Tucked away in the remote northwest of Uzbekistan, Karakalpakstan offers a rare combination of haunting landscapes, a fascinating Soviet-era history, and cultural depth that few outsiders ever get to experience. From the ghostly ship graveyard of Muynak to the remarkable art collections of Nukus, this autonomous republic is unlike anywhere else on earth.
Karakalpakstan, a remote region in northwestern Uzbekistan, is one of the destinations you can explore with Koryo Tours when you travel with us to Uzbekistan.
With Koryo Tours, you will come with us to the capital city of Nukus, the Aral Sea, and Muynak, as well as exploring many hidden treasures that both Karakalpakstan and Uzbekistan have to offer.
So where exactly is Karapalpakstan? Is it a country? What language and religion can be found there?
Let this be your guide to a region you’ve probably never heard of before.
Is Karakalpakstan a country?
What are the districts of Karakalpakstan?
What language is spoken in Karakalpakstan?
What is the main religion of Karakalpakstan?
What can you expect when visiting Karakalpakstan with Koryo Tours?
Why should Karakalpakstan be on your travel list?
Is Karakalpakstan a country?
Officially called the Republic of Karakalpakstan and previously the Karakalpak Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, it is a nominally autonomous region of Uzbekistan and maintained its autonomous status even after the independence of Uzbekistan from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Karakalpakstan itself is therefore not its own country, but has become part of Uzbekistan while retaining its autonomous status.
The autonomy of Karakalpakstan came into question in July 2022, when a proposed change to the Constitution of Uzbekistan would remove the autonomy of the region. The Constitution originally declared that Karakalpakstan would have the right to independence from Uzbekistan if there would be a successful result from a referendum. This was proposed to change and therefore Karakalpakstan would lose its autonomy, until large protests broke out across the region.
As a result, this proposed change to the Constitution was abandoned and Karakalpakstan could retain its autonomy as it always had.
What are the districts of Karakalpakstan?
Karakalpakstan consists of fifteen districts, or tumans, with Kungrad, Muynak and Taxtakopir being among the largest districts in Karakalpakstan.
Kungrad is the largest district of Karakalpakstan. It covers a mass of desert territory and parts of the Ustyurt Plateau, and is a very important train link towards Kazakhstan.
A Koryo Tours Karakalpakstan highlight, Muynak was once a fishing hub which thrived on the Aral Sea. Due to the shrinking of the Aral Sea, it now includes large areas of dried seabed. It is very famous for the ship graveyard, which you can see when you come to visit Karakalpakstan with us!
Taxtakopir is then very quiet, remote and open, with less people and more rural settlements. It is a farming district and generally has less developed infrastructure, but lots of steppe landscapes.
Karakalpakstan also hosts twelve cities which are headed by regional executives and local councils, also known as ha’kims. On top of this, there are around 16 towns and 112 villages, or awıls.
What language is spoken in Karakalpakstan?
The official languages in Karakalpakstan are both Karakalpak and Uzbek. Karakalpak is spoken by more than half a million people in Karakalpakstan. It is a minority language, as most people living in Karakalpakstan are bilingual in both Uzbek and Karakalpak.
Karakalpak itself is a Turkic language which developed with the Nogai and Kazakh languages, both of which are Turkic language branches widely spoken across Central Asia and beyond - including in Russia, Kazakhstan, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey. Smaller pockets of Karakalpak speakers can be found in Iran and Afghanistan too, with approximately 2,000 speakers there.
Karakalpak was originally written in the Perso-Arabic script, with a brief switch to the Latin script in 1928 and then into the Cyrillic script in 1940. When Uzbekistan gained its independence from the Soviet Union, the Cyrillic alphabet was switched back to the Latin alphabet for Uzbek, which spread rapidly across the Uzbek capital city, Tashkent.
The switch to the Latin alphabet for Karakalpak is still gradually occurring, and has not been adopted at the same pace as how the Latin alphabet was embraced in Tashkent.
What is the main religion of Karakalpakstan?
People in Karakalpakstan mainly follow Sunni Islam, more precisely the Hanafi School of Sunni Islam. This is no different to the rest of Uzbekistan, which also follows Sunni Islam as a main religion.
Only a few mosques remain across the districts of Karkalpakstan, as many members of the Karakalpak Islamic clergy use their homes for Friday prayers. There are currently less than 10 mosques in Karakalpakstan, a major cut from the 553 counted across all districts in 1914.
Due to many people following Sunni Islam, the two major religious holidays are Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Other important holidays in Karakalpakstan include Nowruz, marking the Persian New year and the arrival of spring.
What can you expect when visiting Karakalpakstan with Koryo Tours?
Karakalpakstan is often described as a country within a country. It offers a unique experience than the rest of Uzbekistan - and we want to show that.
So what can you expect in Karakalpakstan when you travel Uzbekistan with us?
- Exploring the capital city Nukus
- Visit the Mizdakhan Cemetery - the oldest active necropolis in Central Asia
- Discover the Aral Ship Graveyard in Muynuk - where trawlers and boats lay rusting on a toxic seabed over 100km from the shore
- Visit the Igor Savitsky Museum, which commemorates the collector Igor Savitsky who kept iconic paintings in his home in Nukus
Why should Karakalpakstan be on your travel list?
Karakalpakstan stands among few regions as the most unique and least explored regions. It offers travellers like you a mix of history, culture and breathtaking landscapes. It lies in the heart of the Silk Roads, a must see when travelling Central Asia.
Karakalpakstan offers an authentic and off-the-beaten-path experience in Uzbekistan, from the ship graveyard in Muynak to the cultural experiences in Nukus.
If this has left you wondering more about Karakalpakstan, you can read more here and even join us in October for our Uzbekistan and Karakalpakstan Adventure Tour!
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Shauna O'Neill
Originally from Ireland and currently living in the Netherlands, living abroad has introduced her to many different people, cultures and places which have sparked a passion for travel and experiencing the unusual. She is passionate about creating things which represent and pay tribute to the international environments of the world, as well as being curious about what stories lie behind them.