Introduction
The capital of the Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan is Bishkek. The largest city in the country, Bishkek is also its economic and cultural center.
Bishkek lies at an elevation of more than 2,500 feet (750 meters) in the Chu River valley, just north of the Kyrgyz Mountains. The Alamedin and Alaarcha rivers flow on either side of the city center.
Cityscape
Bishkek has wide, tree-lined streets, parks, and many orchards. Snow-capped mountains are visible to the south. Besides various government buildings, the city has theaters and an academy of sciences. Educational institutions include the Kyrgyz State National University, Bishkek Humanities University, and vocational schools.
Economy
Before the 1940s the economy of Bishkek was based on food processing and other light industries. During World War II the city gained many heavy industries. Among them were machine-tool and metalworking plants. As a result of industrialization, the city's population doubled in the 1950s and 1960s.
History
In the early 19th century the territory of present-day Kyrgyzstan came under the control of the Uzbek people. In 1825 an Uzbek ruler established a fortress on the site of Bishkek. The Russians captured it in 1862. They mistakenly called the town Pishpek, but to the local people it remained Bishkek.
In 1926 Pishpek became part of the Soviet Union as the capital of the Kirgiz (Kyrgyz) Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. The Soviets renamed the city Frunze after a Russian military officer who was born there. In 1991, after Kyrgyzstan declared its independence from the Soviet Union, the city was renamed Bishkek. Population (1999 estimate), 619,000.
