Australia will play Kyrgyzstan (for the dummies, it's pronounced kEEr-gihs-tAAn) in a 2018 World Cup Qualifier from midnight tonight, but how much do you know about their Central Asian opponents? We've come up with 10 facts all Aussies really should know.
Unfortunately it is not the home of respected filmmaker, Borat Sagdiyev. He hails from nearby Kazakhstan, so if you ever find yourself in downtown Bishkek, don’t expect to run into Borat.
A landlocked country located in Central Asia with a population of a little under 6 million, Kyrgyzstan was originally part of the Soviet Union until it broke up in 1991. Their independence was recognised on Christmas Day in 1991. It’s the only country in Central Asia where Russian is an official language. They also have their own national language Kyrgyz
Bishkek is the capital and largest city in Kyrgyzstan, with a population of 937,400. The Socceroos will play at Spartak Stadium in Bishkek, which is the largest football stadium in the country, with a capacity of 23,000.
It will be the first meeting of the two countries in international football. They are currently ranked 177 by FIFA and have never qualified for a major tournament. Their captain is Azamat Baymatov, but the man the Socceroos need to watch is Anton Zemlianukhin. He is their leading goal-scorer with five, and scored a double in their 3-1 win over Bangladesh last week.
There are over 88 major mountain ranges in Kyrgyzstan, making up about more than 70 percent of the country’s territory. Dominated by the Tien Shan range; 94% of the country is 1,000 metres above sea level. Jengish Chokusu, located near the Chinese border is the highest mountain, with an elevation of 7,439 metres.
Kyrgyzstan is home to the Inylchek Glacier, which is one of the largest in the world, at 60.5 kilometres in length. Also, Kyrgyzstan’s walnut forests are among the world’s largest natural forests of this type.
The noble sport of buzkahsi (made famous by Sylvester Stallone in Rambo III) is popular among locals. In many ways it is similar to football, but there are a couple of small differences. It is played on horseback, and instead of a ball, players attempt to drag a goat carcass towards the goal. Traditionally games could go for several days, but it is now has a time limit, with two, 45 minute halves, followed by extra time and penalties if needed. * Last part may not be true
‘Manas’, A trilogy, of three generations of heroes, Manas, his son Semetei and grandson Seitek, the poem consists of 500,000 lines and is the most treasured expression of the national heritage of the Kyrgyz people. Look it up and see if you can recite the whole thing!
Chyngyz Aitmatov (1928-2008) wrote in both Russian and Kyrgyz and is the best known figure in Kyrgyzstan's literature. He is more known by the world than any sportsmen, politicians and musicians. His first major novel ‘Jamila’ was his most notable work and it has been translated into English, so check it out.
A bottle of vodka is priced at around 180 som (3.5 Euros), while beer costs 60 som (1.2 Euros), so drink up!
What are you waiting for? Visit: http://www.intrepidtravel.com/kyrgyzstan
