# Kyrgyz som

> currency of Kyrgyzstan

**Wikidata**: [Q35881](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q35881)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyrgyz_som)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/kyrgyz-som

## Summary
The Kyrgyz som is the official currency of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. It has been in use since 1993 and is identified on Wikidata and Wikipedia under the title "Kyrgyz som."

## Key Facts
- The Kyrgyz som is the currency of Kyrgyzstan.  
- Start time (date of introduction): 1993-05-10T00:00:00Z.  
- Alias: som.  
- Wikidata description: "currency of Kyrgyzstan."  
- Wikipedia title: Kyrgyz som.  
- Wikidata sitelink_count for the Kyrgyz som entry: 60.  
- The Kyrgyz som is classified as a "currency" — a generally accepted medium of exchange for goods or services (currency class sitelink_count: 166).  
- Located in / origin: Kyrgyzstan, a sovereign state in Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan inception: 1991; sitelink_count: 314).  
- Preceded by the Soviet ruble, the currency of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; the Soviet ruble was briefly used by post‑Soviet states after the dissolution of the USSR (Soviet ruble sitelink_count: 52).  
- Related organization (listed in source material): De La Rue, a British security printing, papermaking and cash handling systems company (inception: 1821; country: ; headquarters: ; employees: 4000.0, 2311.0; industry identifiers: , , , ; occupation identifier: ; sitelink_count: 27).

## FAQs
Q: What is the Kyrgyz som?  
A: The Kyrgyz som is the national currency used in Kyrgyzstan and is described on Wikidata as the "currency of Kyrgyzstan."

Q: When was the Kyrgyz som introduced?  
A: The Kyrgyz som was introduced on 1993-05-10 (start_time: +1993-05-10T00:00:00Z).

Q: What currency did the som replace?  
A: The som succeeded the Soviet ruble, which had been the currency of the USSR and was briefly used by post‑Soviet states after the Soviet dissolution.

Q: Where is the Kyrgyz som used?  
A: The som is used in Kyrgyzstan, a sovereign state in Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan inception noted as 1991).

Q: Does the Kyrgyz som have any known related organizations?  
A: The source lists De La Rue, a British security printing and cash-handling company, as a related organization, with inception year 1821 and a sitelink_count of 27.

Q: Under what other name is the Kyrgyz som known?  
A: The Kyrgyz som is also known simply as "som."

## Why It Matters
The Kyrgyz som represents the monetary sovereignty of Kyrgyzstan and serves as the generally accepted medium of exchange for goods and services within the country. Its introduction in 1993 marked a transition away from the Soviet-era currency system, aligning national monetary instruments with an independent Kyrgyz state established after the USSR's dissolution. As the nation's currency, the som is central to domestic commerce, fiscal policy, and economic identity; its existence distinguishes Kyrgyzstan’s monetary framework from the prior shared-use period of the Soviet ruble.

## Notable For
- Being the official national currency of Kyrgyzstan.  
- Having an established start date of 1993-05-10.  
- Being explicitly recorded on Wikidata and Wikipedia under the title "Kyrgyz som" with a sitelink_count of 60.  
- Replacing the Soviet ruble after the dissolution of the USSR.  
- Association in source material with De La Rue, a long-established British security printing and cash-handling company (inception 1821).

## Body

### History
- The Kyrgyz som was introduced on 1993-05-10T00:00:00Z.  
- Prior to the som, the Soviet ruble was the currency in use; the Soviet ruble was the currency of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and was briefly used by post‑Soviet states following the USSR's dissolution.  
- Kyrgyzstan, the country of origin for the som, is a sovereign state in Central Asia with an inception date recorded as 1991 (as provided in the source material).

### Classification and Function
- The som is categorized under the general class "currency," defined as a generally accepted medium of exchange for goods or services.  
- The currency-class entry referenced has a sitelink_count of 166 in the source material, indicating broad linkage in the dataset context.

### Related Entities and Organizations
- Kyrgyzstan: The som is located in and originates from Kyrgyzstan, a sovereign state in Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan inception: 1991; sitelink_count: 314).  
- Soviet ruble: Listed as the predecessor currency; the Soviet ruble entry includes country identifiers , ,  and a sitelink_count of 52.  
- De La Rue: Mentioned as a related organization in the source material. De La Rue is a British company specializing in security printing, papermaking, and cash handling systems. The source lists De La Rue’s inception as 1821, country identifier , headquarters identifier  (repeated), employee counts 4000.0 and 2311.0, industry identifiers , , , , occupation identifier , and a sitelink_count of 27.

### Structured Properties and Identifiers
- Aliases: "som."  
- Start time: +1993-05-10T00:00:00Z.  
- Wikipedia title: Kyrgyz som.  
- Wikidata description: "currency of Kyrgyzstan."  
- Wikidata sitelink_count for the Kyrgyz som entry: 60.

### Contextual Notes
- The provided source material links the Kyrgyz som to broader datasets and entries (currency class, Kyrgyzstan, Soviet ruble, and De La Rue), and supplies identifiers and counts that indicate presence and linkage across reference platforms.  
- The Soviet ruble is explicitly noted as the preceding currency in the transitional period following the USSR’s end.  
- De La Rue is presented as a related organization with historical inception and corporate identifiers, though the source does not specify the exact nature of its relationship to the som within this material.

### References (as provided in source material)
- Kyrgyzstan inception reference: {'value': '1991', 'references': [{'': ''}]}.  
- De La Rue details: inception +1821-00-00T00:00:00Z; country ; headquarters ; employees 4000.0, 2311.0; industry , , , ; occupation ; sitelink_count 27.  
- Currency class definition: generally accepted medium of exchange for goods or services (sitelink_count: 166).  
- Soviet ruble: described as currency of the USSR and briefly used by post-Soviet states after dissolution (sitelink_count: 52).

(End of entry.)

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
2. GF WordNet