Bishkek in the context of "Kyrgyzstan"

Karakol (/ˌkærəˈkoʊl/; Kyrgyz: Каракол, IPA: [qɑrɑˈqɔɫ]), formerly Przhevalsk (Russian: Пржевальск, IPA: [pr̩ʐɨˈvalʲsk]), is the fourth-largest city in Kyrgyzstan, near the eastern tip of Lake Issyk-Kul, about 150 kilometres (93 mi) from the Kyrgyzstan–China border and 380 kilometres (240 mi) from the capital Bishkek. It is the administrative capital of Issyk-Kul Region. Its area is 44 square kilometres (17 sq mi), and its resident population was 84,351 in 2021 (both including Pristan'-Przheval'sk). To the north, on highway A363, is Tüp, and to the southwest Jeti-Ögüz resort.

The Kazakhstan–Kyrgyzstan border is 1,212 kilometres (753 mi) and runs from the tripoint with Uzbekistan to the tripoint with China. Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, is situated just 16 km (10 mi) to the south of this boundary, and Almaty (Kazakhstan's largest city and former capital) is situated just 29 kilometres (18 mi) to the north of it.

Chüy is the northernmost region of Kyrgyzstan, surrounding the country's national capital of Bishkek. It is bounded on the north by Kazakhstan, and clockwise, Issyk-Kul Region, Naryn Region, Jalal-Abad Region, and Talas Region. Its administrative center is Bishkek. Its total area is 19,895 km (7,682 sq mi). The resident population of the region was 974,984 as of January 2021. The region has sizeable Russian (20.8% in 2009) and Dungan (6.2% in 2009) minorities. It takes its name from the river Chüy, that flows through the region.

Kyrgyzstan is divided into seven regions (Kyrgyz: облус, romanized: oblus; Russian: область, romanized: oblast). The capital, Bishkek, is administered as an independent city of republican significance, as well as being the capital of Chüy Region. Osh also has independent city status since 2003.

The Chu is a river in northern Kyrgyzstan and southern Kazakhstan. Of its total length of 1,067 kilometres (663 mi), the first 115 kilometres are in Kyrgyzstan, then for 221 kilometres the river serves as the border between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan and the last 731 kilometres are in Kazakhstan. It is one of the longest rivers in Kyrgyzstan and in Kazakhstan. It has a drainage basin of 62,500 square kilometres (24,100 sq mi).

The Chüy Region, the northernmost and most populous administrative region of Kyrgyzstan, is named after the river; so are Chüy Avenue, the main street of the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek and the city of Shu in Kazakhstan's Jambyl Region.

The Burana Tower (Kyrgyz: Бурана мунарасы) is a large minaret in the Chüy Valley in northern Kyrgyzstan. It is located about 80 km east of the country's capital Bishkek, near the town of Tokmok. The tower, along with grave markers, some earthworks and the remnants of a castle and three mausoleums, is all that remains of the ancient city of Balasagun, which was established by the Karakhanids at the end of the 9th century. The tower was built in the 11th century and was used as a template for other minarets. An external staircase and steep, winding stairway inside the tower enables visitors to climb to the top. It is one of the oldest architectural constructions in Central Asia.

The tower was originally 45 m (148 ft) high. However, over the centuries a number of earthquakes caused significant damage to the structure. The last major earthquake in the 15th century destroyed the top half of the tower, reducing it to its current height of 25 m (82 ft). A renovation project was carried out in the 1970s to restore its foundation and repair the west-facing side of the tower, which was in danger of collapse.

Balasagun (Kyrgyz: Баласагун or Баласагын Balasagyn; simplified Chinese: 八剌沙衮; traditional Chinese: 八剌沙袞; pinyin: Bā là shā gǔn) was an ancient Sogdian city in modern-day Kyrgyzstan, located in the Chüy Valley between Bishkek and the Issyk-Kul lake. Located along the Silk Road, the ruins of the city were inscribed in 2014 on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor World Heritage Site.

Balasagun was founded by the Sogdians, a people of Iranian origin and the Sogdian language was still in use in this town until the 11th century.

Torugart Pass (Uyghur: تورغات ئېغىزى, romanized: Torghat ëghizi; Kyrgyz: تورۇعارت اشۇۇسۇ, romanized: Torughart ashuusu; Chinese: 吐尔尕特山口; Russian: Перевал Торугарт) is a mountain pass in the Tian Shan mountain range near the border between the Naryn Region of Kyrgyzstan and the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. It is one of two border crossings between Kyrgyzstan and China, the other being Erkeshtam, some 165 km (103 mi) to the southwest.

The scenic lake Chatyr-Köl lies near the pass on the Kyrgyz side. The road to Naryn and then to Balykchy and Bishkek—stretching for some 400 km (250 mi)—is narrow and in winter often impassable due to heavy snowfall and frequent avalanches. On the Chinese side, the Torugart Port of Entry (吐尔尕特口岸), where travelers must clear for customs, is located about 110 km (68 mi) from the pass itself in Ulugqat County of the Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture. Distances from the pass to major cities are: 110 km (68 mi) to Ulugqat, 165 km (103 mi) to Kashgar, 170 kilometres (110 mi) to Artux and some 1,630 km (1,010 mi) to Ürümqi.