Background: Kyrgyzstan is a Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions. The Russian Empire annexed most of the territory of present-day Kyrgyzstan in 1876. The Kyrgyz staged a major revolt against the Tsarist Empire in 1916, during which almost one-sixth of the Kyrgyz population was killed. Kyrgyzstan became a Soviet republic in 1926 and achieved independence in 1991 when the USSR dissolved. Nationwide demonstrations in 2005 and 2010 resulted in the ouster of the country’s first two presidents, Askar AKAEV and Kurmanbek BAKIEV. Almazbek ATAMBAEV was sworn in as president in 2011. In 2017, ATAMBAEV became the first Kyrgyzstani president to serve a full term and respect constitutional term limits, voluntarily stepping down at the end of his mandate. Former prime minister and ruling Social-Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan member Sooronbay JEENBEKOV replaced him after winning the 2017 presidential election, which was the most competitive in the country’s history despite reported cases of vote buying and abuse of public resources. In 2020, protests against parliamentary election results spread across Kyrgyzstan, leading to JEENBEKOV’s resignation and catapulting previously imprisoned Sadyr JAPAROV to acting president. In 2021, Kyrgyzstanis formally elected JAPAROV as president and approved a referendum to move Kyrgyzstan from a parliamentary to a presidential system. In 2021, Kyrgyzstanis voted in favor of constitutional changes that consolidated power in the presidency. Pro-government parties won a majority in the 2021 legislative elections. Continuing concerns for Kyrgyzstan include the trajectory of democratization, endemic corruption, tense regional relations, vulnerabilities due to climate change, border security vulnerabilities, and potential terrorist threats.

Area
Total: 199,951 km²
Land: 191,801 km²
Water: 8,150 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries
Total: 4,573 km
Border countries (4): (4) China 1,063 km; Kazakhstan 1,212 km; Tajikistan 984 km; Uzbekistan 1,314 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan Mountains; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone

Terrain: peaks of the Tien Shan mountain range and associated valleys and basins encompass the entire country

Elevation
Highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m
Lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m
Mean elevation: 2,988 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 54% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 6.7% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 46.9% (2023 est.)
Forest: 6.5% (2023 est.)
Other: 39.4% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 10,041 km² (2022)

Major rivers: Syr Darya river source (shared with Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan [m]) - 3,078 km
Note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Natural hazards: major flooding during snow melt; prone to earthquakes

Geography
Note: landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; 94% of the country is 1,000 m above sea level with an average elevation of 2,750 m; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

Population
Total: 6,172,101 (2024 est.)
Male: 3,021,318
Female: 3,150,783
Distribution: the vast majority of Kyrgyzstanis live in rural areas; densest population settlement is to the north in and around the capital, Bishkek, followed by Osh in the west; the least densely populated area is the east, in the Tien Shan mountains
Growth rate: 0.79% (2024 est.)

Languages: Kyrgyz (state language) 71.4%, Uzbek 14.4%, Russian (official language) 9%, other 5.2% (2009 est.)
Major-language sample(s): ; Дүйнөлүк фактылар китеби, негизги маалыматтын маанилүү булагы. (Kyrgyz); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Muslim 90% (majority Sunni), Christian 7% (Russian Orthodox 3%), other 3% (includes Jewish, Buddhist, Baha'i) (2017 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 29.1% (male 922,086/female 873,245)
15-64 years: 64% (male 1,935,200/female 2,013,733)
65 years and over: 6.9% (2024 est.) (male 164,032/female 263,805)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 56.3 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 45.5 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 10.8 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 9.2 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 28.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 26.9 years
Female: 29.8 years

Population growth rate: 0.79% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 18.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: the vast majority of Kyrgyzstanis live in rural areas; densest population settlement is to the north in and around the capital, Bishkek, followed by Osh in the west; the least densely populated area is the east, in the Tien Shan mountains

Urbanization
Urban population: 37.8% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 2.05% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1.105 million BISHKEK (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 42 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 24.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 28.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 20.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 68.9 years
Female: 77.2 years

