Visiting Kyrgyzstan just got a little easier. From September 1, Britons can enjoy visa-free entry on trips of up to 90 days. To celebrate, here are a few facts about a nation that's short on vowels but long on poetry...

1. They’re mad about Manas – and long poems

The eponymous hero of the Epic of Manas, a poem of which the longest version extends to a truly epic 500,000 lines, is celebrated in many ways. There are statues of him, roads, a university, a planet (yep) and an airport named after him, and an opera about him. The poem is reputed to be 1,000 years old, but most experts believe it actually originated in the 18th century.

2. It’s worth 30 points

Proper nouns aren’t allowed in Scrabble. But it they were, Kyrgyzstan would score 30 points. Of all the countries made up of just one word, only Mozambique could top it.

3. But 40 is their favourite number

“Kyrgyz” is thought to be derived from the Turkic word for “forty” – a reference to the 40 clans of the great Manas. The country’s flag, a nod to this, features a 40-ray sun.

The Kyrgyz flag - go ahead and count the rays

4. It’s sparsely populated

There are just 29.5 residents for each square kilometre of land – making Kyrgyzstan one of the world’s least crowded countries.

5. And mountainous

The mountainous Tian Shan region covers 80 per cent of Kyrgyzstan and the country has even been described as the “Switzerland of Central Asia”. Its highest point is Jengish Chokusu, at 7,439 m (24,406 ft).

A photo posted by Alex (@globegruffy) on Aug 31, 2016 at 3:36am PDT

6. It’s landlocked – but has a lovely lake

Kyrgyzstan is one of 45 landlocked countries, but does have the consolation of Issyk-Kul, the world’s second largest high-altitude lake (behind Titicaca in South America). It is 113 miles long, 37 miles wide and reaches a depth of 668 metres (2,192 feet). The lake was a popular holiday resort during the Soviet era.

7. And a massive glacier

The South Inylchek Glacier is the sixth largest in the world, not including those found in polar regions. Straddling the countries border with China (the only neighbour to Kyrgyzstan that doesn’t end in the suffix “stan”), it is 37.6 miles long.

8. The Soviet era is still evident in its capital

Bishkek is a city of vast plazas and dramatic monuments – though the statue of Lenin that once graced Ala-Too Square was moved to a less conspicuous location in 2003, and replaced altogether in 2011 (by, you guessed it, a statue of that man Manas).

The Victory Monument in Bishkek Credit: ALAMY

9. They love mare’s milk

Kumyz, fermented mare’s milk, is drunk with great gusto in the steppes of Kyrgyzstan. Horse meat is also traditionally popular.

10. And have a 3 som coin

Ever seen a three pound coin or a three dollar bill? Kyrgyzstan is one of the few countries to have used this denomination.

11. It has three Unesco World Heritage sites

The Tien-Shan mountain range is one, the network of routes that made up the historic Silk Road is another, the third is Sulayman Mountain on the outskirts of Osh. It is "the most complete example of a sacred mountain anywhere in Central Asia,” according to Unesco, and has been worshipped for several millennia. Women who climb to the shrine at the top will, according to legend, give birth to healthy children.

12. And a 3,000-year-old city

Osh, the country’s second largest city, is also one of the oldest in the region. Its vast and bustling market – still going strong – was a key trading point on the Silk Road, the overland route taken by caravans heading between Europe and Asia.

13. It blows hot and cold

Temperatures can top 40C in summer, in the low-lying Fergana Valley, but in the mountains they can fall to -30C in winter.

14. It has never produced a Nobel prize winner

But its most famous sons and daughters include the novelist Chingiz Aitmatov, the scientist and poet Kasym Tynystanov, and the ballerina Bubusara Beyshenalieva.

15. There are 11 national parks

Including spectacular Ala Archa, in the Tian Shan mountains. It’s a popular spot for hiking, horse trekking and skiing.

16. And this ancient tower – all that remains of a vast city

Burana Tower, originally 45 metres tall but reduced to 25 metres by earthquakes, marks the site of the ancient city of Balasagun.

A photo posted by Grigorii (@grigorich1199) on Aug 9, 2016 at 12:26pm PDT

17. It’s got petroglyphs

They can be seen by visitors to Cholpon Ata, a summer resort on the shore of Lake Issyk Kul.

18. And the spectacular cathedral at Karakol

Kyrgyzstan’s fourth-largest city, also on Issyk Kul, is a real gem, housing the impressive Russian Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral, a mosque, a zoo and a clutch of museums. The Jeti-Ögüz Rocks, an eye-catching rock formation, lie just to the west. Karakol is twinned with Asheville, North Carolina, often rated among the best US cities in which to live.

19. They love the countryside

Yurts still litter the steppes and just 36 per cent of the country’s resident live in an urban location. By comparison, 53 per cent of neighbouring Kazakhs reside in towns or cities, 74 per cent of Russians, and 83 per cent of Britons.

20. And aren’t reliant on us

Just 1.25 per cent of the country’s GDP comes from tourism, a lower percentage than 174 other countries.

21. There aren’t many trains

Kyrgyzstan’s railway network extends to just 417 kilometres (it must be all those mountains), making it one of the shortest in the world. Many countries don't have any railways at all, however. They include Iceland, Greenland, Yemen, Oman, Bhutan, Libya and Papua New Guinea.

22. It has its own White House

The marble-clad seven-storey presidential office in Bishkek is just as imposing as its US namesake.

The other White House Credit: ALAMY

23. Visas are not needed

As outlined above, while Britons visiting Azerbaijan, China, Mongolia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan all require visas, those going to Kyrgyzstan for visits of up to 90 days do not.

24. Gold is king

Gold accounts for a remarkable 43 per cent of Kyrgyzstan’s exports – second highest is “dried legumes”, which makes up 3.5 per cent. The Kumtor Gold Mine in the Tian Shan mountains, which opened in 1997, sits on one of the largest gold deposits in the world.

25. And they love plucking the komuz

The national instrument of Kyrgyzstan is this fretless three-stringed device. Virtuosos apparently play it in a range of positions, including over the shoulder, between the knees and upside down.

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