Kyrgyzstan is located at the half distance from Paris to Tokyo, on the western border of China, south of Kazakhstan and east of Uzbekistan, north of Tajikistan and 5000 km southeast of Moscow. Kyrgyzstan was once part of the Soviet Union, until it’s collapse in 1991.
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| Map of Kyrgyzstan |
Surface: 198500 sq. km or 76,642 sq. mi (5 times the size of Switzerland). Mountains make up 94 %, plains 6% of the surface.
Climate: Kyrgyzstan’s climate is Classic Continental – that is, with hot summers and cold winters. Temperatures can vary considerably within a single day – especially with altitude and can change suddenly, particularly in the mountains. The variety of landscape provides for a variety of climates. For example: the average temperature in Issyk-Kul in summer is +17C to +20C day, +5C to +10C night.
Mountains: Most famous are the Peak Khan-Tengri (7010 m or 22873 feet), Peak Pobeda (7439m or 24325 feet) and one of the longest glaciers of the world is “Inylchek” (62 km or 40 miles) in the Tien-Shan range. Peak Lenin (7134 m or 23328 feet) and Peak Communism (7505 m or 24541 feet) in the Pamir range in the south of the country.
Population: The country’s population is 5 million. The capital Bishkek has around 1 million inhabitants.
Other towns: Tokmok, Karakol, Cholpon Ata, Balykchy, Osh, Jalal Abad, Ozgon, Kazarman, Naryn, and many more.
Nationalities: Kyrgyz (60%), Russians (16%), Uzbeks (14%), Ukrainians (2%), Dungans, Kazakhs (1%), Tadjiks (1%), Tatars (1%), Germans, Uighurs, Koreans, Chinese.
Religions: The majority of the population does not belong to any religion, others are Moslems or Christians.
Bishkek
Bishkek, the capital and principal city of Kyrgyzstan, is situated in
the Chui valley at an elevation of 750 meters above sea level. It is a
wonderful place. The people are friendly and open. The pace of life is
slow for a city of its size, and the streets are green. Bishkek is considered
as one of the greenest city of the world. It is situated at the foot of
the Alatau Mountains, which are covered by a crest of glaciers.
Bishkek lies very near some of the most exotic and legendary places on earth – Samarkand, Kashgar, Bukhara; and in a region that glitters with famous names – Alexander the Great, Tamerlane and Marco Polo. For centuries one important branch of the Great Silk Road network passed right through what is now Bishkek.
In Bishkek the average temperature
is around +24,5C in July (although it can reach well into the 40’s)
and about -5C in January.