Kyrgyzstan: Where is it?

Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev, 19, was reportedly born in Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan is a country in central Asia that gained independence shortly after the break up of the Soviet Union in 1991. The country has had a close relationship to the United States, particularly after the September 9/11 attacks. According to the U.S. State Department:

"U.S. Government assistance goals in Kyrgyzstan are to strengthen democratic institutions, promote greater respect for human rights and the rule of law, enhance regional security, support broad-based economic opportunity, basic humanitarian needs and development challenges in the health and education areas. A fact sheet on U.S. assistance to Kyrgyzstan can be found here."

However, Kyrgyzstan is considered of one of the more corrupt countries in the world. 

Kyrgyzstan's population is estimated at 5.2 million in 2007. Its capital is Bishkek, which has about 865,000 people. The nation's largest ethnic group are the Kyrgyz, who comprise more than two-thirds of the population. Other ethnic groups include Russians and Uzbeks.