List of rivers of Kyrgyzstan facts for kids

Welcome to a list of amazing rivers found in Kyrgyzstan! These rivers are super important for the country. They are grouped by where their water ends up, like a big network of streams and rivers flowing into a larger river or lake.

Sometimes, a big river might not flow directly through Kyrgyzstan, but its smaller branches (called tributaries) do. We've listed those big rivers in italic text. To keep things clear, we're only showing rivers that have a drainage basin (the area of land where all the water flows into that river) larger than 1,000 square kilometers.

Did you know there are over 2,000 rivers in Kyrgyzstan that are longer than 10 kilometers? Together, they stretch for about 35,000 kilometers! That's a lot of water!

Syr Darya River Basin

The Syr Darya is a huge river that collects water from a big part of Kyrgyzstan. Its main source rivers are the Naryn and Kara Darya. Many other rivers in the Ferghana Valley also join it. Eventually, the Syr Darya flows into the North Aral Sea.

• Syr Darya
  • Chirchiq
    • Chatkal
      • Chandalash
  • Ak-Suu
  • Kozu-Baglan
  • Isfara
  • Sokh
    • Kojo-Ashkan
  • Kasansay
  • Shohimardonsoy/Shaymerden
  • Isfayramsay
  • Naryn
    • Kara-Suu (right)
    • Kara-Suu (left)
    • Uzun-Akmat
    • Chychkan
    • Kökömeren
      • Jumgal
      • Suusamyr
      • Batysh Karakol
    • Kökirim
    • Ala-Buga
      • Bychan
    • At-Bashy
      • Kara-Koyun
    • Kajyrty
    • On-Archa
    • Chong Naryn
    • Kichi Naryn
  • Kara Darya
    • Aravansay
    • Kara-Üngkür/Tentek-Say
    • Ak-Buura
    • Kögart
    • Kurshab
    • Jazy
    • Tar
    • Kara-Kulja

Talas River Basin

The Talas River flows through the Talas Region in northwestern Kyrgyzstan. It eventually disappears into the Muyunkum Desert in Kazakhstan.

• Talas
  • Ürmaral
  • Üchkoshoy
  • Karakol

Chu River Basin

The Chu River (called Chüy in Kyrgyz) drains a part of northern Kyrgyzstan. Like the Talas, it also disappears into a desert, the Betpak-Dala Desert in Kazakhstan.

• Chu
  • Kuragaty
    • Aspara/Ashmara
  • Chong-Kemin
  • Joon-Aryk
    • Kara-Kujur
  • Kochkor

Ili River Basin

A small area in northeastern Kyrgyzstan sends its water towards the Ili River through the Karkyra River. The Ili River then flows into Lake Balkash.

• Ili
  • Charyn
    • Karkyra

Tarim River Basin

The southeastern part of Kyrgyzstan and the eastern Alay Valley are drained by rivers that flow into the Tarim River. The Tarim River eventually disappears into the Tarim Basin.

• Tarim
  • Aksu/Saryjaz
    • Toshkan/Kakshaal/Aksay
      • Üzönggükuush
      • Kök-Kyia
      • Müdürüm
      • Terek
    • Ak-Shyyrak
    • Üchköl
    • Engilchek
  • Kashgar
    • Eastern Kyzyl-Suu

Amu Darya River Basin

The western Alay Valley is drained by the Kyzyl-Suu River, which flows towards the Amu Darya. The Amu Darya then empties into the South Aral Sea.

• Amu Darya
  • Vakhsh/Kyzyl-Suu
    • Kök-Suu

Issyk-Kul Lake Basin

Many rivers in northeastern Kyrgyzstan flow into the beautiful Issyk-Kul Lake. This lake is endorheic, which means rivers flow into it, but no rivers flow out of it.

• Tüp
• Jyrgalang