KYRGYZSTAN, OFFICIALLY THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC, ALSO KNOWN AS KIRGHIZIA, IS A LANDLOCKED COUNTRY IN CENTRAL ASIA. IT IS BORDERED BY KAZAKHSTAN, UZBEKISTAN, TAJIKISTAN, AND CHINA. ITS CAPITAL AND LARGEST CITY IS BISHKEK. KYRGYZSTAN’S HISTORY SPANS A VARIETY OF CULTURES AND EMPIRES. ALTHOUGH GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED BY ITS HIGHLY MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, KYRGYZSTAN HAS BEEN AT THE CROSSROADS OF SEVERAL GREAT CIVILIZATIONS AS PART OF THE SILK ROAD AND OTHER COMMERCIAL ROUTES.