A Brief Description Home to stunning mountain scenery including toothy-edged, snow-covered peaks, and lush rivers valleys, some adventure travelers feel that Kyrgyzstan is one of the most beautiful spots on the planet. The majority of the modern citizens in Kyrgyzstan are descendants of nomadic Turkic peoples that roamed Central Asia for centuries, and to this day, most prefer to live in the rural areas, and who can blame them. In the late 1800s, this beautiful land was literally absorbed into Russia, and subsequently controlled by the USSR for almost 75 years. When the former Soviet Union finally collapsed in 1991, Kyrgyzstan emerged as an independent state and began to embrace the western world with serious internal reforms and democratic principles. For many decades the country's economy depended on the Russia's economic influence, and the loss of that assistance required some new thinking. Today the economy of Kyrgyzstan still revolves around agricultural, however, modern manufacturing methods and tourism are slowly on the increase. For more info on Kyrgyzstan, click here. A rural Kyrgyzstan family! Travel the World through Poster Art! Facts and Figures Name Kyrgyzstan (long form) Kyrgyz Republic Population 5,146,300 Population & Density (all countries) here Capital City Bishkek (824,000) Currency Som Currency Converter here Languages Kyrgyz (official), Russian (official) Flag here National Day August 31 Religions Muslim (75%), Russian Orthodox (20%) The meaning of "stan" here! Geographic Coordinates Latitude/Longitude (Capital City) 42º 53' N, 74º 46' E Relative Location Kyrgyzstan is in both the northern and eastern hemispheres. It's positioned in the Middle East, a recognized geographical region of southwestern Asia. The country is bordered by Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and China. Land Statistics Coastline 0 (landlocked) Land Areas (land) 73,861 sq miles (191,300 sq km) (water) 2,780 sq miles (7,200 sq km) (TOTAL) 76,641 sq miles (198,500 sq km) Land Area (all countries) here Land Area 198,500 sq km (76,641 sq miles) Landforms Over 90% of Kyrgyzstan is dominated by massive, rugged mountain ranges, including the Alai, Kirghiz and Tien Shan, and their associated valleys and basins. Large areas of those mountain regions are covered by glaciers. A few flat areas (lower valleys) are found in the north and far southwest, but almost 35% of the land is higher than 9,842 ft. (3,000 m) above sea level. Dozens and dozens of rivers flow from the upper reaches of the mountains; the most significant ones include the Al-Say, Chu, Kara Daryya and Naryn. Issyk-Kul is the world's second largest alpine lake. Highest Point Jengish Chokusu - 24,406 ft. (7,439 m) Lowest Point Kara Daryya - (433 ft.) (132 m) Land Divisions 7 provinces and 1 city; provinces include: Batken Oblasty, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty and Ysyk-Kol Oblasty (Karakol). The city is: Bishkek Shaary.

Maps Kyrgyzstan (large color) Map here Kyrgyzstan Outline Map here Kyrgyzstan CIA version here Kyrgyzstan Maps at UT here - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Asia Continent (printable) here Asia Outline Map here Asia (Southeast) Outline Map here Asia (Name the Country) Map Test here - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Indian Subcontinent Map here Middle East Landforms here Middle East Map here Middle East Outline Map here Middle East Rivers here Tsunami Map (December 2004) here - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - World Outline Maps (printable) here World Time Zone Map here Recommended Links Kyrgyzstan (Complete) info on the (GDP) economy, imports and exports, natural resources, government, population, military, transportation, and more here! Kyrgyzstan Embassy (Washington, DC) here Kyrgyzstan Photos at TrekEarth.com here Time and Weather Time Zone (UTC +6) Note that UTC is also known as GMT, or Greenwich Mean Time. Conversion details and additional info: here Climate Without question Kyrgyzstan's weather is influenced by its mountains, and its isolated location - far from any major body of water. The extreme elevated areas of those mountains are dry and cold with temperatures (way below zero.) In the mountain and river valleys, temperatures do moderate in the summer months, and in the far southwest, June and July are often quite pleasant with highs in the low 80sº f. Precipitation is heaviest in the western mountain valleys, while eastern slopes and valleys receive small amounts of rain/snow. "Seven Bulls" rock formation, Kyrgyzstan Travel the World through Poster Art! Traveler Info Attractions Kyrgyzstan is a remote and enigmatic country to most, yet one filled with exotic points-of-interest and striking mountain scenery. For those that venture in, sites include the capital city of Bishkek and its wide boulevards, crowded bazaars and traditional soviet-style monuments, the glacier peaks of the Tian Shan mountains and the almost indescribable beauty of the surrounding canyons, gorges and valleys. Country Dialing Code 996 Electricity Kyrgyzstan uses 220 volts AC (50 Hz) Electrical adapters, products and tips here Travel Warnings here Visa Information here

Kyrgyzstan - Capital: Bishkek

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This page created by: Patrick Kennedy
Creation date: March 2007
Last update: 18 November 2009
URL: http://www.patricksworldcurrency.com/countries/kyrgyzstan.html