Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous, landlocked country in Central Asia. It’s full of natural wonders: majestic mountains, alpine lakes, and meandering rivers. The country has over 2,000 years of history, with a wide variety of influences from its neighbors (and sometimes conquerors): its cultural and linguistic origins are Turkic, and have been largely shaped by Persian, Mongolian, and Russian forces. Historically, Kyrgyzstan has functioned as a sort of crossroad, serving as a major hub along the Great Silk Road and other ancient trade routes. Kyrgyzstan was a part of the former Soviet Union, and became an independent state following the breakup of the USSR in 1991; Russian is still widely spoken across the country, especially in larger cities, and Russian culture continues to show up in everything from food to literature to education. Roughly 5.7 million people currently live in Kyrgyzstan. In addition to its natural beauty, the country is known for its welcoming people; you can see glimpses of both in our slideshow below. The Nakta Designs team is proud to call Kyrgyzstan home!
WHERE IS KYRGYZSTAN?
Kyrgyzstan is located in Central Asia, south of Kazakhstan and west of China. Explore the map below!
9 FACTS ABOUT KYRGYZSTAN
“The Epic of Manas,” a narration of the migration of the Kyrgyz people under the the legendary hero Manas’ leadership, is one of the world’s longest epic poems. It is over 1,000 years old. 
The Kyrgyz were one of the Turkic groups who raided the borders of China and created the need for the construction of the Great Wall. 
The Inylchek Glacier of Kyrgyzstan is one of the largest glaciers in the world. 
The Kyrgyz city of Osh is 3,000 years old; it used to be one of the most important and largest commercial centers of the Great Silk Road, the trade route between China and Europe. 
Issyk Kul Lake, also known as “Pearl of Tien-Shan (the Sky Mountains)”, is one of the largest mountainous lakes in the world. It’s also the world’s second largest saline lake, after Caspian Sea, which also shares the characteristics of a lake. 
The Kyrgyz ethnic group is comprised of traditionally nomadic people, believed to have originally lived in southern Siberia. 
The word “Kyrgyz” is derived from the Kyrgyz word for “forty.” It is believed that the people of Kyrgyzstan came from forty tribes. 
The people of Kyrgyzstan are very fond of tea; it’s considered a replacement for water, and cannot be missed at a meal.