Kyrgyzstan: Flag and Facts
Kyrgyzstan's flag is red with a yellow sun of 40 rays in the center, and at its heart a red ring with crossing lines that pictures the top of a yurt.
- Official name
- Kyrgyz Republic
- Capital
- Bishkek
- Region
- Central Asia
- Population
- 6.2 million (2025)
- Languages
- Kyrgyz, Russian
- Currency
- Kyrgyzstani som
- Area
- 199,951 km² (77,201 sq mi)
- People
- Kirghiz
- Calling code
- +996
- Highest point
- Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m
- Independence
- 31 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
- National symbols
- white falcon
- Borders
- China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
About Kyrgyzstan
That circular opening at the roof of a traditional yurt is called a tunduk. The 40 rays stand for the Kyrgyz tribes, red for courage, and the sun itself for peace and plenty. On the front of the flag the rays turn counterclockwise, and on the back they turn the other way.
Russia annexed most of today's Kyrgyzstan in 1876. During a revolt against the tsar in 1916, almost one-sixth of the Kyrgyz people were killed. The land became a Soviet republic in 1926 and gained independence on 31 August 1991. Protests in 2005 and 2010 forced out its first two presidents. Mountains define the whole country: peaks of the Tien Shan range and their valleys cover all of it, and the climate shifts from subtropical in the Fergana Valley to polar on the highest slopes.
Did you know?
- Jengish Chokusu, also called Pik Pobedy, reaches 7,439 m.
- A white falcon is Kyrgyzstan's national symbol.
- Kyrgyzstan is landlocked and slightly smaller than South Dakota.
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Questions about Kyrgyzstan
What is the capital of Kyrgyzstan?
Bishkek is the capital, with about 1.1 million people in 2023.
What languages are spoken in Kyrgyzstan?
Kyrgyz and Russian are the main languages.
Sources
- CIA World Factbook, checked October 8, 2026
- REST Countries data (mledoze/countries), checked October 8, 2026
- Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.