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{{Infobox river
| name = Ili River
| image = river-ili-2.jpg
| image_caption = Ili River
| source1_location = [[Tekes River|Tekes]] and [[Kunges River|Kunges]] rivers
| mouth_location = [[Lake Balkhash]]
| basin_countries = [[Kazakhstan]] and [[China]]
| length = {{convert|1439|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| source1_elevation = [[Tian Shan]]
| discharge1_avg = {{convert|480|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}
| basin_size = {{convert|140000|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}
}}
[[image:Lakebalkhashbasinmap.png|thumb|right|300px|Map of the Lake Balkhash drainage basin showing the Ili River and its tributaries]]
The '''Ili River''' ({{ug|ئىلى دەرياسى|Ili deryasi|Ili dəryasi|Или дәряси}}; {{lang-kk|Іле}}, ''İle'', ئله; {{lang-ru|Или}}; {{zh|c=伊犁河|p=Yīlí Hé}}; {{lang-dng|Йили хә, ''Jili xə'', اِلِ حْ}}; {{Lang-mn|Ил}}, ''literally "Bareness"'') is a [[river]] in northwestern [[China]] and southeastern [[Kazakhstan]]. It flows from the [[Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture]] of the [[Xinjiang|Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region]] to the [[Almaty Province]] in Kazakhstan.

It is {{convert|1439|km|mi}} long, {{convert|815|km|mi}} of which is in Kazakhstan. It takes its beginning in eastern [[Tian Shan]] from the [[Tekes River|Tekes]] and [[Kunges River|Kunges]] (or [[Künes]]) rivers. The Ili River drains the basin between the Tian Shan and the [[Borohoro Mountains]] to the north.

Flowing into [[Lake Balkhash]], the Ili forms a large [[river delta|delta]] with vast wetland regions of lakes, marshes and thicket vegetation.

==Etymology==
Earlier mentions of ''Ili'' river is in [[Mahmud al-Kashgari]]'s dictionary of Turkic languages, the ''Dīwānu l-Luġat al-Turk'', written in 1072–74. In the book, author defines: Ili, name of a river. Turkic tribes of ''Yaghma'', ''Tokhsi'' and ''Chiglig'' live on its banks. Turkish countries regard the river as their Jayhoun ([[Amu Darya]]) .<ref>Mahmud Kashgari, ''Dīwānu l-Luġat al-Turk'' (En: Compendium of the languages of the Turks). Vol I, p124. 1072–1074</ref> The name is possibly originated from Uyghur word ''Il'', means ''hook'' in English, resembling the river's geographical shape.<ref>Adil Arup, Ili atalghusi heqqide (Etymology of ''Ili''), Journal of Ili Darya, in Uyghur, 2007</ref>

== Chinese region ==
[[File:Yili-military-complex-ca-1809.jpg|thumb|left|Qing bases in the Ili region, ca. 1809. Note that the map is upside down, i.e. the north is at the bottom, and the east is on the left]]
The upper Ili Valley is separated from the [[Dzungaria|Dzungarian Basin]] in the north by the Borohoro Mountains, and from the [[Tarim Basin]] in the south by the main range of the [[Tian Shan]]. This region was the stronghold of the [[Qing Dynasty|Qing]] administration in Xinjiang in the late 18th and 19th centuries;
it was occupied by Russia from 1871 to 1881, that is, from the [[Yaqub Beg]] rebellion until the [[Treaty of Saint Petersburg (1881)]].

Presently, the region forms part of Xinjiang's [[Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture]]. The main city of the region, [[Yining City|Yining]] (Kulja), is located on the northern side of the river some {{convert|100|km|mi}} upstream from the international border. Until the early 1900s, the city was commonly known under the same name as the river, 伊犁 (Pinyin: Yīlí; [[Wade-Giles]]: Ili). On the southern side, even closer to the international border, [[Qapqal Xibe Autonomous County]] is located, which is home to many of the China's [[Xibe people|Xibe]] people, who were resettled to this borderland in the 18th century as part of the Manchu garrison.

There are at least two dams on the Ili's right tributary, the [[Kash River]] (喀什河) in [[Nilka County]], at
{{coord|43|51|40|N|82|50|52|E|display=inline|region:CN-62_type:landmark}} and
{{coord|43|51|14|N|82|48|08|E|display=inline|region:CN-62_type:landmark}}. At least two dams have been constructed on the Ili's left tributary, the [[Tekes River|Tekes]], as well: the Qiapuqihai Hydropower Station (恰甫其海水电站) in [[Tokkuztara County]] ({{coord|43|18|14|N|82|29|05|E|display=inline|region:CN-62_type:landmark}}), and another smaller dam at {{coord|43|23|41|N|82|29|20|E|display=inline|region:CN-62_type:landmark}}, on the border of Tokkuztara and [[Künes County|Künes]] Counties.

== Kazakh region ==
[[File:Kapchigai lake.jpg|thumb|On the Kapchagay Reservoir]]
The region of Kazakhstan partially drained by the Ili and its tributaries is known in Kazakh as [[Zhetysu]] ('Seven Rivers') and in Russian as [[Semirechye]] (meaning the same).

