7. The Kyrgyzstan nature is unique: more than 90% of its territory is situated at a height of 1500 m above sea level. There are 5 alps of seven thousand meters height in the world and two of them are situated in Kyrgyzstan (the Pobeda Peak - 7439 m and the Lenin Peak - 7134 m) The history of Kyrgyzstan is fascinating and ancient, going back as far as 201BC. People of the Turkic ethnic group are known as Kyrgyz. Kyrgyzstan is situated in Central Asia, its neighboring countries are Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tadjikistan to the south and China to its East and South-East. The former Republic of the Soviet Union became independent in the year 1991 and since then is a democratic Presidential Republic. Bishkek, formerly called Frunze, is the capital with about 1 million inhabitants, the country as a whole has about 5 million inhabitants and an area of 198.500 km². Helga

8. Kyrgyzstan Flag

12. Kyrgyzstan Burana Tower

14. USA Militar base in Manas

17. US soldiers arriving from Afghanistan sit inside a plane at the US airbase 30 km outside Bishkek

23. Music: Metamorphosis Aria