Kyrgyzstan

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

• abundant hydropower;
• gold, rare earth metals;
• locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas;
• other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

• 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

• 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

noun:

Kyrgyzstani(s)

adjective:

Kyrgyzstani

total:

28.6 years (2025 est.)

male:

26.9 years

female:

29.8 years

• 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

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.)

total:

24 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

28.6 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

20.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

72.9 years (2024 est.)

male:

68.9 years

female:

77.2 years

total:

4.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

0.43 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

3.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

26% (2025 est.)

male:

50.7% (2025 est.)

female:

3.1% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

0.3% (2018)

women married by age 18:

12.9% (2018)

• water pollution;
• increasing soil salinity from irrigation practices;
• air pollution due to vehicle traffic

party to:

Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

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

urban population:

37.8% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

2.05% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

1.113 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

14.6% (2022 est.)

municipal:

224 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

336 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

7.1 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

Kyrgyz Republic

conventional short form:

Kyrgyzstan

local long form:

Kyrgyz Respublikasy

local short form:

Kyrgyzstan

etymology:

named for the local Kyrgyz people, with "-stan" coming from the Persian word ostan , meaning "country;" the Kyrgyz name may derive from the Turkic root words kir , or "steppe," and gismek , "to wander;" the name is traditionally said to come from a combination of the Turkic words kyrg (forty) and - is (hundred), based on a tale about two tribes and the number of their tents

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

• 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

history:

previous 1993, 2007, 2010; latest approved by referendum in 2021

amendment process:

• proposed as a draft law by the majority of the Supreme Council membership or by petition of 300,000 voters;
• passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Council membership in each of at least three readings of the draft two months apart;
• the draft may be submitted to a referendum if approved by two thirds of the Council membership;
• adoption requires the signature of the president

citizenship by birth:

no

citizenship by descent only:

at least one parent must be a citizen of Kyrgyzstan

dual citizenship recognized:

yes, but only if a mutual treaty on dual citizenship is in force

residency requirement for naturalization:

5 years

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 2030

highest court(s):

Supreme Court (consists of 25 judges); Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (consists of the chairperson, deputy chairperson, and 9 judges)

judge selection and term of office:

• Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president;
• Supreme Court judges serve for 10 years, Constitutional Court judges serve for 15 years;
• mandatory retirement at age 70 for judges of both courts

subordinate courts:

Higher Court of Arbitration; oblast (provincial) and city courts

• Afghan's Party
• Alliance
• Cohesion
• Fatherland Kyrgyzstan
• Ishenim
• Light of Faith
• Mekenchil
• Social Democrats or SDK
• United Kyrgyzstan

chief of mission:

Ambassador Aibek MOLDOGAZIEV (since 11 June 2025)

chancery:

2360 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 449-9822

FAX:

[1] (202) 449-8275

email address and website:

[email protected]; Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in the USA and Canada (mfa.gov.kg)

chief of mission:

Ambassador Lesslie VIGUERIE (since 29 December 2022)

embassy:

171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016

mailing address:

7040 Bishkek Place, Washington DC 20521-7040

telephone:

[996] (312) 597-000

FAX:

[996] (312) 597-744

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://kg.usembassy.gov/

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

meaning:

the sun's rays represent the Kyrgyz tribes; red stands for bravery and valor, and the sun for peace and wealth

• adopted in 1992, the coat of arms of Kyrgyzstan highlights two of its best-known geographic features, Issyk-Kul Lake and the Tien Shan mountain range;
• the falcon, the national symbol, stands for nobleness and purity, and light blue for courage and generosity;
• the word “Kyrgyz” appears at the top of the emblem, and “Republic” at the bottom;
• the wheat, cotton, and rising sun were symbols used during the Soviet era

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

total World Heritage Sites:

3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

• Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain (c);
• Silk Roads: the Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor (c);
• Western Tien Shan (n)

• landlocked, lower-middle-income Central Asian economy;
• natural resource rich;
• growing hydroelectricity and tourism;
• high remittances;
• corruption limits investment;
• COVID-19 and political turmoil hurt GDP, limited public revenues, and increased spending

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

total:

6.8% (2024 est.)

male:

6.3% (2024 est.)

female:

7.7% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

lowest 10%:

4.4% (2022 est.)

highest 10%:

22% (2022 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

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.)

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.)

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.)

• state-funded public TV broadcaster NTRK operates Ala-Too 24 news channel and 4 other educational, cultural, and sports channels;
• ELTR is a state-owned TV station;
• the switchover to digital TV in 2017 resulted in private TV station growth;
• approximately 20 TV stations are struggling to increase Kyrgyz-language content to 60% of airtime, as required by law, instead of rebroadcasting programs from Russian channels or airing unlicensed movies and music;
• several Russian TV stations also broadcast;
• state-funded radio stations and about 10 significant private radio stations (2023)

total:

424 km (2022)

broad gauge:

424 km (2018) 1.520-m gauge

• the Kyrgyz military inventory is comprised almost entirely of Russian and Soviet-era weapons and equipment;
• in recent years, the military has acquired small amounts of armaments from other suppliers such as Türkiye, which provided unmanned aerial vehicles/drones (2025)

• 18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary service for men in the Armed Forces or Interior Ministry;
• 12-month service obligation (9 months for university graduates), with optional fee-based 3-year service in the call-up mobilization reserve;
• women may volunteer at age 19;
• 16-17 years of age for military cadets, who cannot take part in military operations (2025)

refugees:

25,413 (2024 est.)

IDPs:

12 (2024 est.)

stateless persons:

925 (2024 est.)

tier rating:

• Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Kyrgyzstan remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year;
• for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/kyrgyz-republic/