Kyrgyzstan's mountainous terrain is a significant barrier to both economic development and political unity. Indeed, of Kyrgyzstan's population of 4.75 million, more than half live in the agricultural Fergana Valley, making the region economically, politically and socially important. The only land route connecting Bishkek and Osh is a narrow two-lane road, where drivers dodge potholes and fallen rocks on an often perilous 600 kilometer journey over three mountain ranges. The physical divisions are mirrored by ethnic, religious and political divisions.
Islamic influence is stronger in the south, among both the Uzbek and Kyrgyz population.
Since independence, northern Kyrgyz have tended to dominate the national political establishment, both as elected and appointed officials. President Akayev's support is limited in the south, even among ethnic Kyrgyz, and local officials led by independent-minded akims frequently ignore orders from the national government in Bishkek. Other regions of the country are, if anything, even more isolated by the mountainous terrain. More than 60 per cent of the population is rural, scattered in small villages and settlements. The country's mountainous terrain and dispersed population make transportation and communications difficult.