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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Kyrgyzstan: Language Situation

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Kyrgyzstan is a Central Asian country that achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Its main linguistic groups are speakers of Kirghiz, Uzbek, and Russian; its official languages are Kirghiz and Russian. In the first years of independence, numerous non-Kirghiz speakers, particularly Russians, left the republic, whereas the Kirghiz-speaking population increased. Though Russian still dominates public life, the efforts to protect and promote Kirghiz have been successful. The Kirghiz generally maintain a high degree of mastery of their language. The part of the Ferghana Valley that belongs to Kyrgyzstan has a predominantly Uzbek population.