About Kyrgyzstan

T he Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzstan) is a continental country located in the north-east of the Central Asia. In the north Kyrgyzstan borders on Kazakhstan, in the south-east and east on China. In the south-west where the Tien-Shan joins the Pamiro-Altai mountain range, it borders on Tadjikistan, and in the west on Uzbekistan.
The area of Kyrgyzstan is 199.9 thousand sq.km; 4.2% of this area is occupied by forests; 4.4% - by water; 53.5% - by cultivated lands.

The Tien-Shan ridge predominates in Kyrgyzstan. It divides the country into two zones: the northern part including the Talas, Chu and Issyk-Kul oblasts and Bishkek city, and the southern part including the Jalal-Abad, Naryn, Osh and Batken oblasts.

The country is extremely mountainous, 94% of its territory is localed 1000 m above the sea level, 40% of which - more than 3000 m above the sea level with large glaciers and eternal snows. Average altitude of the territory is 2750 m above the sea level. The highest point is Peak Pobeda (7439 m), the lowest is 350 m above the sea level (in the south-west of Kyrgyzstan).

There are 1923 lakes in Kyrgyzstan. The total square of their surface is 6836 sq.km. The largest lakes of Kyrgyzstan are: the Issyk-Kul with the water surface of 6236 sq.km, the Son-Kul - 275 sq.km, the Chatyr-Kul - 175 sq.km.
The longest rivers are: the Naryn River (535 km long), the Chatkal River (205 km long), and the Chu River (221 km long).

Sourses:
National Plan of Kyrgyz Republic Environment Protection. Bishkek, 1995.
National Report on Environment State of Kyrgyzstan. Bishkek, 1997.