Osh, Kyrgyzstan

Osh Ош
Osh, with Sulayman Mountain in the background
Flag Seal
Osh Location in Kyrgyzstan
Coordinates: 40°31′48″N 72°48′0″E / 40.53000°N 72.80000°E / 40.53000; 72.80000
Country	Kyrgyzstan
Region	Osh Region
Government
• Mayor	Aitmamat Kadyrbaev
Area
• Total	182.5 km2 (70.5 sq mi)
Elevation	963 m (3,159 ft)
Population (2015)
• Total	255,400
Time zone	KGT (UTC+6)
Website	http://oshcity.kg

Osh (Kyrgyz: Ош, Russian: Ош, Uzbek: O'sh) is the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan, located in the Fergana Valley in the south of the country and often referred to as the "capital of the south". It is the oldest city in the country (estimated to be more than 3000 years old), and has served as the administrative center of Osh Region since 1939. The city has an ethnically mixed population of about 255,800 in 2012, comprising Kyrgyz, Uzbeks, Russians, Tajiks, and other smaller ethnic groups.

Osh is a lively place with the largest and most crowded outdoor market in Central Asia which was a major market along the Silk Road and is now named the Great Silk Road Bazar in reference to its historical importance. The city's industrial base, established during the Soviet period, largely collapsed after the break-up of the Soviet Union and has recently only started to revive. The proximity of the Uzbekistan border, which cuts through historically linked territories and settlements, deprives Osh of much of its former hinterland and presents a serious obstacle to trade and economic development. Daily flights from Osh Airport link Osh - and hence the southern part of Kyrgyzstan - to Bishkek and the north. Osh has two railway stations and a railway connection to Andijan in neighbouring Uzbekistan, but no passenger traffic and only sporadic freight traffic. Most transport is by road. The recent upgrading of the long and arduous road through the mountains to Bishkek has greatly improved communications.