In addition, several families were also represented by Ukrainians, Tatars, Armenians, Georgians, Bulgarians, Ossetians, Kurds, Assyrians, Dungans and others.

[9] In the early 1960s, during the open borders between the USSR and the PRC, three new waves of Uyghur settlers from troubled Xinjiang settled in Chilik.

By the mid-1970s, Uighurs began to play a significant role in the economy of the village, as they were engaged in the cultivation of high-yielding tobacco.

Since the mid-2000s, in Shelek, as well as throughout southern and eastern Kazakhstan, there has been a large flow of migrants from China on the program of returning ethnic Kazakhs to their historical homeland.

This served as a sharp change in the image of the village: the national composition was reduced due to the relocation of the majority of ethnic Europeans, the Kazakh language acquired more frequent use in everyday life, the infrastructure of the village itself began to develop at a rapid pace.

In Soviet times, Shelek was known for the functioning of the cane processing plant (called the "reed" by the local population).

Shelek has long been known for its tomatoes and tobacco, whose sales revenues have made local farmers among the most prosperous in Kazakhstan.

In modern Shelek there are more than 800 peasant farms, 40 private limited companies, 150 shops, 80 consumer services enterprises, 50 canteens, a large number of cafes, bars, billiards, casinos and restaurants.

There are two hospitals in the village, an orphanage, the House of Culture, in which discos are held regularly; recently a roller club was opened.

As an intermediate point between Almaty and China, Shelek is an attractive destination for tourists from Europe and Asia.

From the village you can go to the mountains of the Trans-Ili Alatau, visit the Charyn canyon, go to the coast of the Kapchagai reservoir, visit the Altyn Emel national park, take part in rafting on the Ili River, and lovers of relaxation and water procedures can go to the thermal and radon springs that are also in half an hour's drive from Shelek.