Page last updated on February 08, 2019

Location:
Central Asia, west of China, south of Kazakhstan

Geographic coordinates:
41 00 N, 75 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 199,951 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 191,801 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 8,150 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 88

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries:
total: 4,573 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (4): China 1063 km, Kazakhstan 1212 km, Tajikistan 984 km, Uzbekistan 1314 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan Mountains; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone
More Climate Details

Terrain:
peaks of the Tien Shan mountain range and associated valleys and basins encompass the entire country

Elevation:
mean elevation: 2,988 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: 132 m lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya)
7439 highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy)

Natural resources:
abundant hydropower; gold, rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

Land use:
agricultural land: 55.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 6.7% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 48.3% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 5.1% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 39.5% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
10,233 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population distribution:
the vast majority of Kyrgyzstanis live in rural areas; densest population settlement is to the north in and around the capital, Bishkek, followed by Osh in the west; the least densely populated area is the east, southeast in the Tien Shan mountains

Natural hazards:
major flooding during snow melt; prone to earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
water pollution; many people get their water directly from contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne diseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty irrigation practices; air pollution due to rapid increase of traffic

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; 94% of the country is 1,000 m above sea level with an average elevation of 2,750 m; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes