Country
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Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyz Republic
Kyrgyz Respublikasy (Kyrgyz)
Respublika Kirgizstan (Russian)
Political Status: Designated autonomous republic of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic on February 1, 1926; became constituent republic of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) on December 5, 1936; Republic of Kyrgyzstan proclaimed December 13, 1990; independence from the USSR declared by the Kyrgyz Supreme Soviet August 31, 1991; current constitution approved by referendum on June 27, 2010.
Area: 76,640 sq. mi. (198,500 sq. km).
Population: 5,497,403 (2012E—UN); 5,667,822 (2012E—US Census).
Major Urban Center (2009C): BISHKEK (formerly Frunze, 835,300), Osh (258,100).
Official Languages: Kyrgyz, Russian. Kyrgyz is the “state language.”
Monetary Unit: Som (market rate November 5, 2012: 47.19 soms = $1US).
Interim President: Almazbek ATAMBAYEV (independent); inaugurated on December 1, 2011, for a six-year term, to succeed Roza OTUNBAYEVA (Social Democratic Party of ...