Kyrgyz actors: 59 Photos
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Among the Central Asian republics of the former Soviet Union, Kyrgyzstan was perhaps the most eager to obtain full independence. After more than 1,000 years of disunity, statelessness, and foreign subjection, Kyrgyzstan joined the world's independent countries on August 31, 1991.
The Kyrgyz people (also spelled Kyrghyz, Kirgiz, and Kirghiz; /ˈkɪərɡɪz/ KEER-giz or /ˈkɜːrɡɪz/ KUR-giz) are a Turkic ethnic group native to Central Asia. They primarily reside in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan. A Kyrgyz diaspora is also found in Russia, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan.
Stone implements found in the Tian Shan mountains indicate the presence of early humans in what is now Kyrgyzstan as many as 200,000 to 300,000 years ago. The first written records of a civilization in the area occupied by Kyrgyzstan appear in Chinese chronicles beginning about 2000 BC.
Roughly 48% of the population there speak it as a first language. Kirghiz (or Kyrgyz) is one of the two official languages of Kyrgyzstan, where the majority of the roughly 3.2 million speakers live.
Take care if you go out after dark. Do not show large amounts of money and be wary of strangers offering help or being over-friendly. Be careful when using currency exchange offices and visiting the bazaars in Bishkek, particularly Osh Bazaar, where pickpockets target tourists.