Facts at a Glance
Full country name: Republic of Kyrgyzstan
Area: 198,500 sq km (77,415 sq mi)
Population: 4.5 million
Capital: Bishkek (pop 1,000,000)
People: 80% Kyrgyz, 5% Slav (Russian & Ukranian), 15% Uzbek
Languages: Kyrgyz, Russian
Religion: Sunni Muslim
Economic Profile
GDP: US$5.4 billion
GDP per head: US$1200
Annual growth: -6%
Inflation: 30%
Major industries: Machinery, textiles, agriculture, food processing, timber,
mining
Major trading partners: Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakstan, Turkey, Germany
Getting There & Away
Kyrgyzstan is not yet well connected by air. Kyrgyzstan Airlines connects
Bishkek with Istanbul, Moscow, St Petersburg via Omsk, and Novosibirsk.
Transaero connects Bishkek with Moscow and Kiev. It's probably easier to get to
Bishkek by flying into Almaty in Kazakstan and catching a bus for the 3 hour
ride to Bishkek (a Kazakstan transit visa is not required if you make this trip
straightaway). Lufthansa even runs its own Almaty-Bishkek ground shuttle. Trains
run from Bishkek a few times a week to Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Almaty and
Krasnoyarsk (Siberia), and daily to Moscow. There are frequent buses between
Bishkek and Tashkent and Almaty; a seasonal Chinese-run bus service links
Bishkek and Kashgar via the Torugart Pass.
Getting Around
Flying is the least edifying and arguably the most dangerous mode of transport
in Kyrgyzstan, but in winter it can be the only way to beat the snow. Bishkek to
Osh is a popular flight. Buses are the most frequent and convenient way to get
between towns cheaply, and the best way to see what remains of the land of the
nomads, though long trips can be tedious and cramped, and vehicles are prone to
breakdowns. Kyrgyzstan's trains are slow, crowded, grotty and increasingly crime-ridden.
Taxis or private drivers are often willing to take travellers between cities.
Most towns have public buses and marshrutnoe minibuses operating on fixed routes.
When To Go
At lower elevations, spring and autumn are probably the best seasons to visit
weather-wise - in particular April to early June and September through October.
In spring, the desert blooms briefly, while autumn is harvest time when the
markets fill with fresh produce.
Summer is ferociously hot in the lowlands, but July and August are the best
months to visit the mountains. Cold rains begin in November and snow soon closes
mountain passes. The ski season at the Upper Ala-Archa Mountain Ski Base lasts
from December to April. Note that winters are bitterly cold, even in the desert,
and finding food can be a problem since lots of eateries close for the season.
Many domestic flights are also grounded in winter.
Environment
Landlocked Kyrgyzstan is slightly larger than Austria and Hungary put together.
It borders Kazakstan in the north, China in the east, Tajikistan in the south
and Uzbekistan in the west. Nearly 95% of the country is mountainous: almost
half of it at an elevation of over 3000m (9840ft) and three-quarters of it under
permanent snow and glaciers. The dominant feature is the Tian Shan range in the
south-east. Its crest, the dramatic Kakshaal-Too range, forms a stunning natural
border with China, culminating at Pik Pobedy (7439m/24,400ft), Kyrgyzstan's
highest point. The southern border with Tajikistan lies along the Pamir Alay
Range. Lake Issyk-Kul, almost 700m (2300ft) deep, lies in a vast indentation on
the fringes of the Tian Shan in eastern Kyrgyzstan.
Though environmental pressures are as bad in Central Asia as anywhere, there's a
reasonably good chance of seeing memorable beasts and plants, especially since
Cannabis indica grows thick and wild by the roadsides. The mountains of
Kyrgyzstan are the setting for high, grassy meadows - it's not unheard of to
look out a train or bus window on the open steppe and see a rushing herd of
antelope. Marmots and pikas are preyed upon by eagles and lammergeiers while the
elusive snow leopard hunts the ibex amongst the crags and rocky slopes. Forests
of Tian Shan spruce, larch and juniper provide cover for lynx, wolf, wild boar
and brown bear. In summer, the wildflowers are a riot of colour. The climate of
this mountainous region is influenced by its distance from the sea and the sharp
change of elevation from neighbouring plains. Conditions vary from permanent
snow in high-altitude cold deserts to hot deserts in the lowlands. From the end
of June through mid-August most afternoons reach 32C (90F) or higher, with an
average annual maximum of 40C (104F). During the winter months temperatures
remain below freezing for about 40 days. The coldest month is January when winds
blow in from Siberia.
Facts for the Traveller
Visas: Many Kyrgyz embassies now issue visas without letters of support. If you
arrive with only a Russian or Kazak visa, you can stay 72 hours, during which
time you might be able to get a Kyrgyz visa in Bishkek. All foreigners staying
in the country for more than three days are expected to register with the Office
of Visas & Regulations, preferably in Bishkek. A stamp from Bishkek is good for
the whole country and normally lasts a month.
Time: GMT/UTC plus 5 hours
Electricity: 220V, 50Hz. Bring a torch.
Health risks: Hepatitis A & E, diphtheria, undulant fever, altitude sickness,
and tuberculosis. Play it safe and don't drink the water even if locals say it's
OK to drink.
Weights & Measures: Metric
Money & Costs
Currency: The som (S)
Relative Costs:
Budget meal: US$2-6
Moderate restaurant meal: US$6-15
Top-end restaurant meal: US$15 and upwards
Budget room: US$5-20
Moderate hotel room: US$20-50
Top-end hotel room: US$50 and upwards
In 1993 Kyrgyzstan became the first Central Asian state to introduce its own
national currency. The transition from the Russian rouble has been rocky and
Kyrgyzstan still has the shakiest economy in the region, with a primitive
banking system, high inflation rates and low wages. Foreigners often pay
substantially more than locals for services, and there's not much you can do to
avoid this.
Travellers looking for a safe hotel and dining establishments with ambience
should expect to spend US$70 a day. Those with more moderate tastes and the
occasional craving for an imported beer can get by on around US$40. Budgeteers
relying on trains, streetside cafes and truckers' hostels may need little more
than US$10 a day.
Kyrgyzstan is effectively a cash-only zone. The local currency is the only legal
tender, though in practice US dollars and German Deutschmarks may be accepted or
even requested for some transactions. There are currency exchange desks in most
hotels and many shops. Most places accept only crisp, brand new banknotes,
convinced somehow that anything older is worthless. Banks change US dollars
travellers' cheques into som, though licensed private moneychangers in shop
fronts have slightly better rates for US dollars cash.
Kyrgyzstan has a value added tax (VAT) of 20%. Tipping is not common, although a
few top end restaurants automatically add a 5% to 15% service charge to the bill.
Tipping runs counter to many people's Islamic sense of hospitality, and may even
offend them. Shops have fixed prices but bargaining in bazaars is expected.