- Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia, lying in the Tian Shan and Pamir mountain ranges. Bishkek is the capital and largest city of the country. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and China to the east and southeast. Ethnic Kyrgyz make up the majority of the country’s 7 million people, followed by significant minorities of Uzbeks and Russians.
- Edward Phalen – Nakesake for Lake Phalen (maplewoodmn.gov)
Lake Phalen is named for Phalen Creek that flows out the south end of the lake. Edward Phalen (or Phelan) was a former soldier that settled along a creek that flowed between Phalen Lake and the Mississippi River. In 1838, he was discharged from Fort Snelling. He took a series of claims around St. Paul and lived in a cabin about a mile away from the other settlers.