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A young girl wearing a Stars-and-Stripes-printed bandana
cradles her sister. In what a jealous Russia considers
its own backyard, American influence in the country grows.
After the war in nearby Afghanistan, Americans developed
a semipermanent military base near Bishkek’s airport.
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Family members of all ages help in raising cattle. Despite
the shortage of arable land, the majority of the people
live in rural areas, and the agricultural sector employs
55 percent of the Kyrgyz workforce.
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In the summer months, villagers from the mountain valleys
establish jailoos in the highland plateaus. The
residents of these traditional yurt camps take advantage
of the lush, grassy pastures to raise sheep, horses and
cattle.
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Koumiss, fermented mare’s milk, is something of
a national beverage, though its refreshing, sour taste
may disgust the unaccustomed palate.
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The Eurasian face of an ethnic Kyrgyz reflects the people’s
Mongolian and southern Siberian origin. Ethnic Kyrgyz
comprise 65 percent of the country’s population.
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