General information
Photo source: @cutie_wootiee
Kyrgyzstan is a country in Central Asia. The capital of Kyrgyzstan is Bishkek, the most populated city in the country. The largest cities in Kyrgyzstan are Osh, Jalal-Abad, and Karakol.
The official languages of the country are Kyrgyz and Russian. The country occupies the 85th place in the world and the 7th place among the CIS countries in terms of territory area. Country's phone code: +996. The national currency of Kyrgyzstan is som.
Where is Kyrgyzstan located
Kyrgyzstan is located in the Western and Central parts of the Tien Shan mountain system. Kyrgyzstan borders Kazakhstan to the North, Uzbekistan to the West, Tajikistan to the southwest, and China to the East and Southeast. Kyrgyzstan has no outlet to the sea. More than three-quarters of the territory of Kyrgyzstan is occupied by mountains. Kyrgyzstan has no outlet to the sea. More than three-quarters of the territory of Kyrgyzstan is occupied by mountains.
Climate
The climate in Kyrgyzstan is sharply continental. Temperatures in the country vary greatly, with an average of -30°C in winter to 27°C in summer. In general, Kyrgyzstan is a sunny country, although in some valleys there is a constant cloud cover.
Flora and fauna
Photo source: Ludovico Alcorta
Kyrgyzstan has a rich flora and fauna. There are 88 specially protected natural territories in the country. In Kyrgyzstan more than 4 thousand species of vascular plants in the country. Various types of herbs and plants grow in the woodlands, including Tien Shan spruce and Edelweiss. The fauna of Kyrgyzstan includes more than 500 species of animals, including birds and fish, and 3 thousand species of insects, many of which are rare and listed in the Red Book.
In the forests of Kyrgyzstan's Tien Shan, there are herds of argali, marals, and the endemic Tien Shan brown bear. The mountain valleys are home to foxes, wolves, ground squirrels and small mammals, and the mountain rivers are rich in trout. In the past, snow leopards that live mainly in the highlands inhabited most of the country, but today the population of the species is limited.
Rivers and lakes
Photo source: @lunatic_alx
There are about 30,000 rivers in Kyrgyzstan. The largest river in the country is the Naryn. There are about 2000 lakes in Kyrgyzstan. Most of the lakes are high-altitude and lie at an altitude of 2500 to 4000 meters above sea level. The main reason for the formation of lakes is the melting of glaciers.
There are three major lakes in the Republic: Issyk-Kul, Sonkel, and Chatyr-Kel. In the North-East of the country is the seventh deepest lake in the world — Issyk-Kul lake, located at an altitude of 1609 meters above sea level.
National flag
The national flag of the Kyrgyz Republic is a red rectangular cloth, in the center of which is placed the image of a round solar disk with evenly diverging rays of golden color, forty rays. Inside the solar disc is an image of tunduk of the Kyrgyz yurt of red color.
Coat of arms
The national emblem of the Kyrgyz Republic is an image of a white Falcon with outstretched wings, placed in the center of a blue circle in a white frame. In the background are the lake, the spurs of the Ala-Too mountains and the rising sun with Golden rays placed on both sides of the cotton stalks and wheatears. In the upper part of the circle is the inscription “Kyrgyz”, and in the lower part of it is the inscription “Republic”.
National holidays in Kyrgyzstan
Photo source: journalofnomads.com
In Kyrgyzstan 11 public holidays: New Year, Christmas, Fatherland Defender Day, International Women's Day, Nowruz, the Day of People's April Revolution, Labor Day, Constitution Day of Kyrgyzstan, Victory Day, Independence Day, Days of History and Memory of Ancestors. The dates of the Muslim holidays Orozo Ait and Kurban Ait are determined by the lunar calendar.
Traditional food in Kyrgyzstan
Photo source: anitasfeast.com
The national cuisine of the Kyrgyz people is similar to the cuisines of other Turkic nomadic peoples. Meat has a special place in Kyrgyz cuisine. On the occasion of celebrations or other events, it is customary to kill a ram or other livestock. In addition to lamb and cow meat, horse meat and Yak meat are popular in Kyrgyzstan, and horse meat dishes are considered delicacies. The most popular dishes of Kyrgyz cuisine are kulchetai, oromo, manty, kesme, boorsok.
