soviet-era concrete housing complexes, lie the mainstay of the Kochkor-Ata population. Small shacks and houses lined closely to each other, stepped along the foothills of the local mountain range, house many of the local inhabitants. Animal husbandry and small-trade provide many of these villagers with a means of income.
The town boasts a relatively new clothing bazaar
, predominantly built by funds from Kyrgyz ex-president, Askar Akayev
, alongside an older established bazaar.
The bazaar is the center of commerce, in the small town. It is one of the local stops along the Bishkek-Osh route, and thus maintains a daily flow of inter-and-intra related trade and small commerce. The avto-vaksal, or bus/taxi station, is also located in the western end of the bazaar. The local marshrutka
, public transport van, runs from the Kochkor-Ata avto-vaksal to other towns along the route, most notably: Massy, Bazar-Korgon
, and Jalal-Abad
.
One of the larger oil fields in Kochkor-Ata has been bought out by Chinese business and interests.
The town has four middle schools: one Russian school, one Kyrgyz boarding school, and two other regular Kyrgyz schools. The town is also host of a fairly new football stadium, built by funds of a prominent Kyrgyz oil company, KNG, in the town. A hospital complex has been established adjacent to the Kyrgyz boarding school.
Jalal-Abad
Jalalabat is the administrative and economic centre of Jalal-Abad Province in southwestern Kyrgyzstan, with a population of about 150,000...
in Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states . Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east...
. It is located along the major Bishkek-Osh route, approximately 3 miles from the Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
border. During the Soviet-era, the town was known for its rich oil wells.
The town itself maintains a high level of contrasting polarity. The center of the town, by the bazaar and municipal buildings, highlights a late Soviet-era style of structural design and color. Large concrete structures painted in bright colors outline central avenues and plazas. Soviet propaganda is still framed high on old billboards and posters. "Oil is the strength of the people," reads one of the central banners. However, much of Kochkor-Ata is rural. East of the central plaza past the Soviet-era concrete housing complexes, lie the mainstay of the Kochkor-Ata population. Small shacks and houses lined closely to each other, stepped along the foothills of the local mountain range, house many of the local inhabitants. Animal husbandry and small-trade provide many of these villagers with a means of income.
The town boasts a relatively new clothing bazaar
Bazaar
A bazaar , Cypriot Greek: pantopoula) is a permanent merchandising area, marketplace, or street of shops where goods and services are exchanged or sold. The term is sometimes also used to refer to the "network of merchants, bankers and craftsmen" who work that area...
, predominantly built by funds from Kyrgyz ex-president, Askar Akayev
Askar Akayev
Askar Akayevich Akayev served as the President of Kyrgyzstan from 1990 until his overthrow in the March 2005 Tulip Revolution....
, alongside an older established bazaar.
The bazaar is the center of commerce, in the small town. It is one of the local stops along the Bishkek-Osh route, and thus maintains a daily flow of inter-and-intra related trade and small commerce. The avto-vaksal, or bus/taxi station, is also located in the western end of the bazaar. The local marshrutka
Marshrutka
Marshrutka , from marshrutnoye taksi is a share taxi in the CIS countries, the Baltic states, and Bulgaria. Marshrutnoye taksi literally means routed taxicab...
, public transport van, runs from the Kochkor-Ata avto-vaksal to other towns along the route, most notably: Massy, Bazar-Korgon
Bazar-Korgon
Bazar-Korgon is a village in the Jalal-Abad Province of Kyrgyzstan. The majority of its inhabitants are ethnic Uzbeks and the remaining 20% are predominantly ethnic Kyrgyz. The town has a large open air market and vibrant scene of small cafes and eateries...
, and Jalal-Abad
Jalal-Abad
Jalalabat is the administrative and economic centre of Jalal-Abad Province in southwestern Kyrgyzstan, with a population of about 150,000...
.
One of the larger oil fields in Kochkor-Ata has been bought out by Chinese business and interests.
The town has four middle schools: one Russian school, one Kyrgyz boarding school, and two other regular Kyrgyz schools. The town is also host of a fairly new football stadium, built by funds of a prominent Kyrgyz oil company, KNG, in the town. A hospital complex has been established adjacent to the Kyrgyz boarding school.