Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, formerly known as Kirghizia, is a landlocked country in the eastern regions of Central Asia, lying in the Tian Shan and Pamir mountain ranges. It is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and China to the east and southeast. Kyrgyzstan's capital and largest city is Bishkek which lies on the northern border with Kazakhstan. Ethnic Kyrgyz make up the majority of the country's over 7.4 million people, followed by significant minorities of Uzbeks and Russians. Kyrgyzstan's history spans a variety of cultures and empires. Although geographically isolated by its highly mountainous terrain, Kyrgyzstan has been at the crossroads of several civilizations as part of the Silk Road.