Kyrgyzstan

Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyz Respublikasy

Last modified: 2002-03-15 by phil nelson
Keywords: kyrgyzstan | karakirghiz | asia | commonwealth of independent states | yurt | tent | sun | forty | tunduk |
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• Presentation of Kyrgyzstan
• Flag of the Tax Service
• Erroneous reported flag
• Bishkek

• Kyrgian SSR (Soviet Union)
• Central Asian Khanates

Full name: Republic of Kyrgyzstan
Location: Central Asia
Status: Internationally recognized independent state since 31 August 1991. A member of the UN and the CIS.

Notes: In 1924 a Kara-Kirghiz Autonomous Region was set up as part of the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic. (A year later the name 'Kara' [which means 'black'] was dropped.) In 1926 the Region became an ASSR and became a full SSR in 1936. The present name was adopted in 1990, some ten months before independence from the collapsing USSR.

A new, post-Communist, flag was not adopted until 1992. It is red, with a circular stylized representation of the roof of a Kyrgyz yurt (tent) in the centre, surrounded by the 40 rays of a golden sun. (Tradition has it that 40 tribes were united by the national hero Manas - who used the colour red on his banner - into the Kyrgyz nation.)
Stuart Notholt 26 September 1995

(26.5.2000) I saw "News" on 1st channel of russian national TV. They said:

Kyrghyzian Parliament today decide to made russian language second STATE LANGUAGE. President A.Akaev confirmed the decision. Parliament adopted new name of the state - Republic of Kirghizia instead of Republic of Kyrghyzstan.

I guess the change applies to both Russian and Kirghiz forms of the name. I reckon in the changes (dropping of "istan" ending and swaping from "y" top "i") the same russifying tendence. Kirghizia, in spite of not having any common border with Russia, was the second most russified central asian republic, second only to Kazakhstan (resp. 21% and 38%, as of 1989 -- Russians in the other three central asian republics didn't reach 10%).
Antonio Martins, 27 May 2000

The official name of the country is/was "Kyrgyz Respublikasy", neither "-stan", nor "-zia". Probably this means the new name in the new state language, or an imposed translation from Kyrgyz (Russian?) to foreign languages.
Jan Zrzavy, 27 May 2000

I agree with you. This means the new name in the new state language. The state short name ALWAYS was "Kyrghyzstan" in kirghiz language. In Russian it was "Kirghizia" but several last years - "Kyrghyzstan" (recomendation of Kirgh. Government).
Victor Lomantsov, 28 May 2000

I came across this news report in The Times of Central Asia:

"Tax Service of Kyrgyzstan Has Its Own Flag

Kyrgyzstan, July 4, 2001 [ 17:39 ]

KABAR

BISHKEK. Prime minister of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiev signed resolution of the Government of the KR "On confirming a regulation on flag and sign of symbol of tax services of the KR". The document was signed on the eve of professional holiday of workers of tax services of Kyrgyzstan. According to the press service of the state tax inspection under the finance ministry of the KR, the flag was hoisted for the first time in the solemn ceremony on the occasion of significant date."

No picture accompanied the report and there was no mention of the design either.
Jan Oskar Engene, 16 October 2001

by Antonio Martins

The 1990-1992 Kyrghyz flag, above, was quite incorrect. This is supposed to have been the Kyrghyz ASSR flag without the hammer and sickle with a ratio of 1:2.
Antonio Martins, 06 May 2000

The flag of 1990-1992 without the star, hammer and sickle is very doubtful. Maybe somebody in 1990 made same flag, but as I know official flag until 1992 was WITH star, hammer and sickle... There were many proposals of flags in 1990-1992: - blue, red, green equal horizonthal stripes divided with thin white stripes; - light-blue flag with sun in the centre; - green, white, red with the silhouette of national house ("yurta") near the hoist; etc.
Victor Lomantsov, 07 May 2000

All I can say on this is that I saw frequently in that period depictions (no photos) of the Kirghiz flag without hammer and sickle. I also saw once or twice the flag depicted with hammer and sickle, though.

So out here in the west, people thought the Kirghiz flag had dropped the sickle and hammer. I wonder where that came from?
Jorge Candeias, 09 May 2000

I saw TV spot in December 1991 (or so) in that the flag with the hammer and sickle was displayed during the official meeting ceremony in visit of some US politician, possibly President Bush. There were two poles, one with US and the other with Kyrgyzstan hammer and sickle flags.
Jan Zrzavy, 10 May 2000

by Pascal Gross

Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, apparently has a light blue flag with a logo. The logo shows a tower with the city name. On the tower is a square (standing on a corner). In the square is a circle with a snow leopard (panthera uncia).

Bishkek was Frunze from 1926 to 1991, and Pishpek before that.
Ole Andersen and Pascal Gross 23 September 2000