Map of Kyrgyzstan | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

top of page


Background: A country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan became part of the Russian empire in 1864. In the Czarist and Soviet periods, Russian managers and technicians were sent to Kyrgyzstan and have recently made up more than one-fifth of the population. Many Russians have been returning home since Kyrgyzstan gained its independence in 1991 when the USSR collapsed. Privatization of state-owned enterprises, expansion of democracy and political freedoms, and inter-ethnic relations are current issues.


top of page


Location: Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 75 00 E

Map reference: Commonwealth of Independent States

Area
Total: 198,500 km²
Land: 191,300 km²
Water: 7,200 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries
Total: 3,878 km
Border countries: (4) 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
Extremes 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 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: landlocked


top of page


Population: 4,546,055 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 0.68% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: 40% (1993 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%

Languages: Kirghiz (Kyrgyz)_official language, Russian_official 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

Religions: Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 35% (male 804,502; female 788,076)
15-64 years: 59% (male 1,308,145; female 1,362,140)
65 years and over: 6% (male 105,442; female 177,750) (1999 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.68% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 21.83 births/1000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 8.74 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -6.28 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

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
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

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: 0.59 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 75.92 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 63.57 years
Male: 59.25 years
Female: 68.1 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.63 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97%
Male: 99%
Female: 96% (1989 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


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

Capital: Bishkek

Administrative divisions: 6 oblasttar (singular_oblast) and 1 city* (singular_shaar); 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)

Dependent areas

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October 1990)
Head of government: Prime Minister Jumabek IBRAIMOV (since NA December 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 reelected president; percent of vote_Askar AKAYEV 75%; note_elections 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 Representatives_last held 5 February 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); Legislative Assembly_last held 5 February 1995 (next to be held NA 2000)
Election results: Assembly of People's Representatives_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_NA; note_not 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 Assembly_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_NA; note_not all of the 35 seats were filled at the 5 February 1995 elections; as a result, run-off elections were held at later dates
Note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995 elections

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed for 10-year terms by the Supreme Council on recommendation of the president; Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMSIL, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Bakyt ABDRISAYEV
In the us chancery: 1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,007
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 338-5,141
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 338-5,139
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Anne M. SIGMUND
From the us embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, 720,016 Bishkek
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone: [996] (3,312) 22-29-20, 22-27-77
From the us FAX: [996] (3,312) 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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


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 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. The government has adopted a series of measures to combat some of the severe economic problems such as excessive debt and inadequate revenue collection, encountered in 1998.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 1.8% (1998 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 47%
Industry: 12%
Services: 41% (1996 est.)

Agriculture products: tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool

Industries: small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals

Industrial production growth rate: 14% (1998 est.)
Note: the gold industry spurted in 1998 giving industry as a whole a boost on a small base while the rest of the economy, including agriculture, lagged

Labor force: 1.7 million
By occupation agriculture and forestry: 40%
By occupation industry and construction: 19%
By occupation other: 41% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6% 1998 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 40% (1993 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $225 million
Expenditures: $308 million, including capital expenditures of $11 million (1996 est.)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $630 million (1998 est.)
Commodities: cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, hydropower; machinery; shoes
Partners: China, UK, FSU

Imports: $670 million (1998 est.)
Commodities: grain, lumber, industrial products, ferrous metals, fuel, machinery, textiles, footwear
Partners: Turkey, Cuba, US, Germany

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $935 million (1997 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: soms (KGS) per US$1_30.25 (February 1999), 20.838 (1998), 17.362 (1997), 12.810 (1996), 10.822 (1995), 10.842 (1994)


top of page


Electricity access

Electricity production: 13.49 billion kWh (1996)
By source fossil fuel: 9.56%
By source hydro: 90.44%
By source nuclear: 0%
By source other: 0% (1996)

Electricity consumption: 10.92 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity exports: 6.32 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity imports: 3.75 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system: poorly developed; about 100,000 unsatisfied applications for household telephones
Domestic: principally microwave radio relay; one cellular provider, probably only 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 Fiber-Optic Line

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $10.8 million (1996)
Percent of gdp: 1% (1996)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 54 (1994 est.)
With paved runways total: 14
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 9
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1994 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 40
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 32 (1994 est.)

Airports with paved runways
Total: 14
Over 3047 m: 1
2438 to 3047 m: 3
15-24 to 2437 m: 9
Under 914 m: 1 (1994 est.)

Airports with unpaved runways
Total: 40
15-24 to 2437 m: 4
914 to 1523 m: 4
Under 914 m: 32 (1994 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines: natural gas 200 km

Railways
Total: 370 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines
Broad gauge: 370 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)

Roadways

Waterways: 600 km (1990)

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: territorial dispute with Tajikistan on southwestern boundary in Isfara Valley area

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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