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Kyrgyzstan on the Brink
Home to the sole U.S. forward operating base into Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan maintains strong ties to...
Kyrgyzstan, a small, mountainous country in Central Asia, is a new democracy, struggling to maintain reforms. Surrounded by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China, the country is home to the sole U.S. forward operating air base into Afghanistan. Struggling with extreme poverty and rampant corruption, Kyrgyzstan maintains strong relations with Russia and China. Islam is a growing influence in the country with many young people turning to mosques and Islamic schools to provide services the government can't. After a democratic revolution in 2005, Kyrgyzstan has seen many rollbacks to authoritarian rule.