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Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyz Respublikasy) is a presidential republic in Central Asia, bordering to the north with Kazakhstan, on the east by China, on the south by China and Tajikistan, to the west by Uzbekistan. The capital and main city of the country is Bishkek, which in Soviet times was called Frunze.
GEOGRAPHY
The territory of the country is more than 90% mountainous, dominate by the high chains of Alaj, north end of the Pamir massif, and Ala-Tau and Kokshal-Tau, part of Tian Shan massif. The highest mountain, Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy, 7,439 metres), is located, on the eastern end of the country, along the border with China, in the Kokshal-Tau chain.
In the north-east of the country, the mountain ranges of Kokshal-Tau and Ala-Tau are separates from the great depression lake Issyk-Kul (6,100 sq km). The main Kyrgyzstan rivers are Ču, Talas and Naryn, which runs from east to west of the country to converge in the Syr-Darya in the Fergana Valley (Uzbekistan).
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THE ECONOMY
Kyrgyzstan’s economy is based on agriculture and livestock. Cotton, hemp, sugar beet, rice, tobacco, cereals, vines, vegetables and fruit are grown there. As for breeding, sheep, cattle, yaks and horses are mainly raised in the country’s rich pastures. Kyrgyzstan can also boast of important subsoil resources, in particular especially coal, uranium, gold, natural gas and oil. The industry of the country is developed in the mining, textile, and transformation of agricultural and livestock products. Tourism in recent years has had an important development mainly due to the landscape and natural beauty of the country.
The official website of the Kyrgyz government.
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- Area: 199,900 sqkm (Arable 7%, Pastures 43%, Forests and Woodlands 3%, Uncultivated and Unproductive 47%).
- Population: 5,250,000 (2005 data) (Kirgyz 70%, Uzbeks 14%, Russians 9%, Tatars 2%).
- State Capital: Bishkek.
- Languages: Kyrgyz and Russian are the official state language.
- Religion: Muslim 85%, Orthodox Christian 10%.
- Currency: Som (KGS)
- Time: UTC +6 hours.
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