Kyrgyzstan – country information

Country name	Kyrgyzstan
Official name	Republic of Kyrgyzstan
Capital	Bishkek
Continent	Asia
Area	199,900 km2
Population	5,663,133 (2013)
Foundation of a state	31/8/1991
The highest mountains	Pik Pobeda 7439 m
Longest rivers	Naryn 535 km
The largest lakes	Issy-Kul’ 6236 km 2
State system	a republic with a unicameral parliament
The biggest cities	Bishkek (capital) 675,000, Osh 230,000, Jalal-Abad 80,000
Official language	Kyrgyz language
Ethnicity/National Composition	Kyrgyz 56%, Russians 18%, Uzbeks 12.5%, Ukrainians 2%, Tatars 1.5%, Germans 1.5%, others 8.5%
Religious affiliation	mostly Sunni Muslims
Currency	1 am
gross domestic product (GDP)	US$2,351 (2012)
Average life expectancy of the population	68.49 years (2006)
Structure of GDP	agriculture and fishing 26%, mining and industry 35%, construction 4%, services 35%

Kyrgyzstan – neighboring states

State	Capital	Area	Population
China	Peking	9,640,820 km2	1,363,350,000
Kazakhstan	Astana	2,724,900 km2	17,186,000
Tajikistan	Dushanbe	143,100 km2	8,160,000
Uzbekistan	Tashkent	447,400 km2	30,183,400

Country overview

According to Abbreviationfinder, Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous republic in Central Asia, the furthest of all countries in the world from the sea (1,700 km). It borders Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest, and a long border with China to the southeast.

Country data

Location: Central Asia

Time zone: CET + 5 (during summer time CET + 4)

Total area: 199,951 km²

Land area: 191,801 km²

Water area: 8,150 km²

Length of the state border: 3,051 km

Bordering countries:
China: 858 km
Kazakhstan: 1,224 km
Tajikistan: 870 km
Uzbekistan: 1,099 km

Coastline: 0 km

Capital: Bishkek

Regions: 7
Shaary, Chuy Oblasty, Jalal-Abad Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty, Ysyk-Kol Oblasty

Electric current: 220 V / 50 Hz

Telephone code: 00 996 (Source: Allcitycodes)

Highest point: Jengish Chokusu 7,439 m

Population

Population: approx. 5.6 million residents (Countryaah, 2021)

Population growth: 1% per year

Population density (residents per km²): 28

Life expectancy: 66 (male), 75 (female)

Official language: Kyrgyz, Russian

Religions:

• 75% Muslim
• 20% Russian Orthodox
• 5% other

Climate

Kyrgyzstan is located in a continental climate zone where the summer months are very warm and the winter months are cold with frequent snowfalls.

Overall, precipitation is very rare.

Currency / finance

Currency unit: Kyrgyz Som (KGS)

Classification: 1 Som = 100 Tyiyn

ATMs: There are a few ATMs in Bishkek.

International credit cards: These are accepted by a few larger hotels and shops in the capital. Cash is usually used.

Regulations: Foreign currencies can be imported and exported in unlimited amounts. The local currency may not be imported or exported.

Since there is almost always a lack of change, you should carry enough US dollars with you in small notations.

Customs regulations

The following may be carried duty-free:

• 400 cigarettes or 500 g tobacco
• 1 liter of alcoholic beverages
• small amounts of perfume

(Information applies to people aged 18 and over)

Tourists and people in transit can bring items of personal use with them duty-free.

All customs forms must be kept well until departure. All valuable objects and pieces of jewelery are to be entered in these in order to avoid problems with re-export.

Travel advice

Travel to the border regions to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan should be avoided as the situation is not safe here.

In some areas there are minefields that have not yet been cleared.

Behavioral advice

Pickpockets, extortion and robbery often occur after dark. You should therefore exercise particular caution.

Medical care does not necessarily correspond to European standards. You should attach importance to a good first aid kit.

You should only travel outside the big cities with a local guide.

Economy

In agriculture, the main industry, sheep, yaks and goats are mainly raised.

For a few years now, foreign aid has been promoting the development of further branches of industry.

Industries: building materials, electronics, agriculture, mechanical engineering, textiles, livestock

Natural resources: antimony, lead, natural gas, petroleum, gold, coal, mercury, hydropower, zinc

Land use:

• Usable land: 7%
• Grain cultivation: 0%
• Pasture area: 44%
• Forests: 4%
• other: 45%

Plants

Most of the flora consists of steppe areas overgrown with grasses and small bushes.

Fruit trees were planted in the lower regions. There are also isolated small forests of birch, spruce and fir trees.

Animals

The animal world is represented in Kyrgyzstan with only a few species.

These have adapted to the mostly unfavorable living conditions.