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sunset in cholpon-ata
  The country borders Kazakhstan to the north, China to the southeast, Tajikistan to the south, and Uzbekistan to the west. From about the 3rd century b.c. until the 15th century a.d., the area adjoined the important Silk Road, a trade route between Europe and China. Russians arrived in the mid-1800s. The Fergana Valley in the southwest and the lowlands along the Chu and Talas rivers are the most densely inhabited parts of Kyrgyzstan. The capital of the republic, Bishkek (until 1991 called Frunze), is located on the Chu River. It stands on the site of an old Silk Road settlement, which became a Russian garrison in the late 19th century. The main river of Kyrgyzstan, the powerful Naryn (upper Syr Darya), is dammed by five huge power stations. The blue, salty Issyk Kul Lake, in a basin about 5,250 ft. (1,600 m.) above sea level, is locally believed to harbor a monster trout; in any case, the lake is certainly full of fish and a favorite with anglers. Because of the many hot springs rising from its floor, the lake retains a pleasant temperature for most of the year. The lake and the surrounding mountains are dotted with campsites and several resorts. Kyrgyzstan was until December 1991 one of the 15 constituent republics of the Soviet Union, and in reference books was referred to as Kirghizia. In the mid-1900s, Kyrgyzstan was generally considered more democratic than its four neighbors. The climate is characterized by great differences in temperature: the highest temperature ever recorded was 109° F. (43° C), and the lowest was -65° F. (-54° C). Summers in the valleys are very hot and dry; the winters turn bitterly cold. Until the modern era, the Kyrgyz were nomads. During the Soviet period, however, they were forced to abandon their old ways. The ancient traditions still survive in various horseback games that people play on Sundays. One of them, called keshkumai, in which a man chases a woman on horseback and tries to kiss her, apparently reflects the ancient ritual of the taking of the bride. Some men still wear traditional white caps or fur-trimmed hats and felt boots with leather overshoes, but more elaborate costumes are worn only during special ceremonies. Religious Kyrgyz are generally Sunni Muslims. After decades of official Soviet atheism, many people are now beginning to rediscover their religious roots. History Kyrgyzstan has been crisscrossed by nomads since prehistoric times. In the early 19th century, the area belonged to the Kokand khanate. Then, during the 1860s and 1870s, the region was colonized by Russians. Until 1926 the Kyrgyz people were called "Kara-Kyrgyz" by Russians, while the word "Kirghiz" was applied to the Kazakhs. During the civil war following the Bolshevik Revolution, the area witnessed a number of anti-Bolshevik uprisings, but by the mid-1920s, the new Soviet state had asserted its power. The present boundaries were drawn in 1936, with complete disregard for ethnic lines of settlement. That same year, the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic was set up. | |
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Article Contributors Anonymous user updated 1 year ago Anonymous user updated 1 year ago |
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