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Kyrgyzstan

Photos

8 Photos
A view of the imposing Tien Shan mountain range.
A river outside of Bishkek. Note the milky color as a result of glacial sediments.
Statue of Aaly Tokombaev (1904-1988) in Bishkek. Tokombaev is probably Kyrgyzstan's most famous writer. He was not only a poet and novelist, but also a composer.
A typical Kyrgyz yurt, a portable, bent-wood framed shelter covered by layers of fabric, typically felt.
Statue of Mikhail Frunze, the Kyrgyz Soviet hero, in Bishkek. Frunze was the name of the capital city from 1926 to 1991.
Issyk-Kul (Warm Lake) is an endorheic lake - it lacks any outflow to another body of water - in the Northern Tian Shan mountains in Eastern Kyrgyzstan. The lake is globally significant for its biodiversity of plant, animal, and bird species. Issyk-Kul Lake is 182 km (113 mi) long, up to 60 km (37 mi) wide, and its area is 6,236 sq km (2,408 sq mi).
Ala Archa National Park is located in the Tian Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan, approximately 40 km south of the capital city of Bishkek. Ala archa, or striped juniper in Kyrgz, refers to the juniper forests that characterize the landscape. The park, about 200 sq kms, encompasses more than 20 glaciers and 50 mountain peaks. Wildlife in Ala Archa National Park includes mountain goats, deer, marmots, and the extremely rare snow leopard.
Bishkek, formerly Pishpek and Frunze, is the capital and largest city of Kyrgyzstan. The Manas Sculptural Complex, completed in 1981, is located in the heart of the city. The main statue depicts a legendary hero, Manas, on a magical horse who slays an evil dragon. The Manas poem is the classic centerpiece of Kyrgyz literature, and parts of the epic are often recited at Kyrgyz festivities.
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