Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country with mountainous terrain. It borders Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west and southwest, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east.
The capital, Bishkek, is the most populous city in the republic, with a permanent population of 1,053,900 people at the beginning of 2020. The second city by population is Osh
Kyrgyzstan is primarily a mountainous country. In the eastern part, near the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (China), Victory Peak rises at an altitude of 7,439 meters, which is the highest point in Kyrgyzstan. The second highest mountain Khan Tengri (6995 meters) is located on the border with Kazakhstan.
Climate
The climate is continental in the city, which means hot summers and cold winters. The atmosphere is generally dry with rainfall occurring mostly in spring. There is an average of 322 days of sunshine per year. There are two rivers flowing through the city – Alamedin and Ala-Archa both being tributaries of the River of Chui. Also, the Grand Chui Canal flows through the city. The city is said to be the greenest in Central Asia.
Public holidays
Whenever an official holiday is celebrated in Kyrgyzstan, most shops, public buildings and banks are closed, or have special operating hours.
- 1 January – New Year`s Day
- 7 January – Orthodox Christmas
- 23 February – Motherland Defender`s day
- 8 March – International Women`s Day
- 21 March – “Nooruz” (Kyrgyz traditional New Year`s holiday)
- 7 April- Day of the People’s April Revolution
- 1 May – International Labour`s Day
- 5 May – Constitution Day
- 9 May – The Day of Victory in the Second World War
- 31 August – Independence Day
- ** – Orozo Ait (Eid-al-Fitr, Muslim holiday)
- ** – Kurman Ait (Eid-al-Adha, Muslim holiday)
** – dates are corrected in accordance with the Lunar calendar (the dates are not fixed)