the leading center of education, a science and culture center in the Aral region of the Republic Kazakhstan. Established in 1950, the university trains highly skilled specialists in 54 specialties at 11 faculties. Transportation Kyzylorda has one airport. It has developed as the supply center of the important oilfields in the nearby Turgay Basin. Tourism Points of interest for tourists in the Kyzylorda region include the vanished Aral Sea and the Baikonur cosmodrome, archaeological excavations in Sauran and Shyganak, the memorial complex of Korkyt Ata, and several ancient mausoleums. Notable people Asim Thahit Abdullah Al Khalaqi (1968–2015), Yemeni formerly held in Guantanamo, given asylum by Kazakhstan in 2015 Vladimir Hotineanu (1950–2019), former Health Minister of Moldova Eliezer Kulas (born 1944), Israeli politician Oleg Tozoni (1927–2012), engineer and inventor Marina Volnova (born 1989), Olympic boxer Ilya Ilyin (born 1988), Olympic heavylifter Batyrkhan Shukenov (1962–2015), Soviet, Kazakh-Russian singer Mihhail Kõlvart (born 1977), mayor of Tallinn Twin towns – sister cities Kyzylorda is twinned with: Arvada, United States Bolu, Turkey Bursa, Turkey References Notes Sources Е. М. Поспелов (Ye. M. Pospelov). "Имена городов: вчера и сегодня (1917–1992). Топонимический словарь." (City Names: Yesterday and Today (1917–1992). Toponymic Dictionary." Москва, "Русские словари", 1993. External links History, facts and photos Cities and towns in Kazakhstan Populated places in Kyzylorda Region Syr-Darya Oblast Populated places established in 1820