Kosonsoy Косонсой
Kosonsoy Location in Uzbekistan
Coordinates: 41°15′N 71°33′E / 41.250°N 71.550°E / 41.250; 71.550
Country	Uzbekistan
Region	Namangan Region
Elevation	885 m (2,906 ft)
Population  (2016)
• Total	50,900
Time zone	UTC+5
Postal code	717235

Kosonsoy also spelled as Kasansay (Uzbek: Kosonsoy / Косонсой; Tajik: Косонсой; Russian: Касансай) or simply, Kasan, (ancient Kathan or Great Kushan empire) is a city in Namangan Region, Uzbekistan. It is the seat of Kosonsoy District.^[1] Kosonsoy is named after the River "Koson" which flows from high mountains of Kyrgyzstan to Turakurgan District (Namangan Region), the word "soy" in Tajik and means a "brook".

History

Kosonsoy is an ancient place, this city was a capital of kushan empire. Its first settlements date back to times of Kushan Empire. The word "koson" came out from the word Kushan. Kosonsoy was an essential part of Kushan Empire together with ancient city Akhsikent, near Namangan city. There are still remains of ancient Mug Castle of Kushanids in the north part of the city. In other books is written that the "koson" means "big town" or "strong castle".

Population

Kasansay has a population of over 270 000 (2023).^[2] A vast majority of population in Kasansay are Persian speaking Tajiks(about above 230 000.

Education

There are five Secondary Special Education Colleges (SSEC) and one Academic Lyceum in Kosonsoy. SSECs include medical college, pedagogical college, transport and communication college, technical college and a few others. There are above 50 secondary schools in Kosonsoy, including many Tajik schools and one Russian and Uzbek school.

Environment

Kosonsoy is a mountainous place, and the mountain is as close as 3 km to the centre of district. The river Kosonsoy divides the city into two parts.

Prominent people

Ahmad Kasani, a prominent Muslim scholar/scientist/poet, was born in Kosonsoy, the street of Makhdumi Azam was named after him and there is monument of Makhdumi Azam near the bank of Kosonsoy River, completed in September 2007. Makhdumi Azam Kosoniy was religion teacher (Pir)of Zakhiriddin Muhammad Bobur. Makhdumi Azam Kosoniy wrote books about law of Islam. He was one of the three Azams in the Muslim world. A descendant Afaqi Khojas was very famous in Kashgar (China). Boborahim Mashrab (Shoh Mashrab) was taught by Offokkhoja and he was Mashrab's religion teacher . Mashrab was his student (murid).