Which country has Bishkek as its capital?

Bishkek is the capital of Kyrgyzstan, a mountainous country in Central Asia.

The city lies in the Chüy Valley, near the Kyrgyz Ala-Too range and close to the border with Kazakhstan. It is Kyrgyzstan’s largest city and its main political, economic, and cultural center. Bishkek was founded as a Russian fortress in 1825 and developed during the Russian Empire and Soviet periods.

The city has changed names during its history. It was known as Pishpek until 1926, then Frunze from 1926 to 1991, honoring Soviet military leader Mikhail Frunze. After Kyrgyzstan became independent, the historic name Bishkek was restored.

A common mix-up is confusing Bishkek with Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, or with Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital. Bishkek is also distinct from the surrounding Chüy Region: the city is administered separately but serves as the region’s administrative center.