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Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬
Basic facts
Official name: Кыргыз Республикасы (Kyrgyz Respublikasy)/Кыргызская Республика (Kyrgyzskaya Respublika) (Kyrgyz/Russian) (Kyrgyz Republic)
Capital city: Bishkek
Population: 6.7 million (2023)
Demonym: Kyrgyzstani
Type of government: unitary presidential republic
Head of state and government: Sadyr Japarov (President)
Gross domestic product (purchasing power parity): $48.05 billion (2024)
Gini coefficient of wealth inequality: 29% (low) (2020)
Human Development Index: 0.701 (high) (2022)
Currency: som (KGS)
Fun fact: It is home to the world’s largest walnut forest.
Etymology
The country’s name consists of the Turkic word for “we are forty”, which is believed to refer to the forty clans of legendary hero Manas, and the Persian suffix -stan, which means “place of”.
Geography
Kyrgyzstan is located in Central Asia and borders Kazakhstan to the north, China to the east and southeast, Tajikistan to the south, and Uzbekistan to the west.
There are six main climates: warm-summer humid continental in the northeast, Mediterranean-influenced warm-summer humid continental in the west, subarctic and tundra in the center, east, and southwest, cold desert in the northwest and southwest, and cold steppe in the rest. Temperatures range from −10 °C (14 °F) in winter to 32 °C (89.6 °F) in summer. The average annual temperature is 9.6 °C (49.2 °F).
The country is divided into seven regions (oblystar/oblasti), which are further divided into 44 districts (aymaqtar/rayony). The largest cities in Kyrgyzstan are Bishkek, Osh, Jalalabad, Karakol, and Tokmok.
History
30-375: Kushan Empire
440s-560: Hephthalite Empire
539-1207: Kyrgyz Khaganate
552-603: First Turkic Khaganate
603-742: Western Turkic Khaganate
682-744: Second Turkic Khaganate
744-840: Uyghur Khaganate
843-1347: Qocho Kingdom
1223-1266: Mongol Empire
1266-1347: Chagatai Khanate
1501-1785: Khanate of Bukhara
1709-1876: Khanate of Kokand
1876-1917: Russian Empire
1917-1918: Turkestan Autonomy
1918-1924: Turkestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic
1924-1926: Kara-Kirghiz Autonomous Oblast
1926-1936: Kirghiz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic
1936-1990: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
1990-1991: Republic of Kyrgyzstan
1991-present: Kyrgyz Republic
2005: Tulip Revolution
2010: Second Kyrgyz Revolution
2020: Third Kyrgyz Revolution
Economy
Kyrgyzstan mainly imports from China, Russia, and Uzbekistan and exports to the United States, Kazakhstan, and Russia. Its top exports are dry pulses, sheep and goats, and cotton.
It has antimony, coal, gold, and uranium reserves. Services represent 54.2% of the GDP, followed by industry (31.2%) and agriculture (14.6%).
Kyrgyzstan is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Organization of Turkic States, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Demographics
77.8% of the population is Kyrgyz, while Uzbeks represent 14.2% and Russians 3.8%. The main religion is Islam, practiced by 91% of the population, the majority of which is Sunni.
It has a positive net migration rate and a fertility rate of 3 children per woman. 38% of the population lives in urban areas. Life expectancy is 71.9 years and the median age is 24 years. The literacy rate is 99.2%.
Languages
The official languages of the country are Kyrgyz and Russian, spoken by 61.1% and 37.3% of the population, respectively.
Culture
Kyrgyzstan is known for its carpets and tapestries and nomadic farming. Bride kidnapping, although illegal, is still practiced.
Men traditionally wear a shirt (keynek), wide, embroidered pants (chalbar), a wide belt (kemer), a felt robe (kementay), and a white felt hat (kalpak). Women wear a white shirt (keynek) and long pants or a dress, an embroidered vest (chyptama), and a white muslin turban (elechek) or a conical hat with a veil (topu).
Architecture
Traditional houses in Kyrgyzstan are conical wooden structures covered in felt and wool.
Cuisine
The Kyrgyzstani diet is based on dairy products, meat, rice, and vegetables. Typical dishes include chiuchiuk (horse sausage), dimlama (a stew of meat, onions, potatoes, and vegetables), langman (a dish of meat, noodles, and vegetables), oromo (a steamed pie with minced meat and onions), and qurut (tangy, dried yogurt balls).
Holidays and festivals
Like other Muslim and Christian countries, Kyrgyzstan celebrates Orthodox Christmas, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha. It also commemorates New Year’s Day, International Women’s Day, Persian New Year, and Labor Day.
Specific Kyrgyzstani holidays include Fatherland Defenders’ Day on February 23, Day of National Revolution on April 7, Constitution Day on May 5, Remembrance Day on May 8, Victory Day on May 9, Independence Day on August 31, and Days of History and Commemoration of Ancestors on November 7 and 8.
Independence Day
Other celebrations include the Birds of Prey Festival, the Kyrgyz Kochu Festival, which showcases the art of felt-making, and the National Horse Festival.
Kyrgyz Kochu Festival
Landmarks
There are three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang’an-Tianshan Corridor, Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain, and Western Tien-Shan.
Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain
Other landmarks include the Ala Archa National Park, the Burana Tower, the Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Cathedral, the Kol-Tor Lake, and the Ruh Ordo Cultural Center.
Ruh Ordo Cultural Center
Famous people
Aisuluu Tynybekova - wrestler
Bübüsara Beyshenalieva - dancer
Chinghiz Aitmatov - writer
Kasym Tynystanov - poet
Mirlan Murzayev - soccer player
Salamat Sadikova - singer
Salizhan Sharipov - astronaut
Samal Yeslyamova - actress
Suimonkul Chokmorov - actor and artist
Valentina Shevchenko - mixed martial artist
Suimonkul Chokmorov
You can find out more about life in Kyrgyzstan in this article and this video.
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