The [[Kapshagay Hydroelectric Power Plant]] was constructed between 1965 and 1970<ref>Kezer K, Matsuyama H 2006:''Decrease of river runoff in the Lake Balkhash basin in Central Asia''. Hydrological Processes Vol. 20 Is. 6 Pp 1407–1423</ref> near [[Kapchagay]] in the middle reaches of the Ili River, forming the [[Kapchagay Reservoir]]—an artificial {{convert|110|km|mi}} long lake north of [[Almaty]].

[[Tamgaly-Tas]], some {{convert|20|km|mi}} downstream along Ili River is the site of [[rock drawings]]. The name ''Tamgaly'' in [[Kazakh language|Kazakh]] means "painted" or "marked place", ''Tas'' means "stone".

<gallery>
Image:river-ili-1.jpg|Ili River
Image:buddhas at ili.jpg|Buddhist rock drawings at Ili River
Image:river-ili-3.jpg|Ili River
File:Altynemel dune.jpg|The "singing dune" at [[Altyn-Emel National Park]]
</gallery>

== Ili delta ==
[[File:Balkhash labeled eng.jpg|thumbnail|Balkhash lake with Ili delta]]
The Ili River discharges into the southeastern edge of [[Lake Balkhash]], where it forms a large delta of about {{convert|8000|km2|mi2}}. The delta is situated between the [[Saryesik-Atyrau Desert]] and the [[Taukum Desert]]. Until 1948 the delta was a refuge of the extinct [[Turan tiger]]. A [[Siberian Tiger Re-population Project|reintroduction project]] of the [[Siberian tiger]] to the delta has been proposed. Since the Siberian tiger has turned out to be the closest relative, it has been proposed to introduce this subspecies instead. Large populations of [[wild boar]], which were a main prey base of the Turan tiger, can be still found in the swamps of the delta. There are also some roe deer and in the drier steppes to the south of Lake Balkhash live saiga antelopes and goitered gazelles. A reintroduction of the Buchara deer, which was once an important prey item is under consideration. Buchara deer live in the forests at the Kapchagay Reservoir. Another potential prey species, which is extinct in the area is the [[Asiatic wild ass]]. It could be reintroduced in the steppes adjoining the delta.<ref>Hartmut Jungius (2010). ''[http://www.wwf.ru/publ/book/eng/460 Feasibility Study on the Possible Restoration of the Caspian Tiger in Central Asia]''. WWF</ref>
An area of {{convert|9766|km2|mi2}} within the delta has been designated as a [[Ramsar Convention|Ramsar Site]]. This site has 427 species of plants and 345 species of animals, including important populations of rare species, like [[Dalmatian pelican]], [[goitered gazelle]], [[marbled polecat|marbeled polecat]], [[white-headed duck]], [[red-breasted goose]], and [[ship sturgeon]]. The delta has also become known for its [[Wels catfish]], which can grow to over {{convert|300|lb|abbr=on}}. The Government of Kazakhstan plans to join the three sanctuaries Balkash, Karoy and Kukan, which are situated in the delta, into one National Park.<ref>Masha Vinokurova (Press officer), Olga Pereladova (Head of the WWF Central Asia Programme): [http://www.wwf.ru/resources/news/article/eng/9130 Kazakhstan names large inland delta], WWF Information February, 2012</ref>

== Tributaries ==
* [[Charyn River]], famous for its [[Charyn Canyon|canyon]]
* [[Kash River]]
* [[Tekes River]]

== Historical connections ==
The Ili River gave its name to the [[Ili river treaty|Ili River treaty]] of 638 AD, which formalized the division of the [[Western Turkic Kaganate]] (552–638 AD) into the [[Nushibi]] and the [[Dulo clan|Dulu]], and established the Ili River as the border between the two states.<ref>Zuev Yu.L., ''The strongest tribe'', Almaty, 2004, pp. 55–6,</ref>

In the 21st century, increasing need for water in both China and Kazakhstan makes the management of the cross-border Ili River a topic of concern for environmentalists and politicians in Kazakhstan, who feel that their country may not get enough water flowing in from China any more.<ref>{{citation|title=For China and Kazakhstan, No Meeting of the Minds on Water
|journal=Science|volume=337|date=2012-07-27|url=http://211.144.68.84:9998/91keshi/Public/File/41/337-6093/pdf/405.full.pdf
|first=Richard|last=Stone|pages=405–407}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Ili River}}
* [[Great Soviet Encyclopedia]]
* [http://www.cultinfo.ru/fulltext/1/001/007/043/43821.htm Или, река Семиречинской области] (The Ili River), in [[Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary]]

{{Rivers of Kazakhstan}}
{{China Rivers}}
{{coord|45|24|N|74|08|E|display=title|region:KZ_type:river_source:GNS-enwiki}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Rivers of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Rivers of Xinjiang]]
[[Category:Sites along the Silk Road]]
[[Category:International rivers of Asia]]
[[Category:Siberian Tiger Re-population Project]]

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