Countries, Compared

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked Central Asian nation.

Countries, Compared: country research and comparison

Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked Central Asian nation. For structured country comparison, start with the stable identifiers assigned by international standards bodies, then treat all other figures as dated estimates that need verification against the named source for the year you are using. The fixed classification facts are below, followed by methods for checking the changing ones.

Classification facts

These identifiers are stable and maintained by international standards bodies:

  • UN M49 code: 417
  • ISO alpha-2: KG
  • ISO alpha-3: KGZ
  • UN region: Asia
  • UN subregion: Central Asia
  • UN member state: Yes
  • World Bank capital field: Bishkek

The UN M49 scheme is a statistical geography maintained by the United Nations Statistics Division. It assigns codes and regional groupings for statistical convenience, not political recognition. The M49 overview is available at The World Bank country listing is available through its API at the capital field is part of that data set.

Country basics

Kyrgyzstan (UN M49 code 417; ISO alpha-2 KG; ISO alpha-3 KGZ) is classified by the UN as part of Asia and the subregion Central Asia. It is a UN member state. These codes and groupings are statistical conventions maintained by the UN Statistics Division, not political or territorial claims.

The World Bank country API lists Bishkek as the capital. The same API provides a stable country code and basic metadata. For other identifiers, IANA maintains the country-code top-level domain .kg and time zone records.

People, language and culture

Population figures change constantly, so no single number should be treated as fixed. The UN Population Division publishes annual estimates and projections for all member states; the latest revision is the authoritative reference for cross-country comparison. The World Bank API also returns population data in the SP.POP.TOTL indicator series, but the reference year will vary by dataset release. Always check which year is being cited and whether the figure is a census count, an estimate, or a projection. Censuses are conducted roughly every ten years and may miss mobile, remote, or informal groups; the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic is the primary source for national census results.

The capital is Bishkek (World Bank capital field). Kyrgyz is the state language; Russian has official status in the Kyrgyz Republic per the country’s constitution. Currency is the Kyrgyz som (KGS). These facts are stable at the classification level, but headcounts, language distribution, and currency exchange rates change over time. For current population figures, use the United Nations World Population Prospects or the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic; for the latest exchange rate, use a central bank or financial data provider. The reference year must be stated with every figure.

UN M49 identifiers in detail

UN M49 is the United Nations’ standard country code set. For Kyrgyzstan, the codes are stable and useful for database joins and cross-country comparisons:

  • UN M49 numeric code: 417
  • ISO alpha-2: KG
  • ISO alpha-3: KGZ
  • UN region: Asia
  • UN subregion: Central Asia
  • UN membership: Member state
  • World Bank capital field: Bishkek

These facts come from the UN Statistics Division’s M49 overview and are structural identifiers, not political judgments. M49 is a statistical geography, not a statement of sovereignty or disputed territory. The World Bank API ( uses the same ISO alpha-3 code (KGZ) for economic data.

How to verify the population

Population figures for Kyrgyzstan change between censuses and projections. The national census is conducted by the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic; the most recent census year was 2022. The United Nations Population Division publishes annual estimates, and the World Bank publishes its own population series. These sources can differ by hundreds of thousands because they use different base years, migration assumptions, and definitions of usual residence. For a citable figure, state the source and the reference year: “World Bank population estimate, 2023” or “UN World Population Prospects, 2022 revision.” Do not mix a census count with an inter-census projection without labelling which is which.

How to verify languages, currency, government, economy and travel requirements

Kyrgyzstan borders Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. Its capital and largest city is Bishkek. The country has been a UN member state since 2 March 1992. The World Bank’s capital field for Kyrgyzstan is Bishkek. These classification facts are stable, but most other numbers change and require a named source and reference year. Do not treat any single figure as permanent.

Population

The United Nations Population Division publishes official population estimates and projections. The World Bank’s country page provides a population figure drawn from UN data, but the number you see depends on the reference year and the revision cycle. For the latest figure, use the World Bank’s API ( or the UN World Population Prospects. Population figures from censuses are point-in-time counts; estimates between censuses are projections, not measurements.

Capital

The capital is Bishkek. This is a standard geographical classification, not a political claim. The World Bank country profile lists Bishkek as the capital. Verify current administrative details through the official government portal rather than relying on secondary compilations.

Official languages

Kyrgyz is the state language; Russian has official status in Kyrgyzstan. Language policy can shift with legislation, so check the current constitution or the country’s official government website for the latest legal formulation.

Currency

The national currency is the Kyrgyz som (KGS). Exchange rates move daily; use a current financial data provider for today’s rate. The ISO 4217 code for the som is KGS.

Government type

The country is a parliamentary republic. Political structures change through constitutional amendments and elections; current details should be verified through official government sources or a recent edition of the CIA World Factbook.

Economy

Kyrgyzstan is a lower-middle-income economy. Key sectors include agriculture (cotton, tobacco, livestock), gold mining, remittances, and hydroelectric power. GDP per capita (PPP) is far below the global average, but that figure masks significant informal economic activity. For current economic indicators, use the World Bank API.

Travel and entry

Visa policy changes frequently. Check your own government’s travel advisory and the IATA Travel Centre for current entry requirements. Do not rely on a country profile for visa decisions.

Verification steps

  1. Population: United Nations World Population Prospects, or the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic.
  2. Languages: Constitution of Kyrgyzstan (official languages: Kyrgyz and Russian), verify status via the UN’s official language data or the CIA World Factbook.
  3. Currency: Kyrgyz som (KGS) per the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic.
  4. Government: Constitution of Kyrgyzstan; official results from the Central Election Commission.
  5. Economy: World Bank country profile API.
  6. Travel: your own foreign ministry or the IATA Travel Centre.

Reference year

All changing data on this page is labelled with the reference year. The classification facts (UN M49 code, ISO codes, UN region, UN subregion, UN member status) are structural and do not change. Population, currency, government, and economic figures change and must be checked against the named source for the relevant year.

UN M49 and ISO classification

Kyrgyzstan’s UN M49 code is 417. ISO alpha-2 is KG; ISO alpha-3 is KGZ. The UN lists Kyrgyzstan under Asia and Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is a UN member state. The World Bank capital field lists Bishkek.

These codes are statistical identifiers, not political statements. They define how international datasets group and compare nations, and they may differ from political or territorial claims made by governments or advocacy groups. For the full list, see the UN Statistics Division M49 overview (

How to verify current data

Kyrgyzstan’s population, currency, languages, government structure, and economy change over time. Do not treat a static number as fact. Use the following named sources, and always note the reference year:

  • Population and development indicators: United Nations, World Population Prospects (annual revisions).
  • Economic data: World Bank country API and the World Bank country page for Kyrgyzstan.
  • Health statistics: World Health Organization country profiles.
  • Education and culture: UNESCO Institute for Statistics country profile.
  • Travel advice and entry requirements: your own government’s foreign ministry or the IATA Travel Centre; never rely on third-party summaries.
  • Time zone, domain, and codes: IANA time zone database; ISO 3166-1 alpha-2/alpha-3.