Kara-Balta ('black ax', Russian/Kyrgyz: Кара-Балта) is a city and municipality on the Kara-Balta River, in Chuy Province, Kyrgyzstan, the capital of Jaiyl District. It was founded in 1825 under the Kokand Khanate, and received city status in 1975 under the Soviets. Its city population was officially 37,834 in the 2009 census.