Kyrgyzstan

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Introduction - Kyrgyzstan:
Country	Kyrgyzstan


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. Nationwide demonstrations in the spring of 2005 resulted in the ouster of President Askar AKAYEV, who had run the country since 1990. Subsequent presidential elections in July 2005 were won overwhelmingly by former prime minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV. The political opposition organized demonstrations in Bishkek in April, May, and November 2006 resulting in the adoption of a new constitution that transferred some of the presidents powers to parliament and the government. In December 2006, the Kyrgyz parliament voted to adopt new amendments, restoring some of the presidential powers lost in the November 2006 constitutional change. Current concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises, expansion of democracy and political freedoms, reduction of corruption, improving interethnic relations, and combating terrorism.


Location - Kyrgyzstan:
Location	Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates	41 00 N, 75 00 E

Map references	Asia

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-Daryya (Karadarya) 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: 6.55% permanent crops: 0.28% other: 93.17% note: Kyrgyzstan has the worlds largest natural growth walnut forest (2005)

Irrigated land	10,720 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards	NA

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography note	landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

People - Kyrgyzstan:
Population	5,284,149 (July 2007 est.)

Age structure	0-14 years: 30.3% (male 817,663/female 785,167) 15-64 years: 63.5% (male 1,645,270/female 1,709,522) 65 years and over: 6.2% (male 127,600/female 198,927) (2007 est.)

Median age	total: 23.9 years male: 23.1 years female: 24.8 years (2007 est.)

Population growth rate	1.354% (2007 est.)

Birth rate	23.08 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate	7.02 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Net migration rate	-2.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.962 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.641 male(s)/female total population: 0.962 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate	total: 33.38 deaths/1,000 live births male: 38.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth	total population: 68.81 years male: 64.8 years female: 73.02 years (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate	2.68 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Hiv aids adult prevalence rate	less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Hiv aids people living with hiv aids	3,900 (2003 est.)

Hiv aids deaths	less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality	noun: Kyrgyzstani(s) adjective: Kyrgyzstani

Ethnic groups	Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek 13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%, Ukrainian 1%, Uygur 1%, other 5.7% (1999 census)

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

Languages	Kyrgyz 64.7% (official), Uzbek 13.6%, Russian 12.5% (official), Dungun 1%, other 8.2% (1999 census)

Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.7% male: 99.3% female: 98.1% (1999 census)

Government - Kyrgyzstan:
Country name	conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy local short form: Kyrgyzstan former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type	republic

Capital	name: Bishkek geographic coordinates: 42 52 N, 74 36 E time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions	7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city* (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 Askar AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 2 February 2003 significantly expanded the powers of the president at the expense of the legislature; during large-scale demonstrations in November 2006, President BAKIYEV and the opposition negotiated a new constitution granting greater powers to the parliament and the government; amendments added on 30 December 2006 redistributed some power back to the president

Legal system	based on French and Russian laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage	18 years of age; universal

Executive branch	chief of state: President Kurmanbek BAKIYEV (since 14 August 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Almaz ATAMBAYEV (since 30 March 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar USENOV (since 10 May 2006) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister; note - following legislative elections under the constitution, the legislature will propose and the president appoint the prime minister, and the prime minister will propose and the president appoint members of the Cabinet, except for ministers in charge of defense and security, who will be appointed solely by the president elections: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 10 July 2005 (next scheduled for 2010); prime minister nominated by the president for approval by Parliament; note - the constitution calls for the legislature to propose and the president to appoint the prime minister after legislative elections, currently scheduled for 2010 election results: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected president; percent of vote - Kurmanbek BAKIYEV 88.6%, Tursunbai BAKIR-UULU 3.9%, other candidates 7.5%; Almaz ATAMBAYEV approved as prime minister 48-3

Legislative branch	unicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku Kenesh (75 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - the December 2006 constitution calls for 90 seats elections: elections for the new unicameral body or Jorgorku Kenesh were held 27 February 2005, but the vast majority of positions remained undecided and were contested in a runoff election on 13 March 2005; election irregularities caused widespread protests that resulted in the president being forced to flee the country election results: Supreme Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch	Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (judges of both the Supreme and Constitutional Courts are appointed for 10-year terms by the Jorgorku Kenesh on the recommendation of the president; their age limit is 70 years); Higher Court of Arbitration; Local Courts (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council on Legal Affairs for a probationary period of five years, then 10 years)

Political parties and leaders	Ar-Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIYEV]; Asaba (Banner National Revival Party) [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV, Roza OTUNBAYEVA]; Ata-Meken (Fatherland) [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Viktor TCHETRNOMORETS]; Erkindik (Freedom) Party [Topchubek TURGUNALIYEV]; Moya Strana (My Country Party of Action) [Medet SADYRKULOV]; Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Ishak MASALIYEV]; Party of Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV]; Party of Peasants [Esengul ISAKOV]; Republican Party of Labor and Unity [Tabaldy OROZALIYEV]; Sanjira (Tree of Life) [Ednan KARABAYEV]; Social Democratic Party [Almaz ATAMBAYEV]; Sodruzhestvo (Cooperation) [Vladimir NIFADYEV, Samat BORUBAYEV]; Union of Democratic Forces [Kubatbek BAIBOLOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders	Adilet Legal Clinic [Cholpon JAKUPOVA]; Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society; For Reforms [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV, Almazbek ATAMBAYEV]; Interbilim [Asiya SASYKBAYEVA]

