Arslanbob

Arslanbob
Arslanbob
Coordinates	41 ° 20 ′  N , 72 ° 56 ′  E Coordinates: 41 ° 20 ′  N , 72 ° 56 ′  E
Basic data
Country	Kyrgyzstan
area	Jalalabat
height	1600 m
Residents	11,291 (2009 census)

Arslanbob ( Kyrgyz Арстанбап Arstanbap ; Uzbek Arslonbob ) is a city in the Jalalabat region in western Kyrgyzstan . The city, which lived 11,291 people in 2009, is known for the surrounding waterfalls and walnut cultivation .

location

Arslanbob is located in western Kyrgyzstan, in a very mountainous region. Located at an altitude of 1,600 meters above sea level, Arslanbob is surrounded by higher peaks, most notably Mount Babash Ata at an altitude of 4,427 meters.

About 30 kilometers west of the city is the border with Uzbekistan , the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek in the north of the country is 219 kilometers away.

history

The history of the city is closely interwoven with the history of walnut cultivation. The walnut is considered the region's first export to Europe. There is disagreement about the age of the forests. It is believed that the forests already existed at the time of Alexander the Great and that Alexander personally took walnuts from Arslanbob and cultivated them in Greece . Others claim that the vast forests in their current form were created around 1000 years ago. A legend tells that a messenger from the Prophet Muhammad was looking for paradise on earth and found it in Arslanbob. Only trees are said to have been missing, so Mohammed gave him seeds for walnut trees that his representative in Arslanbob planted and thus brought walnut cultivation to the region.

In the past, the area of ​​the cultivation areas was up to 630,900 hectares, today it is around 11,000 hectares. The decline is mainly due to the livestock industry in the region, which created new pastureland by clearing the forests.

economy

The walnut is central to the Arslanbob economy. The surrounding walnut forests are the largest of their kind in the world. Most of the city's residents are involved in the harvest in September and October. After the harvest, the walnuts are either sold on the local market or exported.

Forests of walnut trees

In addition, Arslanbob has a lively market and bus traffic.

tourism

Arslanbob is one of the most popular travel destinations in Kyrgyzstan. The walnut forests are popular for hiking and the waterfalls around Arslanbob are also popular with tourists. Skiing is also possible in Arslanbob, although there is hardly any infrastructure for skiers.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Get off the Path: Arslanbob, Kyrgyzstan - Heart My Backpack . In: Heart My Backpack . September 13, 2015 (English, heartmybackpack.com [accessed September 16, 2018]).
2. ↑ Barbara Mohr: The walnut jungle in Kyrgyzstan. In: Deutschlandfunk . December 24, 2004, accessed August 31, 2020 . 
3. ^ Arslanbob Forest | Wondermondo . In: Wondermondo . March 14, 2014 (English, wondermondo.com [accessed September 16, 2018]).
4. ↑ Arslanbob Travel Guide: living in the biggest walnut forest in the world | Cycloscope . In: Cycloscope: bicycle touring planet Earth . October 1, 2014 (English, cycloscope.net [accessed on September 16, 2018]).
5. ↑ Lonely Planet: Life among walnuts: the ancient forests of Kyrgyzstan . In: Lonely Planet . February 20, 2018 (English, lonelyplanet.com [accessed August 31, 2020]).
6. ↑ Arslanbob walnut forest | Caravanistan. Retrieved September 16, 2018 (American English).