The People

 

Once the Big Silk Way lay through Kyrgyzstan, an historic crossroad of trade and cultural exchange between Europe and China. About 80 nationalities and folk made their home there. The population of Kyrgyzstan amounts to ca. 5 millions, of which there are 68% Kyrgyzs, 10% Russians and 15% Uzbeks, plus smaller groups including, among others, Ukrainians, Tatars, Germans, Tadjiks, Kazakhs and Uigurs. Because of the variety of languages, Russian is declared as the language of communication, but Kyrgyz is the first official language.