| Background: |
A Central Asian
country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic
traditions, Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1864; it
achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Current
concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises,
expansion of democracy and political freedoms, inter-ethnic
relations, and terrorism. |
| Location: |
Central Asia,
west of China |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
41 00 N, 75 00 E |
| Map
references: |
Commonwealth of
Independent States |
| Area: |
total:
198,500 sq km
land: 191,300 sq km
water: 7,200 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller
than South Dakota |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
3,878 km
border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan
1,051 km, Tajikistan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km |
| Coastline: |
0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime
claims: |
none (landlocked) |
| Climate: |
dry continental
to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in southwest (Fergana
Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone |
| Terrain: |
peaks of Tien
Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass entire
nation |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Kara-Darya 132 m
highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy)
7,439 m |
| Natural
resources: |
abundant
hydropower; significant deposits of gold and rare earth
metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas;
other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and
zinc |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
7%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 44%
forests and woodland: 4%
other: 45% (1993 est.)
note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest
natural growth walnut forest |
| Irrigated
land: |
9,000 sq km (1993
est.) |
| Environment
- current issues: |
water pollution;
many people get their water directly from contaminated
streams and wells; as a result, water-borne diseases are
prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty irrigation
practices |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
| Geography
- note: |
landlocked |
| Population: |
4,753,003 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
35.03% (male 841,029; female 823,723)
15-64 years: 58.83% (male 1,369,842; female
1,426,522)
65 years and over: 6.14% (male 110,340; female
181,547) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.44% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
26.18
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
9.13 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-2.66 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
76.5 deaths/1,000
live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 63.46 years
male: 59.2 years
female: 67.94 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
3.19 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
less than 0.01%
(1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
less than 100
(1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
less than 100
(1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Kyrgyzstani(s)
adjective: Kyrgyzstani |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Kirghiz 52.4%,
Russian 18%, Uzbek 12.9%, Ukrainian 2.5%, German 2.4%, other
11.8% |
| Religions: |
Muslim 75%,
Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5% |
| Languages: |
Kirghiz (Kyrgyz)
- official language, Russian - official language
note: in May 2000, the Kyrgyzstani legislature
made Russian an official language, equal in status to
Kirghiz |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 99%
female: 96% (1989 est.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Kyrgyz Republic
conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan
local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy
local short form: none
former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic |
| Government
type: |
republic |
| Administrative
divisions: |
7 oblastlar
(singular - oblast) and 1 city* (singular - shaar); Batken
Oblasty, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad
Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty, Ysyk-Kol
Oblasty (Karakol)
note: administrative divisions have the same
names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the
administrative center name following in parentheses) |
| Independence: |
31 August 1991
(from Soviet Union) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day,
31 August (1991) |
| Constitution: |
adopted 5 May
1993; note - amendment proposed by President AKAYEV and
passed in a national referendum on 10 February 1996
significantly expands the powers of the president at the
expense of the legislature |
| Legal
system: |
based on civil
law system |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October
1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Kurmanbek
BAKIYEV (since 22 December 2000)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the
president on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president reelected by popular vote
for a five-year term; elections last held 29 October 2000
(next to be held November or December 2005); prime minister
appointed by the president
election results: Askar AKAYEV reelected
president; percent of vote - Askar AKAYEV 74%, Omurbek
TEKEBAYEV 14%, other candidates 12%; note - election marred
by serious irregularities |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral Supreme
Council or Zhogorku Kenesh consists of the Assembly of
People's Representatives (70 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Legislative
Assembly (35 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: Assembly of People's Representatives
- last held 20 February and 12 March 2000 (next to be held
NA February 2005); Legislative Assembly - last held 20
February and 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA February
2005)
election results: Assembly of People's
Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; percent of
vote by party - NA; and Legislative Assembly - percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - total seats
by party in the Supreme Council were as follows: Union of
Democratic Forces 12, Communists 6, My Country Party of
Action 4, independents 73, other 10
note: the legislature became bicameral for the
5 February 1995 elections; the 2000 election results include
both the Assembly of People's Representatives and the
Legislative Assembly |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court
(judges are appointed for 10-year terms by the Supreme
Council on the recommendation of the president);
Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Agrarian Labor
Party of Kyrgyzstan [Uson S. SYDYKOV]; Agrarian Party of
Kyrgyzstan [Arkin ALIYEV]; Ata-Meken Socialist Party or
Fatherland [Onurbek TEKEBAYEV]; Banner National Revival
Party or ASABA [Chaprashty BAZARBAY]; Democratic Movement of
Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar JEKSHEYEV]; Democratic Women's
Party of Kyrgyzstan [T. A. SHAILIYEVA]; Dignity Party [Feliks
KULOV]; Erkin Kyrgyzstan Progressive and Democratic Party [Tursunbay
Bakir UULU]; Justice Party [Chingiz AYTMATOV]; Movement for
the People's Salvation [Jumgalbek AMAMBAYEV]; Mutual Help
Movement or Ashar [Jumagazy USUPOV]; My Country of Action [Almazbek
ISMANKULOV]; National Unity Democratic Movement or DDNE [Yury
RAZGULYAYEV]; Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Absamat
M. MASALIYEV]; Party of the Veterans of the War in
Afghanistan [leader NA]; Peasant Party [leader NA]; People's
Party [Melis ESHIMKANOV]; Poor and Unprotected People's
Party [Daniyar USENOV]; Republican Popular Party of
Kyrgyzstan [J. SHARSHENALIYEV]; Social Democratic Party or
