UNESCO/Toson-Khulstai Biosphere Reserve
Issyk-Kul
General information
The central Tien-Shan mountain region around the Issyk-Kul lake is an area one of the last harmonic cultural landscapes in the middle Asia preserving habitats close to nature in combination with traditional culture.
Detailed information
Key data
Year of nomination
2001
Country
Kyrgyzstan
Total population
499532
Area
Surface
4,314,400.00 ha
Total terresterial area
3,690,340.00 ha
Total Marine area
624,060.00 ha
Location
Latitiude: 42.23 - Longitude: 77.89
Ecological Characteristics
The central Tien-Shan mountain region around the Issyk-Kul lake is an area one of the last harmonic cultural landscapes in the middle Asia preserving habitats close to nature in combination with traditional culture.The mountain area of the central Tien-Shan region with the Issyl-Kul lake in its center is home to many ecosystems of global importance and has a wide variety of endemic species of wild fauna and flora.The Issyk-Kul Lake with its 180 km length and 60 km width is the second biggest high mountain lake in the world. Because of its depth of 700 meters, its low salinity and because of warm water sources it even in the winter never freezes.Starting from the lake shore all significant landscapes from the sub-tropical to tundra can be found in an azonal order.The fauna of reserve characterized by high species diversity and unequal distribution on different landscapes. There are 335 species of animals: Amphibia – 3 species; Reptiles- 11 species; Mammalia- 54 species; Birds- 267 species. 39 species included in Red Book of Kyrgyzstan.The main objective of the governments development of ecologically sound land use practice and economic activities in this area.
Socio-Economics Characteristics
Industrial emission from mining, livestock, agriculture, tourism and hunting activities.
