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THE
FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC
President Askar
Akayev, the first president of the Kyrgyz Republic, was
born in Kyzyl-Bairak, a small village in Kyrgyzstan, on
November 10, 1944. He is married and has four children.
A. Akayev is the member of the Kyrgyz National Academy of
Sciences, having a "Doctor of Technical
Sciences" (Hologarphy) degree. He worked as a
metalworker in his early years. In 1968, he graduated
from the Leningrad Institute of Precision Mechanics and
Optics (Russia), where then he first became a laboratory
assistant and later an engineer. A few years later, he
completed his postgraduate degree in the same institute.
He was a teacher at Frunze Polytechnic institute of The
Bishkek Technological University during 1972-73, and
continued working on his research in Leningrad the
following years. He was elected vice-president of The
Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences in 1987, and president in
1989.
On October 27,
1990, Askar Akayev was elected as the President of the
Kyrgyz Republic by the Special Session of the Kyrgyz
Republic. With the adoption of the new Constitution in
May 1993, a need of determining the level of confidence
in Askar Akayev arose, and with the referendum held in
January 1994, the people of Kyrgyzstan ratified his
position as the President of the Kyrgyz Republic. During
the presidency of Askar Akayev, the Republic gained its
independence, become a full member of the world
community; and the democratic progression, which he has
brought about, found understanding and recognition,
around the world. He is fully successful in leading the
country during the difficult era of Kyrgyzstan throughout
its history.
President Askar
Akayev is a guarantor of peace, repose and international
concord for the Kyrgyz Republic, especially now, as the
economic reforms are in progress.
GEOGRAPHICAL
POSITION AND CLIMATE
Kyrgyzstan
occupies the Tien Shan mountain range which stretches for
hundreds of kilometers across the north-eastern part of
Central Asia. It is located on the same latitude as New
York, Italy, Northern Turkey and Japan. Kyrgyzstan
borders on Kazakstan, Uzbekistan, Tadjikistan, and China.
The total area is 198,500 square kilometers, which is
approximately the size of Portugal, Holland, Belgium, and
Switzerland together. The total length of its' border is
4,500 kilometers. The distance between north and south is
453.9 kilometers, between east and west 925 kilometers.
The Kyrgyz Republic has 6 administrative regions
(oblasts): Chu (739,000 people), Issyk-Kul (424,000), Osh
(1,411,000), Talas (203,00), Djalal-Abad (824,000), Naryn
(269,000) and Bishkek (602,000).
The capital of
the Kyrgyzstan is Bishkek with a population of 600,000
people. Other main cities of the country are Osh,
Karakol, Djalal-Abad, Tokmok, Kara-Balta. Most of the
industrial activity is concentrated in these cities.
Kyrgyzstan strategically located for easy access to the
growing markets of the traditional partners in Central
Asia.
Kyrgyzstan is a
country with high mountain ranges featuring ridges, deep
gorges and wide valleys. The average elevation is 2,750
meters, with the highest altitude being 7,439 meters
above sea level and the lowest 401 meters. Over 94
percent of the area has altitudes of more than 1,000
meters above level, and about 40 percent of the area is
more than 3,000 meters above sea level. Nearly all of the
population lives at an altitude of more than 1,800
meters.
The climate of
Kyrgyzstan is continental, with very little rainfall, in
altitudes of 2,000 to 2,500 meters above sea level,
summers are hot and dry. Winter temperatures,
particularly in the mountains and in mountan valleys, are
rather low. Thawing periods occur fairly frequently. Most
days in Kyrgyzstan are sunny (247 days a year). During
March and April the sky is cloudless. As a rule, the
morning hours in the mountains are sunny, with occasional
rainfall and clouds in the afternoons. The amount of
precipitation a year depends on the altitude and can vary
from 100 to 1,000 millimeters. But it generally is within
the range of 300 to 600 millimeters. Throughout the month
of January until February, the ground is covered with
snow.
by Konstantin
Glukko
ANCIENT
KYRGYZ
The Kyrgyz are
one of the most ancient people in the world. The first
written evidence of the Kyrgyz people as a nation is
found in Chinese chronicle dated as far back as 2,000 B.
C. They emerged from many etnoses who settled in South
Siberia and central Asia. For many centuries there was no
written evidence of their original self name that makes
people a people, i.e. the language, culture, traditions
and the memory of the forefathers and their glorious
deeds. Even in the tragic periods of their history they
managed to survive and uphold periods
independence. The active role of the Kyrgyz people is
written in the history of Central Asia, documented in
Chinese, Arab, Iran and Turkic sources.
The ancient Kyrgyz populated the territory of North
western Mongolia. This
is evidenced by the name of one the largest lakes, of
Caracas- Huurwhich, which means the Kyrgyz lake. In 4 to
3 B.C. the kyrgyz were among the most powerful normal
tribes which repeatedly violated the Chinese borders.
This made china begin the construction of the Great
Chinese wall.
In 2 to 1 century B.C. some of the Kyrgyz tribes set
themselves free from the Hun (Hunnu) domination and moved
to the Enisei (Ene- sai which means, "The Mother
River") and Baikal (Bai-kol - a rich lake) regions.
