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Geography The Republic of Kyrgyzstan is located in Central Asia, bordering China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The country is slightly smaller than South Dakota and is the second smallest state in all of Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan’s capital is Bishkek, and the country is divided into seven provinces (oblastlar): Kyrgyzstan’s terrain is extremely mountainous. Although Kyrgyzstan has no navigable rivers, Lake Ysyk in the northern Tien Shan range is one of the largest high altitude lakes in the world. Kyrgyzstan is occasionally referred to as "the Switzerland of Central Asia"
Environment • Kyrgyzstan has avoided many of the environmental issues associated with Soviet-era heavy industry in the other Central Asian republics, but struggles with over-irrigation, pollution of water resources from mining operations, and increased flooding and landslides due to melting glaciers in the east. • Heavy snowfall in winter leads to spring floods which often cause serious damage downstream. The runoff from the mountains is also used for hydro-electricity.
Population • The population of Kyrgyzstan is about five and a half million. Almost two-thirds of the population lives in rural areas. The country’s ethnic make-up is predominantly Kyrgyz (65%), followed by Uzbek (14%) and Russian (13%), as well as other smaller ethnic minorities. • The Kyrgyz people pride themselves on nomadic roots. Sheep’s-felt carpets are a famous handicraft of the Kyrgyz. Kyrgyz nomadic culture also prizes horses and horseback riding; a popular proverb states, “If you would have only one day to live, you should spend at least half of it in the saddle.” • The Kyrgyz have historically been semi-nomadic herders, living in round tents called yurts and tending sheep, horses and yaks. This nomadic tradition continues to function seasonally
Language • Kyrgyz and Russian are Kyrgyzstan’s official languages. Kyrgyz is used in all primary and secondary schools, while Russian remains the language of business and higher learning. Uzbek is also spoken by a minority of the population. • Sample text in Kyrgyz: • Бардык адамдар өз беделинде жана укуктарында эркин жана тең укуктуу болуп жаралат. Алардын аң‐сезими менен абийири бар жана бири‐бирине бир
Religion • Officially, Kyrgyzstan has no state religion. A majority of Kyrgyzstan’s population consider themselves Sunni Muslims (75%) and about 20% follow Russian Orthodox.
Economy • Kyrgyzstan’s economy is poorly developed, particularly in industry. The service sector (mainly trade, banking, and some tourism) and agriculture (tobacco and cotton cultivation) comprise over 80% of all industry. • Kyrgyzstan is also rich in natural gas resources and gold and uranium deposits, but economic growth is difficult because of corruption and gold market.
Challenges • Although internet connectivity and access continue to increase in Kyrgyzstan, infrastructure is still limited and dependent on Russian and Chinese connections. Because personal computers are still too expensive for most Kyrgyz, a majority of internet use occurs at private internet cafes and is restricted to the urban centers. Moreover, nearly half of all users are accessing the Web for free through workplaces and educational institutions. • Kyrgyzstan requires nine years of education, and also offers two years of specialized secondary or vocational school. The country boasts nearly 50 institutes of higher education, but university instruction is offered only in Russian. Moreover, budget cuts to education have reduced teacher salaries, limited equipment, and disproportionately affected female student enrollment.
Flag • The 40-ray sun on the flag of Kyrgyzstan is a reference to those same forty tribes and the graphical element in the sun's center depicts the wooden crown of a yurt -- a portable dwelling traditionally used by nomads in the steppes of Central Asia. • The red portion of the flag represents peace and openness of Kyrgyzstan.
