Opened in December 2001, the Transit Center at Manas serves as the main US and NATO military staging base for troops entering and departing the conflict in Afghanistan. The US Air Force military installation shares the runway with Kyrgyzstan's Bishkek International Airport.
The small village of Korgundu Bulak high in Kyrgyzstan's Tian Shan Mountains featured the special Kyrgyz horse in a festival designed to demonstrate the abilities of the breed in its native conditions. The Kyrgyz horse is smaller and more agile than other breeds, very adept at operating at high altitudes.
The road connecting Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s capital, with the northern Fergana valley and the country’s second city, Khujand, is closed much of the year due to snow in the Anzob Pass. During that time, the route is only accessible by air, which is too expensive for most Tajiks, and thus inhibits trade.
