The 199,900km² Kyrgyz Republic, more commonly known as Kyrgyzstan, is a landlocked Central Asian state bordering China that became independent with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Beautifully defined by unspoilt mountainscapes and rolling jailoos (summer pastures), which are brought to life by semi-nomadic shepherds, the country offers visa-free travel opportunities and a well-developed network of homestays that make it appealing to foreigners.
The vast majority of attractions are rural, at high altitude, and offer the novelty of staying in yurts, which makes the summer months from June to September an ideal period. This is when the countryside is more easily accessible, hiking is a joy, and expats can converge with tourists on the beaches of Lake Issyk-Köl. Over the winter months, it is possible to ski or snowboard in the mountains, but many of the yurts that add character to the vistas are closed from October to May due to extreme weather conditions and road closures.
With a population of slightly over six million ' most of which are Turkic-speaking Muslims ' Kyrgyzstan is now a relatively vibrant democracy that adopted a parliamentary system in 2011, and is one of the few lower-middle-income countries in the region. Despite having experienced political and social instability since independence, it has progressively increased its economic output over the past two decades. Although growth has been volatile, there have been increased opportunities for foreign professionals in the country.
As well as a developing gold mining sector, it has some oil and gas, but Kyrgyzstan still relies on imports for most of its energy needs. Due to its reliance on one gold mine in particular ' Kumtor, which accounts for about 10% of GDP ' the Kyrgyz economy is vulnerable to external shocks, and also relies heavily on worker remittances from abroad.
For the country to realise its growth potential, which would involve promoting tourism and exporting hydroelectricity to increase regional trade, Kyrgyzstan would also need to diversify its economic activities through increased private sector development, and the authorities would need to prove themselves committed to improving governance and reducing corruption.
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