Kyrgyzstan (the Kyrgyz Republic) is a country in Central Asia. It has a population of 5,664,939 (2015 estimate), and a territory of 199,951 square kilometers. The country is bordered on the north by Kazakhstan, on the east and south by China, on the south by Tajikistan, and on the west by Uzbekistan. Its capital is Bishkek. Kyrgyzstan was a union republic of the Soviet Union until August 1991, when it declared independence. The country hosted the strategic military air base of Manas. This entry examines Kyrgyzstan’s modern history, focusing on the involvement of the Soviet Union and Kyrgyzstan independence, and discusses the Manas Air Base and Kyrgyzstan’s place in the military sphere.