Kyrgyzstan is located in Central Asia, bordering Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest, and China to the southeast. Most of the country is mountainous, with the Tian Shan range taking up most of the central part of the country. This makes Kyrgyzstan a spectacularly beautiful place for hiking and relaxing in nature. Even though Kyrgyzstan is far from the ocean, the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul make for an ideal beach vacation. The landlocked climate means that summers can be quite hot, averaging around 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) in the cities, making swimming and mountain escapes necessary, while winter brings snow and cooler temperatures (averaging around freezing), perfect for skiing and other winter sports. Visitors can also experience the famous hospitality of Central Asia, and immerse themselves in Kyrgyz culture. The world’s longest epic poem, the Epic of Manas, plays a prominent role in Kyrgyz culture, and is featured on many landmarks and monuments.
The Kyrgyz Republic stretches about 900 km from east to west and 410 km from north to south, and is situated between 39°N and 43°N degrees latitude. The total area is almost 200 thousand sq. kilometers.
Provinces and Districts
Kyrgyzstan consists of seven provinces and two independent cities with the same status as provinces. The provinces are Batken, Osh, Jalal-Abad, Naryn, Issyk Kul, Chuy, and Talas, and the two cities are Bishkek and Osh.
The main official language is Kyrgyz, though Russian has also been recognized as an official language. Many business and political affairs are carried out in Russian, though Kyrgyz is very widely spoken across the country and is now the language of parliament. Uzbek, though not an official language, is prevalent in the southern part of the country. Kyrgyz is written with a modified Cyrillic alphabet. Students have the option of going to Russian, Kyrgyz, or Uzbek schools.
Kyrgyz is a Turkic language, and is mostly closely related to Kazakh and Karakalpak, and more distantly related to other Turkic languages, like Turkish, Uzbek, Turkmen, and Uighur. Many people in Kyrgyzstan are bilingual or multilingual.
Roughly 80% of the population is non-denominational Muslim, with another 15% following Russian Orthodoxy, and the rest following other religions. However, religious beliefs are not particularly prevalent in daily life, and instead are part of the culture and are tied to ethnicity and tradition. Religion, particularly Islam, is starting to play a larger role in public and political life, especially as interest grows in religion and spirituality after independence from the atheist Soviet Union. The government of Kyrgyzstan is secular, though it does monitor and impose some restrictions on religious organizations.
The Kyrgyz som (KGS) is the official currency, and it divides into 100 tyiyn. Banknotes in circulation are in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, and 5000 som, while coins are in denominations of 1, 3, 5, and 10 som. Tyiyn are rarely seen and used.
US dollars and euros are the most useful currencies. Credit cards are rarely accepted. Tipping is generally expected and very welcome as wages are so low.
Kyrgyz Flag: The flag features a yellow tunduk with 40 rays of sun spiraling around it on a red background. The tunduk is traditionally the circular top portion of a yurt, and symbolizes the home and the universe. The rays of sun represent the 40 tribes of Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyzstan culture takes its underlying foundations in the distant past. Turkic tribes that relocated in the early Middle Ages from the domain of the Altay and East Turkestan by a great extent affected the formation of Kyrgyzstan. Before the twentieth century, there was the Kyrgyzstan tribal division. A portion of the Kyrgyz still sticks to this custom. This is evident even in the division of the Kyrgyz into the northern and southern Kyrgyz. Traditions and customs of the southern Kyrgyz of the Ferghana Valley and the Eastern regions of the Pamirs region vary from the conventions of the northern Kyrgyz living in territories of the Tien Shan, Issyk-Kul Lake territories. Residences, conventional garments, food – everything is directed by the desire of incessant nomadism.
Kyrgyzstan culture before amalgamating with the Russian Empire the primary kind of settlement was villages, and the Kyrgyz, due to their itinerant way of life, moved from region to region. However, amid the Soviet time, Kyrgyz were continuously died down, encountering a radical change in their way of life. In the present time, a large portion of the Kyrgyz are settled, moving to bigger urban communities, nonetheless, there are as yet traditional settlements in the mountains and rural zones.
Customary dress of the Kyrgyz has experienced some changes amid its advancement. As different aspects of material culture, the Kyrgyz garments unmistakably indicate particular features that were impossible to miss to individual tribal and regional groups; it is likewise recognized by the one of a kind quality, regular for the nomads. Dressing made of a coarse woolen material of domestic produce, produced using skins from animals, felt, leather and wild creatures was in use.
Family and marriage are firmly identified with the patriarchal lifestyle. It was common for Kyrgyz culture to live respectively in a little patriarchal family that shaped an alleged enormous group with the entire family line residing in a similar territory.
Marriage was gone before by courtship. In the past, it was a custom that when youthful kids were coordinated, now and again even unborn yet babies were matched. Similar to numerous other Eastern countries a share requested a dowry for the wife to be. What’s more, even today, current Kyrgyz take after this custom.
The cuisine is a mixture of Central Asian (mutton!) and Russian, although Korean food is widespread too. Popular dishes include plov (rice with lamb and vegetables or fruit), shashlyk (kebab), laghman (stew with noodles) and manty (mutton-filled dumpling). Salads and vegetable dishes are usually available as starters. Flatbreads are ubiquitous and very good.
Vegetarianism is not generally understood, but many of the restaurant starters are suitable or can be adapted. The better yurt camps can cater very well for vegetarians.
Tea (chai), either green or black, is the most common drink and is served in small bowls. Cherry and other fruit juices are widely available.
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There is a lot to explore in Kyrgyzstan!
- Issyk-Kul. The second largest alpine lake in the world, perfect for swimming, fishing, and water sports.
- Tian Shan. A mountain range that impresses with its beauty and variety, great for trekking and climbing.
- Bishkek. The capital of Kyrgyzstan, a city where modernity meets tradition, with many museums, parks, and restaurants.
- Osh. An ancient city with a unique atmosphere, visit the Sulaiman-Too mountain for stunning views.
Kyrgyzstan has two international airports, making it easy to reach. The weather in summer is warm, perfect for outdoor activities, and in winter, ski slopes are open, attracting winter sports enthusiasts.
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