Kyrgyzstan plans to create over 20 new districts

Kyrgyz authorities plan to abolish some regions and districts and create more than 20 new districts as part of the second phase of administrative-territorial reforms.

Operativ Media reports, citing Elchibek Jantayev, head of the State Agency for Local Self-Government.

"Instead of 40 districts, there will be more than 20 districts that are larger than existing districts but smaller than regions," he said.

He noted that currently, large and developed districts are adjacent to areas with less potential. In the future, plans call for merging some of these areas to form new administrative-territorial units.

According to Jantayev, Kyrgyzstan's current administrative-territorial division is outdated and requires ongoing reforms that will be implemented gradually.

Kyrgyzstan currently has seven regions, 40 districts, and two cities of national significance: Bishkek and Osh, the country's second-largest city and regional center. The administrative-territorial reform in Kyrgyzstan began three years ago. During this period, the number of cities in the republic rose from 32 to 33, with nearly half of them expanding their territory. Meanwhile, the number of rural districts was reduced by about half, from 452 to 231.