The smallest of the Central Asian republics, with an area less than 200,000 sq km, Kyrgyzstan has for its neighbours Kazakhstan in the north, the People’s Republic of China in the east, Tajikistan in the south and the southwest and Uzbekistan in the west; Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country.

Most of the territory is mountainous, and much of the land is permanently covered with snow. This country has the within its territory a part of the Pamir Knot, the geological phenomenon from which emerge such major mountain ranges as the Himalayas and Karakoram in the south east, the Hindukush to the south west, the Kunlun to the east, and the Tian Shan to the north east.

The Tian Shan mountain system is the predominant geographical feature of Kyrgyzstan. These great mountains and smaller allied ranges run across the length and breadth of the country. Pik Pobedy or Jengis Chokusu (7439metres) is the highest peak in Kyrgyzstan. The Ferghana Range that sweeps through the middle of the country running from the northwest to the southeast, with the Pamir Alay in the south, encompasses the fertile Ferghana Valley. The mountain lake, Kyrgyzstan’s most famous, the Issyk Kul, with a maximum depth of 668 metres and at a height of 1600 metres is among the largest in the world. Even in the winter when a combination of altitude and latitude pulls the temperature down to - 5º C the lake does not freeze. Kyrgyzstan also has tremendous water resources in its many rivers. The Naryn, Karadarya, the Chatkal, Kyzylsuu, Chu, Talas and the Sary Jazz are its major rivers. 4.25% of the Kyrgyz territory is taken up by its 6000 odd glaciers. Kyrgyzstan has a diversity of geographical features: there is a little semi-desert, steppe, open meadowland, alpine, tundra and glacial. Mountains however make for 95% of the total terrain.

You can see some remarkable animals and plants in Kyrgyzstan. There are several nature reserves and protected areas and two national parks. In summer wild flowers cover the mountains while the streams abound in trout and pike. The elusive snow leopard, lynx, bear, wolves, marmot, eagles and lammergeyers inhabit the wilds of Kyrgyzstan. Higher in the tundra grasslands, the Marco Polo sheep roam in herds while flamingos flock near lakes and swamps. The flora of this country ranges from deciduous forests to slopes of coniferous trees like fir and birch.