What every visitor should know about Kyrgyzstan:

Money
The currency is the Kyrgyzstani som (KGS). 10 KGS is worth about US$0.23, or €0.16.
Crime
CrimeSafe Travel Score™: 2.5 out of 5 (Use caution)

Areas of concern:

  • Mugging
  • Pick-pocketing / bag-snatching
  • Armed robbery is rare but occurs
  • Car theft
Capital
Bishkek
Tap water
Not recommended. Water is usually drinkable in large cities, but quality is uneven.

Kyrgyzstan facts and figures:

People

Population
5,431,747
Language
Kyrgyz 64.7% (official), Uzbek 13.6%, Russian 12.5% (official), Dungun 1%, other 8.2% (1999 census)
Ethnicity
Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek 13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%, Ukrainian 1%, Uygur 1%, other 5.7%

Economy

GDP
US$2,200 (per capita)
Income equality
High
Copyright © 2025. All rights reserved. More guides: Africa Americas Asia Europe Middle East Pacific