Basic information about Kyrgyzstan

Located in the heart of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan is a great mountain barrier between an environment of huge desert and steppes. The landscapes are so diverse, that this small country offers a multitude of reasons to go there. Semi-desert wedged between lakes and alpine forests, unexplored mountains, fertile plains and nomadic traditions have created the peculiarities of Kyrgyzstan.

During the 20th century, Kyrgyzstan was incorporated into the USSR. Nowadays, as an independent republic, Kyrgyzstan is struggling to successfully implement free-market reforms and maintain political and ethnic stability. The Kyrgyz government has been actively pursuing ethnic tolerance and democratization polices. Kyrgyzstan has the most liberal media in the former Soviet Union, while both the Russian and Kyrgyz languages are official in this country of well-educated population and a sizable Russian minority.

Kyrgyzstan has a self-sufficient agricultural sector, rich in mineral resources and with high potential in hydroelectric power generation, while economic ties remain strong with Russia and the other members of the Commonwealth Independent States (CIS).

Area:
total: 198,500 sq km 
land: 191,300 sq km 
water: 7,200 sq km

Climate:
dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone

Geography - note:
landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

Ethnic groups:
Kyrgyz 72.1%, Uzbek 14.3%, Russian 6.8%, Dungan 1.1%, Ukrainian 0.3%, Uygur 1%, other 5.7% (2012 census)

Languages:
Kyrgyz (official), Russian (official)