Kyrgyzstan Land Of The Sky Mountains
By Joe Buergi
The Land and The People
The Kyrgyz, a Muslim Turkic people, constitute nearly three-fourths of the population. The history of the Kyrgyz in what is now Kyrgyzstan dates at least to the 17th century. Kyrgyzstan, known under Russian and Soviet rule as Kirgiziya, was conquered by Tsarist Russian forces in the 19th century. Formerly a constituent (union) republic of the U.S.S.R., Kyrgyzstan declared its independence on August 31, 1991.
Kyrgyzstan is, above all, a mountainous country. At its eastern extremity, next to the Uighur Autonomous Region of Sinkiang, China, rises Victory (Pobedy) Peak, at 24,406 feet (7,439 meters) Kyrgyzstan’s highest peak. Mount Khan-Tengri (22,949 feet) is on the border with Kazakhstan. These mountains stand in the core of the Tien Shan system, which continues eastward into China. The Kok Shaal-Tau, Alay, Trans-Alay (Zaalay), and Atbashi ranges are on the southern border.
The Kyrgyz, formerly a transhumant (nomadic) people, were settled into collectivized agriculture by the Soviet regime. Besides Kyrgyz, the country’s population includes minorities of Russians, Uzbeks, Ukrainians, and Germans (exiled to the region from European parts of the Soviet Union in 1941) and Tatars Kazakhs, Dungans (Hui; Chinese Muslims), Uighurs, and Tajiks. Since independence in 1991, many Russians and Germans have emigrated. As a result, nearly three-fourths of the population is Kyrgyz, while about one-seventh is Uzbek. The other ethnic groups make up the remaining one-eighth of the population.
Most Kyrgyz speak a language belonging to the northwestern group of the Turkic languages, especially Kyrgyz. A sizeable minority speak Uzbek, a Turkic language of the southeastern branch. Russian is also spoken, and official language status has been accorded to both Kyrgyz and Russian.
- BY Edward Allworth. Britannica. Dec 6, 2021
“A small mountainous country in Central Asia, with a population of six million people.
Most of them are located in valleys and big cities. It is the capital of the country – Bishkek city in the Chui Valley, Osh city and Jalal-Abad city in the Fergana Valley, the Issyk-Kul Basin, and the Talas Valley.
All the rest – it’s mountains. The mountains are high and wild, sometimes hard to reach, and unpredictable. But very beautiful and diverse. The mountains are the main property of Kyrgyzstan, and the bulk of tourists come here because of the mountains. There are two great mountain systems. The first is Tien-Shan Mountains, with the highest points Pobeda peak (7439 m) and Khan-Tengri peak (6995 m). Another one is the Pamir Mountains with Lenin Peak (7134 m). These peaks are very popular among climbers of the whole world.
I spent 10 days in a blissful state of tranquility, wandering through different parts of Kyrgyzstan, making friends with the local kids, hooligans, and camels, and taking tons of photographs. What a nice country and friendly people”.
– Joe Buergi
Joe Buergi
Born in 1965 in Stans, Switzerland, Joe Buergi started around 2000 with photography. He studied engineering at the Bale Institute of Technology and works now full-time as a project and team leader for the local government. As a pure autodidact, he developed the knowledge by himself but also by studying the masters. His music photography, together with travel, have become two of his life’s passions.
Buergi’s photography focuses on music, culture, landscapes, and wildlife, reflecting a spatial and temporal journey through life. He seeks the quiet moments and the light in whatever context he finds himself. He is an eclectic photographer who enjoys diversity in his imagery. Hence his images range from travel to landscapes and portraits. He believes that photography can capture those inimitable moments and empower us to positively change our world. Through his travels, he has developed his own photographic style.