PSD [J. IBRAMOV]; Union of Democratic Forces (composed of
Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan or PSD [J. IBRAMOV],
Economic Revival Party, and Birimdik Party |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Council of Free
Trade Unions; Kyrgyz Committee on Human Rights [Ramazan
DYRYIDAYEV]; National Unity Democratic Movement; Union of
Entrepreneurs |
| International
organization participation: |
AsDB, CCC, CIS,
EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE,
PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Bakyt ABDRISAYEV
chancery: 1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 338-5141
FAX: [1] (202) 338-5139 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador John M. O'KEEFE
embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, 720016 Bishkek
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217
FAX: [996] (312) 551-264 |
| Flag
description: |
red field with a
yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40
Kirghiz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run
counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center
of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines,
a stylized representation of the roof of the traditional
Kirghiz yurt |
| Economy
- overview: |
Kyrgyzstan is a
small, poor, mountainous country with a predominantly
agricultural economy. Cotton, wool, and meat are the main
agricultural products and exports. Industrial exports
include gold, mercury, uranium, and electricity. Kyrgyzstan
has been one of the most progressive countries of the former
Soviet Union in carrying out market reforms. Following a
successful stabilization program, which lowered inflation
from 88% in 1994 to 15% for 1997, attention is turning
toward stimulating growth. Much of the government's stock in
enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had been
severe since the breakup of the Soviet Union in December
1991, but by mid-1995 production began to recover and
exports began to increase. Pensioners, unemployed workers,
and government workers with salary arrears continue to
suffer. Foreign assistance played a substantial role in the
country's economic turnaround in 1996-97. Growth was held
down to 2.1% in 1998 largely because of the spillover from
Russia's economic difficulties, but moved ahead to 3.6% in
1999 and an estimated 5.7% in 2000. The government has
adopted a series of measures to combat such persistent
problems as excessive external debt, inflation, and
inadequate revenue collection. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $12.6 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
5.7% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $2,700 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
39%
industry: 22%
services: 39% (1999 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
51% (1997 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
2.7%
highest 10%: 31.7% (1997) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
18.7% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 55%,
industry 15%, services 30% (1999 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
6% (1998 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$207.4 million
expenditures: $238.7 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
| Industries: |
small machinery,
textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs,
refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth
metals |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
7% (2000 est.)
|
| Electricity
- production: |
12.981 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
6.67%
hydro: 93.33%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
10.236 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
2.02 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
184 million kWh
(1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
tobacco, cotton,
potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep,
goats, cattle, wool |
| Exports: |
$482 million
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
cotton, wool,
meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, hydropower;
machinery; shoes |
| Exports
- partners: |
Germany 33%,
Russia 16%, Kazakhstan 10%, Uzbekistan 10%, China 6% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$579 million
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
oil and gas,
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs |
| Imports
- partners: |
Russia 18%,
Kazakhstan 12%, US 9%, Germany 8%, Uzbekistan 8%, China
(1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$1.4 billion
(2000 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$329.4 million
(1995) |
| Currency: |
Kyrgyzstani som
(KGS) |
| Exchange
rates: |
soms per US
dollar - 48.701 (January 2001), 47.704 (2000), 39.008
(1999), 20.838 (1998), 17.362 (1997), 12.810 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
351,000 (1997) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
NA |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: poorly developed; about 100,000
unsatisfied applications for household telephones
domestic: principally microwave radio relay;
one cellular provider, probably limited to Bishkek region
international: connections with other CIS
countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with
other countries by leased connections with Moscow
international gateway switch and by satellite; satellite
earth stations - 1 Intersputnik and 1 Intelsat; connected
internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic
line |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 12 (plus 10
repeater stations), FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
NA (repeater
stations throughout the country relay programs from Russia,
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey) (1997) |
| Televisions: |
210,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.kg |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
NA |
| Internet
users: |
10,000 (2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
370 km in common carrier service; does not include
industrial lines
broad gauge: 370 km 1.520-m gauge (1990) |
| Highways: |
total:
18,500 km (including 140 km of expressways)
paved: 16,854 km (these roads are said to be
hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally
paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other
coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather)
unpaved: 1,646 km (these roads are made of
unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet
weather) (1996) |
| Pipelines: |
natural gas 200
km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol
or Rybach'ye) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
4
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
46
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 32 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army, Air and Air
Defense, Security Forces, Border Troops |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
18 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 1,203,001 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 975,744 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
50,590 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$12 million
(FY99) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1% (FY99) |
| Disputes
- international: |
territorial
dispute with Tajikistan on southwestern boundary in Isfara
Valley area; periodic target of Islamic insurgents from
Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan |
| Illicit
drugs: |
limited illicit
cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS
consumption; limited government eradication program;
increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs
to Russia and Western Europe from Southwest Asia |
|
