Kara Darya
river in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan
The Kara Darya (Kyrgyz: Кара-Дарыя; Uzbek: Qoradaryo; lit. 'Black River') is a major river in southern Kyrgyzstan and eastern Uzbekistan located in the eastern part of Fergana Valley. It is one of the two source rivers of the Syr Darya (the second largest river of Central Asia), the other source being the Naryn. Its length is 177 kilometres (110 mi), and watershed area 30,100 square kilometres (11,600 mi2). The Kara Darya is formed by the confluence of the rivers Kara-Kulja, which rises on the southwestern slopes of the Fergana Range, and Tar.
Course
The river's upper course flows through narrow valleys, while the middle and lower courses pass through broad valleys. The upper Kara Darya flows northwest across eastern Osh Region southwest of and parallel to the Fergana Range. It enters the Fergana Valley and Uzbek territory a few kilometres west of Özgön.
Hydrology
The basin contains about 40 lakes, including Chong Kulun, Kichi Kulun, Chong Köl, Kichi Köl, Kabylandköl, Karaköl, and Kutmanköl.
Average annual discharge near Kempirabad (about 140 km upstream from the mouth) is 121 m3/s (4,300 cu ft/s), with seasonal maxima of 676 m³/s and minima of 28.9 m³/s (February).
The flow regime is sustained by approximately 32% snowmelt, 16% glacier meltwater, and 52% groundwater.
The public source identifies “Kara Darya” as river in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Kara, Darya and river.
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A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Kara Darya”, the useful work is to connect “river in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 12, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q155298. Authority coordinates are 40.646, 73.424. 2 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 2 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
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This entry incorporates text from “Kara Darya” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.