Kizilto
Name
The name of Kizilto is from Kyrgyz language, meaning "red mountains" (红山). This place is named after the red mountain stone on the south side of the Yigzya River (依格孜牙河). 'Kizil' ('kezile') means 'red' and 'to' ('tao') means 'mountain'. Other nearby places with the word 'kizil' (red) in their names include Kizilsu, Kizil Caves, and Kiziloy.
History
In 1966, Kizilto Commune (克孜勒陶公社) was established.
In 1967 during the Cultural Revolution, Kizilto Commune was renamed Hongxing Commune ('Red star commune' 红星公社).
In 1984, the commune became Kizilto Township.
Geography and resources
Kizilto Township is located to the south of county seat Akto Town and on the eastern slope of Kunlun Mountains, and between 75°02′- 76°41′ east longitude and 38°06′- 38°56′ north latitude. The township is bordered by Kizil Township of Yengisar County (Yingjisha) to the east, by Akdala Ranch and Qarlung Township to the south, by Bulungkol Township to the west, Wuqia Township of Yengisar County to the north. Its maximum distance between east and west is 105 kilometers, and the maximum distance between north and south 75 kilometers. The seat of the township is 98 kilometers away from the county seat of Akto Town. It has a total area of 3,882 square kilometers, including 318.7 hectares of arable land, 86.8 hectares of forest land and 143,000 hectares of grassland.
The average elevation of the township is 2,200 meters. The northwest is a cold mountain climate with an annual precipitation of 150–200 mm. The southeast is a shallow mountain area, it is a temperate continental arid climate with an average annual temperature of 10.9 °C and a frost-free period of 150 days. The main water system in the territory is the Yigzya River (依格孜牙河). There are precious animals such as snow chicken, yellow sheep and argali, and there are rare plants such as wild snow lotus, codonopsis, angelica, gymnadenia conopsea, cynomorium, daphnia, comfrey and cistanche. Mineral resources include lead, zinc, iron, coal, marble and quartz.
Administrative divisions
 | The examples and perspective in this section may not include all significant viewpoints. (September 2020) |
The township of Kizilto has 12 villages under its jurisdiction.
- 12 villages
- Arpalk Village (A'erpaleke, A'erpalekecun; 阿尔帕勒克村) 38°12′30″N 076°15′54″E / 38.20833°N 76.26500°E
- Ejak Village (Aijieke, Aijiekecun; 艾杰克村) 38°31′08″N 075°56′10″E / 38.51889°N 75.93611°E
- Hongxin Village (红新村)
- Qapqa Village (قاپقا كەنتى / Kapuka, Kapukacun; 喀普喀村) 38°19′26″N 076°11′27″E / 38.32389°N 76.19083°E
- Karatash Village (قاراتاش كەنتى; Kalatashi, 喀拉塔什村)
- Karatashqimgan Village (Kalatashiqimugan, Kalata Shiqimugancun; 喀拉塔什其木干村) 38°30′36″N 075°36′09″E / 38.51000°N 75.60250°E
- Karawul Village (Ka'erwule, Ka'erwulecun; 喀尔乌勒村) 38°34′12″N 076°06′51″E / 38.57000°N 76.11417°E
- Ordolungozu Village (Wu'erdulongwozi 乌尔都隆窝孜村)
- Qimgan Village (Qimugan, Qimugancun; 其木干村) 38°26′45″N 076°26′40″E / 38.44583°N 76.44444°E
- Tam Village (تام كەنتى; Tamu, 塔木村)
- Tampaz Village (塔木柏孜村)
- Toyundok Village (Tuoyunduke, Tuoyundukecun; 托云都克村) 38°33′30″N 076°15′53″E / 38.55833°N 76.26472°E
- Qat (恰特)
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 7,427 | — |
| 2010 | 9,259 | +2.23% |
| 2015 | 9,700 | +0.93% |
As of 1997, the population of Kizilto was 99.16% Kyrgyz.
Economy
The economy of the township is mainly animal husbandry, and there are more high-quality summer grasses on shallow hillsides and river valleys. It mainly grows food crops such as wheat, corn and highland barley.