It was there that they formed their first ever state
known as the Kyrgyz Kaganat. The latter existed from 6 to
13
c.A.D. This was also the time when the Kyrgyz culture and
the first Kyrgyz language was written. From the mid- 9th
till the 10th century A.D., the Great Kyrgyz Khanate
occupied the areas of South Siberia, Mongolia, Baikal,
the Upper Irtish, part of Kamgar, Issyk-Kul and Talas.
The prosperity of the Great Khanate was associated not
only with intensive trade contracts with China, Tibet,
Central and Middle Asia. It was exactly the time when
following the conquest of Uigur Khanate, the Kyrgyz for
the first time reached the territory of Tien-Shan. In the
years to follow the Kyrgyz gradually lost their
territories. In 10 A.D.
they occupied South Siberia, Altai and South west
Mongolia. However, by 12 A.d., their domination was
limited only to the Altai and Sayan regions. In the
meantime, the rest of the Kyrgyz tribes which remained
dispersed on vast areas of Central Asia, continued to
take an active part in the history of Central Asia. They
managed to preserve their ethnic originality and were the
focus of attraction for other ethnoses. The final stage
of Kyrgyz ethnogenesis is closely connected with
Mongolian, Oirot (Kalia) Naiman and other peoples of
Central Asia. The
absence of unity in the face of threat coming form
chingiz Khan's son Dzhuchi allowed the latter to defeat
the troops of the Yenisei Kyrgyz remained under the rule
of the Golden Horde, Oriot and Dzhumgar Khanates. At the
same time, Kyrgyz people migrated to the Tien-Shan
region. The 16th century completes the ethnogenesis of
the Kyrgyz people. Its kinship to many people of Central
Asia is reflected in the meaning of "Kyrgyz"
which denotes "forty tribes".
The Kokand Khanate. the Kyrgyz remained an integral part
of the Kokand Khanate for more than a century and a half
(1710-1876). They were very socially active and served in
selected troops. Some of them were military leaders and
even Khans. It was during this time that many Kyrgyz
settlements including the Bishkek and Tokmak fortresses
were built.
On the Outskirts of the Russian Empire. As early as the
mid 18th century some of the tribes made attempts to seek
protection from more powerful neighbors. In 1876 the
Russian troops defeated the Kokand khanate and occupied
Northern Kyrgyzstan. Russia's rule was noted for many
activities previously never practiced by the Kyrgyz.
Russian specialist started large- scale housing and road
construction programs, opened schools and laid the basis
for mining industry. The year of 1916 is a tragic year in
the history of the Kyrgyz people. During this
year they undertook an uprising against Russia's
oppression which was brutally suppressed. In 1917-1918
the soviet power order was introduced in Kyrgyzstan.
The Great Migration. At the end of the 19th century,
migrants began to arrive from Russia and the Ukrainian.
They settled in the northern regions of Kyrgyzstan.
Another migration wave was recorded following the failure
of the northern china to Middle Asia.
Independence. In 1990 the Supreme Soviet of the Republic
of Kyrgyzstan
adopted the declaration of Independence. Since then, it
became an equal member of the international community and
has established diplomatic relations with 50 foreign
states. By September of 1992 the USA, Russia, China and
Turkey had
inaugurated their embassies in Bishkek. It is expected
that Saudi Arabia, Iran and Germany will open embassies
in the near future.
Religion. Although Islam is considered the official
region with the Kyrgyz, their perception of Mohammedism
never excluded the possibility of following the rites
prescribed by other religions. It should be noted,
however,
that while observing the basic Islamic rites, the Kyrgyz
people did not seem to be deeply interested in their
original and meaning.
Ancestors' Traditions. The patriarchal and feudal
character of social relations combined with nomad life
were reflected in household style, traditions, customs
and rites. The Kyrgyz decorate their tented lodging (the
yurta) with mosaic-designed rugs (shirdak) and
beautifully colored strips of cloth (terme teer) used for
keeping the assembled parts of the yurta together. The
latticed top of the yurta is usually covered with
ornamental mats (chyrmangal chi). Being made of leather
and wood, the household utensils were safe and reliable
during
transportation. The Yurta, a masterpiece of folk
creation, is easily transported from place to place,
either on camel or horse and can be easily assembled and
disassembled. Family traditions accumulate the wisdom of
many generations. These high morals are still manifested
in the respect for older people and readiness to give
possible assistance in fortune and misfortune. The
highlight of every wedding party was the maiden games,
rope-pulling, song competitions and horse-racing. The
distinguished feature of the Kyrgyz is their hospitality.
It is more often than not that the host of the yurta may
sacrifice the last of his sheep in
honor of a casual guest.
The most important family event was that of the wedding
celebration. It took a well-to-do family to comply with
all the wedding ritual expenses. The expenses included
the payments (kalym) for a bride, the exchange of clothes
(kiyit) between the relatives of the bride and the
bridegroom, expensive dowry (sep) for a bride, and an
animal sacrifice (opko chaboo).
by Elvira
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