Geography Quiz Arcade

Capital of Kyrgyzstan: Bishkek — Facts & 5-Question Quiz

The capital of Kyrgyzstan is Bishkek. Kyrgyzstan sits in Asia, has a population of 6,630,623, and uses the KGS. Official languages include Kyrgyz, Russian.

Quick facts

  • Capital: Bishkek
  • Continent: Asia
  • Population: ~6,630,623
  • Area: 199,951 km²
  • Population density: 33.2 people per km²
  • Official languages: Kyrgyz, Russian
  • Currency: KGS
  • ISO code: KG

How big is Kyrgyzstan?

By population, Kyrgyzstan ranks 109th in the world, holding roughly 0.08% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 85th.

Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Kyrgyzstan has 33.2 people per square kilometre, which is about 1.8 times below the world average of 59.4. It is more spacious than its population alone would suggest.

Within Asia, Kyrgyzstan is the 33th most populous country of 48.

Countries of a similar size

The two countries closest to Kyrgyzstan in population are Paraguay (6,780,744) and Bulgaria (6,781,953).

By land area, its closest counterparts are Senegal (196,722 km²) and Belarus (207,600 km²).

Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.

Language and currency

Kyrgyz is listed as an official language of Kyrgyzstan alone, which is unusual — most official languages are shared across borders.

Kyrgyzstan uses the KGS, and it is the only country that does, which makes the currency name a reliable one-to-one clue.

How to remember Kyrgyzstan

Look up through the round opening in the roof of a yurt and you see the sun: that is the flag. Bishkek sits in the north, close to the Kazakhstan border and below the snowy Tian Shan.

The flag of Kyrgyzstan: red and yellow

🇰🇬 The flag is a red flag with a yellow sun of 40 rays, with the crossed roof-ring of a yurt (a tunduk) in the middle. The 40 rays stand for the 40 clans united by the hero Manas in Kyrgyz legend, and the lines in the middle show the roof-ring of a traditional Kyrgyz yurt. Red stands for bravery.

Region and neighbours

Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked, mountainous country in Central Asia, crossed by the Tian Shan mountains. It shares land borders with 4 countries: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China. Kyrgyzstan is landlocked, with no coast on the open ocean.

Three facts about Kyrgyzstan

  1. The Tian Shan mountains cover more than 80% of Kyrgyzstan, which is sometimes called 'the Switzerland of Central Asia'.
  2. Issyk-Kul is one of the largest mountain lakes in the world, and it does not freeze in winter despite its height.
  3. The Epic of Manas, the Kyrgyz national poem, is one of the longest epic poems in the world.

Sources: Wikipedia: Kyrgyzstan, Wikipedia: Flag of Kyrgyzstan, Wikipedia: Issyk-Kul, CIA World Factbook.

Quiz yourself on Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan capital quiz

  1. What is the capital of Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬?

    • Taipei
    • Ankara
    • Muscat
    • Bishkek
    Show answer

    Bishkek

  2. What is the capital of Turkmenistan 🇹🇲?

    • Colombo
    • Astana
    • Amman
    • Ashgabat
    Show answer

    Ashgabat

  3. What is the capital of Singapore 🇸🇬?

    • Baku
    • Bangkok
    • Abu Dhabi
    • Singapore
    Show answer

    Singapore

  4. What is the capital of Laos 🇱🇦?

    • Malé
    • Beijing
    • Vientiane
    • Baghdad
    Show answer

    Vientiane

  5. What is the capital of Lebanon 🇱🇧?

    • Beirut
    • Islamabad
    • Kathmandu
    • Baghdad
    Show answer

    Beirut

Kyrgyzstan in Asia

The largest countries by population sharing this continent are China, India, Indonesia and Pakistan.

If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Asia is the block Kyrgyzstan belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.

Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Kyrgyzstan.

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Kyrgyzstan?

The capital of Kyrgyzstan is Bishkek.

What is the population of Kyrgyzstan?

About 6,630,623, making it the 109th most populous country in the world.

How big is Kyrgyzstan?

199,951 square kilometres, ranking 85th by land area, at a density of 33.2 people per square kilometre.

What currency does Kyrgyzstan use?

The KGS, which no other country uses.

What are the colours of the Kyrgyzstan flag?

The flag of Kyrgyzstan is a red flag with a yellow sun of 40 rays, with the crossed roof-ring of a yurt (a tunduk) in the middle. The 40 rays stand for the 40 clans united by the hero Manas in Kyrgyz legend, and the lines in the middle show the roof-ring of a traditional Kyrgyz yurt. Red stands for bravery.

Which countries border Kyrgyzstan?

Kyrgyzstan shares land borders with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China.

How can I remember the capital of Kyrgyzstan?

Look up through the round opening in the roof of a yurt and you see the sun: that is the flag. Bishkek sits in the north, close to the Kazakhstan border and below the snowy Tian Shan.

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