Background Information
Current Ethnic Makeup |
Current Language Composition |
Kyrgyzstan, also known as the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia, bordering China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. Formerly a republic of the Soviet Union, Kyrgyzstan gained its independence in 1991 and has been transitioning to a democracy ever since.
|
73.2 Percent Kyrgyz
14.6 Percent Uzbek 5.8 Percent Russian 1.1 Percent Dungan 5.3 Percent Other |
71.4 Percent Kyrgyz
14.4 Percent Uzbek 9 Percent Russian 5.2 Percent Other |
A Concise History of KyrgyzstanBefore the carving of the modern borders of Kyrgyzstan, the region was inhabited by various Turkic tribes who lived nomadic, agricultural lifestyles. Krygyz tribes typically invaded the land of other groups, becoming known for provoking the building of the original Wall of China.
Throughout the Middle Ages, various points in Kyrgyz territory served as important stops on the Silk Road, allowing for the transfer of goods and ideas between Asia, Europe, and Africa. In the 17th century, Islam was adopted as the dominant religion in the area, which continues to exist through the Sunni majority today. In the nineteenth century, Kyrgyz territory came under Russian control, which brought literacy and a more defined concept of national identity. This rule lasted until the Bolshevik Revolution, upon which the Soviet Union gained control over Central Asia. The USSR divided Central Asia upon loosely-based borders pertaining to ethnicity in order to suppress possible revolt, resulting in the creation of the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic in 1936. During the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the Kirghiz SSR briefly re-titled itself the Socialist Republic of Kirghizia before gaining full independence as Kyrgyzstan, also called the Kyrgyz Republic. |
Currently, Krygyzstan is a developing democracy, working towards developing a successful market economy through the obstacles of political corruption, ethnic tensions, and the threat of terrorism. |
With regards to religion, three quarters of the population adheres to Islam (Sunni in particular), while 20 percent are Russian Orthodox, and five percent follow other religions.
|
The Kyrgyz PeopleThe Kyrgyz people traditionally lived in nomadic tribes, largely isolated from other ethnic groups due to the mountainous terrain of their country. Due to their proximity to western China, they have historically had more cultural contact with the Chinese, particularly the Uighurs living in the Xinjiang Provence. After several years of Soviet rule, the Kyrgyz people developed a modern sense of national identity due to innovations regarding their language, culture, and political recognition.
Although the population of Krygyzstan is largely rural, cities such as Osh and Bishkek are densely populated with large apartment blocks and Soviet-style architecture. 36.4 percent of the population is urbanized, as the vast majority of Kyrgyz citizens live spread out in houses and yurts in rural areas. The current president is Sooronbay Jeenbekov, who was elected in November of 2017. As Jeenbekov serves as the head of state, prime minister Mukhammedkalyy Abylgaziev is the head of government, having served since April of 2018. |
Language PolicyEstablished as a standard language during the Soviet period, modern Kyrgyz is a largely new language, featuring many characteristics developed through the influence of the Soviet Union. These include various Russian loanwords and the use of the Cyrillic alphabet, which was adopted between 1940-1941 and is still used today.
Upon gaining its independence from the USSR, the Kyrgyz government declared Kyrgyz to be the nation language, however, Russian was added as a second official language in 2001 after pressure from Russia (Johanson, 2006, p. 279). During the first years of independence, many non-Kyrgyz speakers left the country as Kyrgyz began to dominate languages such as Russian and German. Although many of the European population living in Kyrgyzstan during the Soviet period lacked an interest in learning Kyrgyz due to the prestige of Russian, the mass emigration of Europeans after the fall of the Soviet Union allowed for a national increase in the Kyrgyz-speaking population. |
Despite the fact that Russian still dominates public life through its role as a lingua franca and a dominant language in publication, the Kyrgyz people continue to maintain a significant mastery of their own language (Johanson, 2006, p. 276). Although efforts to switch Kyrgyz from Cyrillic to a Roman-based alphabet have been discussed, it has not yet been implemented. |
Statistics cited from The World Factbook unless otherwise stated