ACityIndependent states
Osh
Osh, the "capital of the south", is Kyrgyzstan's second-largest and oldest city, more than 3,000 years old by UNESCO's estimate.
Osh lies in the Fergana Valley on the Ak-Buura river. For centuries it was an important stop on the Silk Road, where caravans passed from Fergana to Kashgar.
In the middle of the city rises Sulaiman-Too, the only World Heritage Site lying entirely within Kyrgyzstan. The old Jayma bazaar is still one of the liveliest markets in Central Asia.
Kyrgyz, Uzbeks and other peoples live in Osh, which had more than 322,000 inhabitants in 2021. It is the centre of Osh Region.
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Updated: October 3, 2026