Kyrgyzstan plans to replace seven regions and 40 districts with more than 20 aimaqs

Kyrgyzstan plans to abolish its seven regions and 40 districts and replace them with more than 20 larger administrative units known as aimaqs. Elchibek Zhantayev, head of the State Agency for Civil Service and Local Self-Government, announced the plans, Fergana news agency reports. The new units would occupy an intermediate level between the existing districts and regions. Their boundaries would be determined based on geography, population and economic development potential.

The Issyk-Kul region, for example, could be divided into northern and southern parts. In the Osh and Jalal-Abad regions, smaller districts may be merged with neighboring areas that have greater development potential. Second stage of administrative reform The planned changes are the second stage of Kyrgyzstan’s administrative and territorial reform. The first began in 2023, when authorities redrew district boundaries and incorporated some settlements into cities. In April 2026, President Sadyr Japarov announced plans to launch a pilot aimaq to test whether the new administrative unit could…