Kyrgyzstan flag
Basic facts of Kyrgyzstan
Official name: Kyrgyz Republic
Capital: Bishkek
Area: 198,500 sq km, 76,640 sq mi
Population: 5,356,869 (2008 estimate)
Population growth rate: 1.38 percent (2008 estimate)
Population density: 28 persons per sq km, 73 persons per sq mi (2008 estimate)
Urban/rural distribution:
Share urban 34 percent (2005 estimate)
Share rural 66 percent (2005 estimate)
Largest cities: Bishkek, Osh
Languages: Kyrgyz (official), Russian
Religious affiliations:
Muslim 61 percent
Nonreligious 22 percent
Orthodox Christian (Russian) 7 percent
Atheist 6 percent
Other 4 percent
Life expectancy:
Total 69.1 years (2008 estimate)
Female 73.3 years (2008 estimate)
Male 65.1 years (2008 estimate)
Literacy rate:
Total 99.6 percent (1995)
Female 99.5 percent (1995)
Male 99.7 percent (1995)
Form of government: Republic
Total number of military personnel: 12,500 (2004)
Introduction:
Kyrgyzstan, officially Kyrgyz Republic, landlocked republic in the eastern part of Central Asia that is bordered on the north by Kazakhstan, on the east by China, on the south by China and Tajikistan, and on the west by Uzbekistan. Bishkek is the capital and largest city.
The Kyrgyz, a Muslim people who speak a Turkic language that is also called Kyrgyz, constitute a majority of the population of Kyrgyzstan. Uzbeks and Russians form the largest ethnic minorities. Kyrgyzstan became part of the Russian Empire in the late 1800s. In 1924 it became an autonomous region of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), and in 1936 its status was upgraded to make it one of the 15 constituent republics of the USSR. Officially known as the Kirgiz Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR), it was also commonly known as Kirgizia. Kyrgyzstan became an independent nation in 1991. In 1993 the country ratified its first post-Soviet constitution.
Tian Shan Mountains
In Tokmok, in northern Kyrgyzstan, the Tian Shan Mountains stand over fields of flowers. The mountain system covers most of Kyrgyzstan and stretches into Kazakhstan and western China. The highest peaks in this range are part of the Alatau and are some of the highest in the world, rising to 7,400 m (24,400 ft) above sea level.
Grazing Lands in Kyrgyzstan
The production of wool is a chief economic activity in Kyrgyzstan and other areas of Central Asia. Herders rely on the pastures of the Tian Shan to graze their sheep. Some sheep are raised for their meat; mutton is the key ingredient in several of the national dishes of Kyrgyzstan.