The Facts about Kyrgyzstan (written by Douglas Parks)
1. If you are an outdoorsman or woman with a love of mountains and lakes, felt yurts and amazing horse games, this small country, about the size of South Dakota, is for you.
2. The country has a population of five million, 1.25 million of whom live in the capitol Bishkek and 400,000 more in second city Osh.
3. There is relative freedom of religion here: 75% Muslim (Sunnis), 20% Russian Orthodox. There are some Kazakhs and Uzbeks here but Kyrgyzs make up 65% of the population and Russians the remaining 15%.
4. Unlike the rest of the “Stans” which have dictators for presidents, Kyrgyzstan practices a limited form of Democracy and since the fall of the USSR, a number of presidents have been elected.
5. Bishkek is a young capital , but what it lacks in historical sites, it makes up for in fine parks, museums and monuments. It is a walkable city with lovely tree lined boulevards and marble faced buildings.
6. Second city Osh, by contrast is a 2,000 year old Silk Road Bazaar town on the edge of the Fergana Valley. It has the reputation of being a smuggler’s town where large amounts of heroin come up from Afghanistan on its way to Russia.
7. Historically, both Ghengis Khan and Tamberlane ruled here.
8. Kyrgyzstan has a major lake named Issyk Kol. It is the second largest Alpine lake in the world after Lake Titicaca in Peru.
9. Water is a major commodity of personal and political importance in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan both have it in abundance. Uzbekistan doesn’t. So it is traded to the Uzbeks for oil and gas in the Winter.
10. By Lake Issyk Kkol there are many ancient rock paintings dating back in one area from the 8th to the 5th century B.C. and in a second area by the old Silk Road Burana Tower, were carved stones of vanquished warriors from the 6th to 11th centuries A.D.
11. The Kyrgyz oral epic, Manas, is the longest poem in the world, 20 times longer than the Odyssey. It is about keeping the Chinese out of their country. It has 500,000 verses and to be sung or read takes three days!
12. The Kyrgyzs are great horse people and horse games are their national sport. Whether it be horse racing, horse football using a dead goat as the football, horse wrestling one-on -one, they are gifted riders. They also practice their historic custom of bride kidnapping on horseback, a custom still prevalent, though outlawed, in much of Central Asia.