Qaraqalpağıstan

QARAQALPAĞISTAN

Motto: MOTTO
Subdivision of:	Turkestan
Cities:
Capital:	Nökis
Largest:	Aqtau
Other:	Beyneu, Muynaq
Languages:
Official:	Qaraqalpaq
Others:	Qazaq, Uzbek, Turcoman
Vıloya (Governor):	Qarlığaş Berik-qızı
Area:	AREA
Population:	POPULATION ADJECTIVE
Established:	1950, Administrative reform

"Qaraqalpağıstan" means "Land of the Black Hat (People)". Its people are visually similar to Qazaqs, but their culture is a sedentary, sart one, not a nomadic culture as the Qazaqs.

Administration

Government

Qaraqalpağıstan is the only one of the six Vıloyatlar (Provinces) of Turkestan currently having a female governor. Qarlığaş Berik-qızı is considered something of an anomaly in the rather male-dominated Keņes (Turkestani parliament), but has proven herself quite a capable politician.

Administrative Divisions

Like all 6 Provinces, Qaraqalpağıstan is divided into Aymaqs. As most of the land not directly adjacent to the Amu Darya and Sır Darya rivers is desert, these tend to be larger than some of the other Provinces' constituent Aymaqs.

History

HISTORY

Geography

Borders

Qaraqalpağıstan is bordered by:
North: Russia.
West: Caspian Sea.
South: Türkümänistan.
Southeast: Üzbekistan.
East: (South) Qazaqstan.

Map

Map showing the location of Qaraqalpağıstan in Turkestan and its main cities.

Economy

Qaraqalpağıstan's economy mostly revolves around fishing in the Aral and Caspian Seas, and also mining and petroleum industries. The Province is the least populous of the six Vıloyatlar of Turkestan, because so much of the area is desert.

Culture

The Qaraqalpaqs are one of the sart peoples of Turkestan; traditionally, they were settled fishermen and farmers of the Aral and Caspian Sea areas. The province has been called a "Sart Qazaqstan", and to a certain extent, this is true. Qazaqs and Qaraqalpaqs share much of their language in common, and their style of decoration and ornamentation as seen in their national dress is practically identical. Even other Turkestanis sometimes struggle to tell Qazaqs and Qaraqalpaqs apart; the black Qalpaq hat traditionally worn by Qaraqalpaq men is the best clue to their precise ethnicity.

Language

The Qaraqalpaq people speak a Qıpçak Turkic language closely related to Qazaq and Kırğız. Qaraqalpaq and Qazaq are so closely related, in fact, that the two languages are readily mutually intelligible.