Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan Exchange Border Territories

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — As part of the state border demarcation process between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, two settlements in the Ferghana region — Chongara and Tash-Tobo — have officially been transferred to the Kyrgyz Republic, according to Askat Alagozov, the press secretary for the president of Kyrgyzstan.

The total population of these villages, which are predominantly inhabited by ethnic Kyrgyz, is around 2,500 people. Following the completion of the necessary registration procedures, all residents of these settlements will receive Kyrgyz citizenship.

The transfer of the villages was carried out based on the principle of equivalence. In exchange for Chongara and Tash-Tobo, the Uzbek side received land plots of equal area in the border zone.

In addition, Tashkent and Bishkek carried out a similar exchange of other territories of equal area. This step will allow the Kyrgyz side to construct a section of a highway connecting the regional center of Batken with the town of Aidarken.

The official completion of the delimitation and demarcation processes for the shared section of the state border between the two republics took place on 27 January 2023.

Based on the agreements reached, about 19,000 hectares of previously disputed land were transferred to Kyrgyzstan, while Uzbekistan received 4,500 hectares.

The territory of Uzbekistan also included the Kempir-Abad (Andijan) Reservoir, the water resources of which the parties agreed to manage on a parity basis.