Przhevalsk

(until 1889 and from 1921 to 1939, Karakol), a city, the center of Issyk-Kul’ Oblast, Kirghiz SSR. Located in the northern foothills of the Terskei-Alatau Range, on the Karakol River (where it flows from a gorge), 12 km from the settlement of Pristan’-Przheval’sk on Lake Issyk-Kul’, 216 km east of the Rybach’e railroad station. Highway junction. Population, 48,000 (1974; 8,000 in 1897; 21,000 in 1939).

Founded in 1869, Przheval’sk was a district city in the Semirech’e region. In the Soviet period it has been transformed from a city with industry of the semicottage type into the industrial and cultural center of the oblast. The leading branches of industry are food, represented by a fruit and wine sovkhoz-combine, a brewery, a milk plant, and a bread plant; and light industry, including garment and footwear factories. These two industries account for 60 percent of the value of Przheval’sk’s gross industrial output. There is also an electrical-engineering plant, and building materials are produced. The city has a pedagogical institute and medical and pedagogical schools as well as a museum of local lore. Near Przheval’sk, not far from Lake Issyk-Kul’, is the grave and museum of N. M. Przheval’skii.