Kyrgyzstan

**Kyrgyzstan**, officially the **Kyrgyz Republic**, is a country in Central Asia. The country is landlocked (has no coast) and mountainous. It has borders with China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Its capital is Bishkek. It was a socialist republic of the Soviet Union, but became independent in 1991. The country was peaceful in the 1990s. Its president, Askar Akayev showed an autocratic and authoritarian character.

Russian is spoken as an official language at state level.

In 2005, there was an unexpected revolution after the elections of parliament (the legislature) in March. President Akayev resigned on April 4 of that year. Opposition leaders formed a coalition (a group from more than one party), and a new government was formed, led by President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and Prime Minister Feliks Kulov.

At the moment, different political groups are fighting for power in the republic. Three of the 75 elected members of Parliament have been murdered. Kyrgyzstan’s main religion is Islam.

## Geography

Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country in Central Asia. It is farther from the ocean than any other country in the world. It borders Kazakhstan, China, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Mountains cover over 80% of the country.

The land area of Kyrgyzstan is just a little bigger than the state of Nebraska.

Issyk-Kul Lake is the largest lake in Kyrgyzstan. It is the largest mountain lake in Asia and the second largest mountain lake in the world after Titicaca. Peak Jengish Chokusu, at 7,439 m (24,406 ft), is the highest point. The highest peaks are in the Kakshaal-Too range.

Bishkek, the capital city, is in the north. It is largest city in Kyrgyzstan. The second largest is the ancient town of Osh.

### Cities

|Name|Kyrgyz name|Oblast|Population|Type|
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|Balykchy|Балыкчы|Issyk Kul|41,342|city|
|Batken|Баткен|Batken|10,987|city|
|Bishkek|Бишкек|-|750,327|city|
|Cholpon-Ata|Чолпоната|Issyk Kul|8,851|city|
|Isfana|Исфана|Batken|_16,850_|city|
|Jalal-Abad|Жалалабат|Jalal-Abad|70,401|city|
|Kant|Кант|Chuy|22,075|city|
|Kara-Balta|Карабалта|Chuy|47,159|city|
|Karakol|Каракол|Issyk Kul|64,322|city|
|Karaköl|Каракөл|Jalal-Abad|17,977|city|
|Kara-Suu|Карасуу|Osh|19,143|city|
|Kerben|Кербен|Jalal-Abad|n/a|city|
|Kochkor-Ata|Кочкората|Jalal-Abad|16,104|city|
|Kökjanggak|Көкжаңгак|Jalal-Abad|10,727|city|
|Kyzyl-Kiya|Кызылкыя|Batken|31,844|city|
|Mailuu-Suu|Майлуусуу|Jalal-Abad|20,365|city|
|Naryn|Нарын|Naryn|40,050|city|
|Nookat|Ноокат|Osh|n/a|city|
|Osh|Oш|Osh|208,520|city|
|Shopokov|Шопоков|Chuy|9,133|city|
|Sulyukta|Сүлүктү|Batken|_14,145_|city|
|Talas|Tалас|Talas|32,638|city|
|Tashkömür|Ташкөмүр|Jalal-Abad|23,331|city|
|Tokmok|Tокмок|Chuy|59,409|city|
|Uzgen|Өзгөн|Osh|41,497|city|

## Economy

Kyrgyzstan was the second poorest country in the former Soviet Union next to Tajikistan. Now it is the second poorest country in Central Asia.

Agriculture is an important part of the economy in Kyrgyzstan. Much farming is still being done by hand and by horse. Main crops include wheat, sugar beets, potatoes, cotton, tobacco, vegetables, and fruit.

Kyrgyzstan is rich in mineral resources. It has small petroleum and natural gas reserves. Among its mineral reserves are solid amount of coal, gold, uranium, antimony and other metals but not iron. Metallurgy is an important industry.

Imports include petroleum and natural gas, ferrous metals, chemicals, most machinery, wood and paper products, food and construction materials. Its trade partners are Germany, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.

## Related pages

- Kyrgyzstan at the Olympics
- Kyrgyzstan national football team
- List of rivers of Kyrgyzstan

## Infobox (country)

- **common name**: Kyrgyzstan
- **image flag**: Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg
- **image coat**: Emblem of Kyrgyzstan.svg
- **symbol type**: Emblem
- **national anthem**: National Anthem of the Kyrgyz Republic, Кыргыз Республикасынын Мамлекеттик Гимни

- **image map**: Kyrgyzstan (orthographic projection).svg
- **capital**: Bishkek
- **largest city**: capital
- **languages type**: Major languages
- **languages**: Kyrgyz language, Kyrgyz & Russian language, Russian
- **languages2 type**: Minority languages
- **ethnic groups year**: 2019
- **demonym**: Kyrgyz
- **government type**: Unitary state, Unitary Presidential system, presidential Republic, constitutional republic
- **leader title1**: President of Kyrgyzstan, President
- **leader name1**: Sadyr Japarov
- **leader title2**: Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers
- **leader name2**: Akylbek Japarov
- **leader title3**: :en:List of Chairmen of the Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan, Chairman of the Supreme Council
- **leader name3**: :en:Talant Mamytov, Talant Mamytov
- **legislature**: Supreme Council (Kyrgyzstan), Supreme Council
- **sovereignty type**: History of Kyrgyzstan, Independence
- **established event1**: Yenisei Kyrgyz Khaganate, Kyrgyz Khaganate
- **established date1**: 840
- **established event2**: Turkestan Autonomy, From Russian Republic, Russia
- **established date2**: 27 November 1917
- **established event3**: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic, Kirghiz SSR
- **established date3**: 5 December 1936
- **established event4**: Independence Day (Kyrgyzstan), From the Soviet Union, USSR
- **established date4**: 31 August 1991
- **established event5**: Alma-Ata Protocol, CIS Accession
- **established date5**: 21 December 1991
- **established event6**: Dissolution of the Soviet Union, Recognized
- **established event7**: United Nations Security Council Resolution 736, Admitted to the United Nations
- **established date7**: 2 March 1992
- **area km2**: 199,951
- **area rank**: 85th
- **percent water**: 3.6
- **population estimate**: 7,037,590
- **population census**: 5,362,800
- **population estimate year**: 2023
- **population estimate rank**: 96th
- **population census year**: 2009
- **population density km2**: 27.4
- **population density sq mi**: 71
- **population density rank**: 176th
- **gdp ppp**: $35.324 billion
- **gdp ppp year**: 2019
- **gdp ppp rank**: 127th
- **gdp ppp per capita**: $5,470
- **gdp ppp per capita rank**: 134th
- **gdp nominal**: $8.455 billion
- **gdp nominal year**: 2019
- **gdp nominal rank**: 141st
- **gdp nominal per capita**: $1,309
- **gdp nominal per capita rank**: 158th
- **gini**: 27.7
- **gini year**: 2018
- **gini change**: increase
- **hdi**: 0.697
- **hdi year**: 2019
- **hdi change**: increase
- **hdi rank**: 120th
- **currency**: Kyrgyzstani som (c)
- **currency code**: KGS
- **time zone**: Kyrgyzstan Time, KGT
- **utc offset**: +6
- **drives on**: right
- **calling code**: Telephone numbers in Kyrgyzstan, +996
- **iso3166code**: KG
- **cctld**: .kg