International organization participation	AsDB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the us	chief of mission: Ambassador Zamira SYDYKOVA chancery: 2360 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 338-5141 FAX: [1] (202) 386-7550 consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the us	chief of mission: Ambassador Marie L. YOVANOVITCH embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016 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 Kyrgyz 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 Kyrgyz yurt

Economy - Kyrgyzstan:
Economy overview	Kyrgyzstan is a poor, mountainous country with a predominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton are exported in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, and electricity. Following independence Kyrgyzstan was progressive in carrying out market reforms, such as an improved regulatory system and land reform, but political instability during 2005-06 has undercut the investment climate. Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. Much of the governments stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had been severe after the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but by mid-1995, production began to recover and exports began to increase. The economy is heavily weighted toward gold export and a drop in output at the main Kumtor gold mine sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002, but GDP growth bounced back the following year. In 2005 Kyrgyzstan again experienced a decline in GDP, this time 0.6%. The government has made steady strides in controlling its substantial fiscal deficit, nearly closing the gap between revenues and expenditures in 2006. The government and international financial institutions have been engaged in a comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth strategy; in 2005 Bishkek agreed to pursue much-needed tax reform and in 2006 became eligible for the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative. Progress fighting corruption, further restructuring of domestic industry, and success in attracting foreign investment are keys to future growth.

Gdp purchasing power parity	$10.73 billion (2006 est.)

Gdp official exchange rate	$2.255 billion (2006 est.)

Gdp real growth rate	2.7% (2006 est.)

Gdp per capita ppp	$2,100 (2006 est.)

Gdp composition by sector	agriculture: 34.5% industry: 19.5% services: 46.1% (2006 est.)

Labor force	2.7 million (2000)

Labor force by occupation	agriculture: 55% industry: 15% services: 30% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate	18% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line	40% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 23.3% (2001)

Distribution of family income gini index	29 (2001)

Inflation rate consumer prices	6.4% (2006 est.)

Investment gross fixed	15.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget	revenues: $498.3 million expenditures: $544.8 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 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	-4.5% (2006 est.)

Electricity production	14.06 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity consumption	6.777 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity exports	6.4 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity imports	100 million kWh (2004)

Oil production	1,378 bbl/day (2004)

Oil consumption	10,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil exports	NA bbl/day

Oil imports	NA bbl/day

Oil proved reserves	40 million bbl

Natural gas production	29 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas consumption	919 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas exports	0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas imports	890 million cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance	-$287.3 million (2006 est.)

Exports	$701.8 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports commodities	cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, hydropower; machinery; shoes

Exports partners	UAE 35.8%, Russia 20.2%, Kazakhstan 13.1%, China 11.8% (2006)

Imports	$1.177 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports commodities	oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports partners	China 56.8%, Russia 15.1%, Kazakhstan 8.1% (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold	$621.2 million (2006 est.)

Debt external	$2.483 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

Economic aid recipient	$50 million from the US (2001)

Currency code	som (KGS)

Exchange rates	soms per US dollar - 40.149 (2006), 41.012 (2005), 42.65 (2004), 43.648 (2003), 46.937 (2002)

Communications - Kyrgyzstan:
Fiscal year	calendar year

Telephones main lines in use	440,400 (2005)

Telephones mobile cellular	541,700 (2005)

Telephone system	general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is growing; fixed line penetration remains low and concentrated in urban areas domestic: 4 mobile cellular service providers with growing coverage international: country code - 996; 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, 1 Intelsat; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line (2006)

Radio broadcast stations	AM 3 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 20, shortwave NA (2006)

Television broadcast stations	7 (1 countrywide and 6 regional stations) (2006)

Internet country code	.kg

Internet hosts	18,928 (2006)

Internet users	298,100 (2006)

Transportation - Kyrgyzstan:
Airports	37 (2006)

Airports with paved runways	total: 18 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 under 914 m: 3 (2006)

Airports with unpaved runways	total: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 16 (2006)

Pipelines	gas 254 km; oil 16 km (2006)

Railways	total: 470 km broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2006)

Roadways	total: 18,500 km paved: 16,854 km unpaved: 1,646 km (1999)

Waterways	600 km (2007)

Ports and terminals	Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybachye)

Military - Kyrgyzstan:
Military branches	Army, Air Force, National Guard (2005)

Military service age and obligation	18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service	males age 18-49: 1,193,529 females age 18-49: 1,219,080 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service	males age 18-49: 871,493 females age 18-49: 1,024,568 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually	males age 18-49: 61,091 females age 18-49: 59,784 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures percent of gdp	1.4% (2005 est.)

Disputes international	Kyrgyzstan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary delimitation with Kazakhstan; disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with Tajikistan; delimitation of 130 km of border with Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other areas