Kyrgyzstan |
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Geography |
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
Areacomparative: 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 hydroelectric potential; 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.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environmentcurrent 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
Environmentinternational agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographynote: landlocked
People |
Population: 4,522,281 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 36% (male 817,229; female 800,248)
15-64 years: 58% (male 1,285,520; female 1,337,259)
65 years and over: 6% (male 104,105; female 177,920) (July 1998
est.)
Population growth rate: 0.37% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 22.03 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 8.65 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -9.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 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: 0.58 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 74.76 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.77 years
male: 59.45 years
female: 68.3 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.68 children born/woman (1998 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, Russianofficial language
note: in March 1996, the Kyrgyzstani legislature amended the constitution to make Russian an official language,
along with Kirghiz, in territories and work places where Russian-speaking citizens predominate
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 99%
female: 96% (1989 est.)
Government |
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
Data code: KG
Government type: republic
National capital: Bishkek
Administrative divisions:
6 oblasttar (singularoblast) and 1 city* (singularshaar); 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: National Day, 2 December; 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 Kubanychbek JUMALIYEV (since 25 March 1998)
cabinet: Cabinet of
Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; elections last held 24 December 1995
(next to be held NA 2000); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Askar AKAYEV elected president; percent of voteAskar AKAYEV 75%; noteelections were held
early which gave the two opposition candidates little time to campaign; AKAYEV may have orchestrated the "deregistration" of two other candidates, one of whom was a major rival
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 Representativeslast held 5 February 1995 (next to be held NA 2000);
Legislative Assemblylast held 5 February 1995 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: Assembly of People's Representativespercent of vote by partyNA; seats by
partyNA; notenot all of the 70 seats were filled at the 5 February 1995 elections; as a result, run-off elections were held at later dates; the assembly meets twice yearly; Legislative
Assemblypercent of vote by party - NA; seats by partyNA; notenot all of the 35 seats were filled at the 5 February 1995 elections; as a result, run-off elections were held
note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995 elections
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed for a 10-year term by the Supreme Council on recommendation of the president; Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration
Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party or PSD [Zh. IBRAMOV]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar JEKSHEYEV, chairman]; National Unity Democratic Movement or DDNE [Yury RAZGULYAYEV]; Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan or PKK [Absamat MASALIYEV, chairman]; Kyrgyzstan Erkin Party (Democratic Movement of Free Kyrgyzstan) or ErK [Tursunbay Bakir UULU]; Republican Popular Party of Kyrgyzstan [Zh. SHARSHENALIYEV]; Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan [A. ALIYEV]; Fatherland or Alta Mekel Party [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV]; Banner National Rivival Party or ASABA [Chaprashty BAZARBAY]; Movement for the People's Salvation [Djumgalbek AMAMBAYEV]; Mutual Help Movement or Ashar [Zhumagazy USUPOV]; Peasant Party; Agrarian Party
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Unity Democratic Movement; Council of Free Trade Unions; Union of Entrepreneurs; Kyrgyz Committee on Human Rights [Ramazan DYRYIDAYEV]
International organization participation: AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OIC, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
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 Anne SIGMUND
embassy: Erkindik Prospekt #66, Bishkek 720002
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [7]
(3312) 22-29-21, 22-27-77, 22-26-31, 22-24-73
FAX: [7] (3312) 22-35-51
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 |
Economyoverview: 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 hydropower. 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 have 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity$9.7 billion (1997 est.)
GDPreal growth rate: 10% (1997 est.)
GDPper capita: purchasing power parity$2,100 (1997 est.)
GDPcomposition by sector:
agriculture: 47%
industry: 12%
services: 41% (1996 est.)
Inflation rateconsumer price index: 15% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 1.7 million
by occupation: agriculture and forestry 40%, industry and construction 19%, other 41% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: 8% (December 1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $225 million
expenditures: $308 million, including capital expenditures of $11 million (1996 est.)
Industries: small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals
Industrial production growth rate: 10.8% (1996 est.)
Electricitycapacity: 3.632 million kW (1995)
Electricityproduction: 13.7 billion kWh (1996 est.)
Electricityconsumption per capita: 2,090 kWh (1995)
Agricultureproducts: wool, tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle
Exports:
total value: $506 million (1996)
commodities: cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, hydropower; machinery; shoes
partners: China, UK, FSU
Imports:
total value: $890 million (1996)
commodities: grain, lumber, industrial products, ferrous metals, fuel, machinery, textiles, footwear
partners: Turkey, Cuba, US,
Germany
Debtexternal: $746 million (1996)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $56 million (1993)
note: commitments, 1992-95, $1,695 million ($390 million disbursements)
Currency: 1 Kyrgyzstani som (KGS) = 100 tyiyn
Exchange rates: soms (KGS) per US$114.6 (January 1997), 11.2 (yearend 1995), 10.6 (yearend 1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications |
Telephones: 342,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system:
poorly developed; about 100,000 unsatisfied applications for household telephones
domestic: principally microwave radio relay
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 stations1 Intersputnik
and 1 Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations: 1 state-run radio broadcast station
Radios: 825,000 (radio receiver systems with multiple speakers for program diffusion 748,000)
Television broadcast stations:
1
note: receives Turkish broadcasts
Televisions: 875,000
Transportation |
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
paved: 16,854 km (including 140 km of expressways)
unpaved: 1,646 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 600 km (1990)
Pipelines: natural gas 200 km
Ports and harbors: Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)
Airports: 54 (1994 est.)
Airportswith paved runways:
total: 14
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
under 914 m: 1 (1994 est.)
Airportswith unpaved runways:
total: 40
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 32 (1994 est.)
Military |
Military branches:
Army, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops), Civil Defense
note: border troops controlled by Russia
Military manpowermilitary age: 18 years of age
Military manpoweravailability:
males age 15-49: 1,124,900 (1998 est.)
Military manpowerfit for military service:
males: 912,596 (1998 est.)
Military manpowerreaching military age annually:
males: 45,066 (1998 est.)
Military expendituresdollar figure: 151 million soms (1995); noteconversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
Military expenditurespercent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues |
Disputesinternational: territorial dispute with Tajikistan on southwestern boundary in Isfara Valley area
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