Kyrgyzstan-Switzerland of Central Asia

Kyrgyzstan at a Glance

OFFICIAL NAME	: Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyz: Кыргыз Республикасы Kyrgyz Respublikasy)
GOVERNMENT	: Unitary parliamentary republic
STRUCTURE	: 7 Provinces.
AREA	: 199,951 km2 (87th)    77,181 sq mi , Water (%) 3.6
LAND BOUNDARIES	: Total: 4,573 km, border countries:China 1,063 km, Kazakhstan 1,212 km, Tajikistan 984 km, Uzbekistan 1,314 km
POPULATION	: 6,000,000  (110th)
DENSITY	: 27.4/km2 (176th),  71/sq mi
CAPITAL	: Bishkek City
OFFICIAL LANGUAGES	: Uzbek, Kara Kalpak.
WIDELY SPOKEN LANGUAGES	:Kyrgyz (national)   Russian (official)
CURRENCY	: Som (KGS)
TIME ZONE	: KGT (UTC+6)
DRIVES ON THE	: Right
CALLING CODE	: +996
INTERNET TLD	: .kg
ELECTRIC POWER	: Standard two-pin plug socket

Kyrgyzstan Tourism Information

The smallest country of all the Central Asian republics – Kyrgyzstan, famous for its nature. “Asian Switzerland” – Kyrgyzstan received this name because third of the country is located in mountain area of  Tien-Shan mountains.
More than 93% of the country lies at an altitude above 1000 m above sea level, and about a third – at altitudes of over 3,000 m.

One of the highest peaks of the world (7439m-peak Victory, peak  of Lenin Khan Tengri, 7010 m) ,a great number of glaciers, located in territory of Kyrgyzstan.

One of the longest glaciers – Inylchek glacier is a landmark global scale and is the largest in the Tien Shan, and the second largest mountain glacier CIS.

Natural landscape mountainous area is an opportunity for the development of ski tourism and attracts outdoor enthusiasts, mountaineering, rafting, trekking.

Kyrgyzstan – is not only a land of mountains, but the country of mountain lakes. On the territory of Kyrgyzstan, there are 1923 lakes of different origin: tectonic, dammed, glacial and karst. Some lakes are not inferior in size small seas, and some, due to their small size, are not even marked on the map. The beauty of many lakes is so unusual and magical, that anciently local elders laid a lot of legends about their origin living here.

Most mountain lakes represents a small ponds and dammed glacial origin. The exceptions are large lakes in the depressions of tectonic origin. Due to tectonic processes in the endless expanses of mountain Tien Shan, among snowy peaks stretch velvet waters of Issyk-Kul. Its palette of colors from gentle turquoise, sapphire to deep, hit its fabulous beauty. Lake firmly hides under the water column, the mysteries of ancient civilizations, great cities, sunk into oblivion. Lake Issyk-Kul is the second largest mountain lake after Lake Titicaca in South America. It occupies the 6th place among the deepest lakes in the world, and 26 are among the largest lakes on the planet.

Issyk-Kul Lake, a salt lake, the sea that nourish more than 80 rivers, a health resort of national significance, with frequent water and fish tornadoes.
There are a number of historical sites exist in Kyrgyzstan. among them:The Burana Tower – remains of the ancient city of Balasagun which was established by the Karakhanids at the end of the 9th century, the ancient city of Osh, scatterings of stones with the Tibetan-Buddhist prayers and petroglyphs of different eras, remains of fortifications, mosques, but the author of the most impressive “structure”, including the castle canyons- Konochrok is all the nature itself .