Total fertility rate: 2.45 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 14.2% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 9.2% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.9% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 3.3% (2024 est.); 4% (2023 est.); 4.1% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Bishkek
Geographic coordinates: 42 52 N, 74 36 E
Time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the meaning of the name is unknown; the city was founded in 1862 as a Russian settlement on the site of an Uzbek fortress named Bishkek; the Russian version of the name was Pishpek, and the original name only came back into use in 1991

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (oblustar, singular - oblus) and 2 cities* (shaarlar, singular - shaar); Batken Oblusu, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblusu (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad Oblusu, Naryn Oblusu, Osh Oblusu, Osh Shaary*, Talas Oblusu, Ysyk-Kol Oblusu (Karakol)
Note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; exceptions show the administrative center name in parentheses

Legal system: civil law system that includes features of French civil law and Russian Federation laws

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Sadyr JAPAROV (since 28 January 2021)
Head of government: Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek KASYMALIYEV (since 18 December 2024)
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a five-year term (eligible for a second term)
Most recent election date: 10 January 2021
2021: Sadyr JAPAROV elected president in first round; percent of vote - Sadyr JAPAROV (Mekenchil) 79.2%, Adakhan MADUMAROV (United Kyrgyzstan) 6.8%, other 14%
2017: Sooronbay JEENBEKOV elected president; Sooronbay JEENBEKOV (Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan) 54.7%, Omurbek BABANOV (independent) 33.8%, Adakhan MADUMAROV (United Kyrgyzstan) 6.6%, other 4.9%
Expected date of next election: 2,027
Note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Supreme Council (Jogorku Kenesh)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 90 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: other systems
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 5 years
Most recent election date: 11/30/2025
Parties elected and seats per party: Ata-Jurt Kyrgyzstan (Fatherland) (15); Ishenim (Trust) (12); Yntymak (Harmony) (9); Alyans (Alliance) (7); Butun Kyrgyzstan (United) (6); Yiman Nuru (Ray of Faith) (5); Independents (34)
Percentage of women in chamber: 22.2%
Expected date of next election: November 2,030

Flag description: red field with a yellow sun in the center that has 40 rays that run counterclockwise on the front of the flag and clockwise on the reverse; in the center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines in a stylized representation of a tunduk, the circular opening at the top of a traditional Kyrgyz yurt

National anthem
Title: 'Kyrgyz Respublikasynyn Mamlekettik Gimni' (National Anthem of the Kyrgyz Republic)
Lyrics/music: Djamil SADYKOV and Eshmambet KULUEV/Nasyr DAVLESOV and Kalyi MOLDOBASANOV
History: adopted 1992

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 9% (2024 est.); 9% (2023 est.); 9% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 9% (2024 est.); 9% (2023 est.); 9% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 88.3% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 16% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 22% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 12.5% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 36.9% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -95.5% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 8.6% (2024 est.)
Industry: 24.7% (2024 est.)
Services: 52.1% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Industrial production growth rate: 9.4% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 3.197 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 3.3% (2024 est.); 4% (2023 est.); 4.1% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 3.3% (2024 est.); 4% (2023 est.); 4.1% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $4.84 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $4.452 billion (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 19.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $3.628 billion (2022 est.); $3.292 billion (2021 est.); $2.435 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: gold, coal, precious metal ore, refined petroleum, garments (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $10.655 billion (2022 est.); $5.928 billion (2021 est.); $4.051 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: cars, garments, refined petroleum, fabric, footwear (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 3.944 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 14.872 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 428.01 million kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 3.929 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 2.363 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 99.7% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 100%
Access electrification - rural areas: 99.6%
Generation sources fossil fuels: 14.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 85.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Production: 3.685 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 4.212 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 1.672 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 1.443 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 28.499 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 6,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 31,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 40 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 28.638 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 435.336 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 406.698 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 5.663 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 11.389 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 6.301 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 4.234 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 854,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 27.58 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 185,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 7.68 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 130 (2021 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 89% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 456,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 3% of GDP (2024 est.); 3.5% of GDP (2023 est.); 3% of GDP (2022 est.); 2.8% of GDP (2021 est.); 3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 28 (2025)

Heliports: 1 (2025)

Railways
Total: 424 km (2022)
Broad gauge: 424 km (2018) 1.520-m gauge