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Basic Facts |
Country name |
conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic
conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy local short form: Kyrgyzstan former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic |
Gevernment type | republic |
Capital |
name: Bishkek
geographic coordinates: 42 54 N, 74 36 E time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Flag description | red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized representation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt |
Currency | som (KGS) |
Internet country code | .kg |
Ports and terminals | Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye) |
Agriculture products | tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool |
Industries | small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals |
Geography |
Location | Central Asia, west of China |
Coordinates | 41 00 N, 75 00 E |
Continent | Asia |
Area |
total: 198,500 sq km
land: 191,300 sq km water: 7,200 sq km |
Boundaries |
total: 3,878 km
border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) |
Climate | dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone |
Terrain | peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation |
Natural resources | abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc |
Natural hazards | NA |
People |
Population | 5,213,898 (July 2006 est.) |
Ethnic groups | Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek 13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%, Ukrainian 1%, Uygur 1%, other 5.7% (1999 census) |
Religions | Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5% |
Languages | Kyrgyz (official), Russian (official) |