Kyrgyzstan Map

Kyrgyzstan

The country that would later be known Kyrgyzstan was first established by pre-Mongol tribes, including the Scythians. The region remained unchanged until the Mongols conquered it along with most of Central Asia. As Mongol kings came and went, the country's size swelled and shrank. History returned to being unremarkable for the country until Russia conquered it in the 19th century and renamed Kirgizia. Despite intense national control, literacy and health improved under Soviet rule. While the country gained independence in 1991, 88.7% of the population voted to keep a Soviet version of government as a 'reinvented federation'. The name was changed in 1993 to Republic of Kyrgyz, which remains the official name. It remains one of the two post-Soviet countries to keep Russian as its official language.
All rivers flow into a closed drainage system which does not reach the sea. While illegal, the tradition of bride kidnapping is still practiced, sadly.