Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz RepublicKyrgyz Respublikasy

republicIndependence 31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Kyrgyzstan as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 87 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalBishkek

Position41 00 N, 75 00 E

Area198,500 sq km

LocationCentral Asia, west of China

Populationas each edition published it

4.53 million July 1996 est. · 4.57m in 1992

Population growth% a year

0.07% 1996 est. · 1.56% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 22.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

63.86 years 1996 est. · 67.71 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.22 children per woman 1996 est. · 4 in 1992

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

77.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 56 in 1992

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,140 1995 est. · $2,440 in 1994

GDP real growth% a year

-6% 1995 est. · -25% in 1993

Geography

Central Asia, west of China

15 fields

Land useshare of 198,500 sq km

arable land 7%meadows and pastures 42%forest and woodland 0%other 51%irrigated 10,320 sq km (1990)permanent crops: NEGL%

Area

198,500sq km

land area: 191,300 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than South Dakota

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Land boundaries

3,878km

border countries: China 858 km, Kazakstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

International disputes

territorial dispute with Tajikistan on southwestern boundary in Isfara Valley area

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

lowest point:: Kara-Daryya 132 m
highest point:: Jengish Chokusu 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

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
natural hazards:: NA
international agreements:: NA

People

15 fields

Population

4,529,648

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 0.07% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

26.02Death

8.83Net migration

-16.5

Male · female(1996 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years63.86

59.18 · 68.77

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy97%

99% · 96%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Kirghiz 52.4%Russian 21.5%Uzbek 12.9%Ukrainian 2.5%German 2.4%other 8.3%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 37% (male 847,859; female 828,889)
15-64 years:: 57% (male 1,263,044; female 1,312,040)
65 years and over:: 6% (male 100,524; female 177,292) (July 1996 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:: 0.57 male(s)/female
all ages:: 0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

77.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Kyrgyz(s)
adjective:: Kyrgyz

Kirghiz (Kyrgyz) - official language, Russian - official language note: in March 1996, the Kyrgyz legislature amended the constitution to make Russian an official language, along with Kyrgyz, in territories and work places where Russian-speaking citizens predominate

Government

Republic; President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October 1990) was elected for a five-year term by popular vote; Prime Minister Apas JUMAGULOV (since NA December 1993) was appointed by the president and reappointed February 1996

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Name of country

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

Type of government

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: names in parentheses are administrative centers when name differs from oblast name

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) was elected for a five-year term by popular vote;
elections last held 24 December 1995 (next to be held NA);
results - Askar AKAYEV won election with 75% of vote with 86% of electorate voting;
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
head of government:: Prime Minister Apas JUMAGULOV (since NA December 1993) was appointed by the president and reappointed February 1996
cabinet:: Cabinet of Ministers was appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

Legislative branch

bicameral Supreme Council (Zhogorku Kenesh)

Assembly of People's Representatives:: elections last held 5 February 1995 (next to be held NA 2000);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (70 total) seats by party NA;
note - not all the 70 seats were filled at the 5 February elections;
as a result, run-off elections were held at later dates;
the assembly meets twice yearly

Legislative Assembly

elections last held 5 February 1995 (next to be held NA 2000);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (35 total) seats by party NA;
note - not all the 35 seats were filled at the 5 February 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 Zhogorku Kenesh on recommendation of the president;
Constitutional Court;
Higher Court of Arbitration

Political parties and leaders

Social Democratic Party (SDP);
Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan (DDK), Jypar JEKSHEYEV, chairman;
National Unity;
Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan (PCK), Absamat MASALIYEV, chairman;
Democratic Movement of Free Kyrgyzstan (ErK), Tursunbay Bakir UULU, chairman;
Republican Popular Party of Kyrgyzstan;
Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan;
Atu Meken Party, Omurbek TEKEBAYEV;
ASABA

Other political or pressure groups

National Unity Democratic Movement;
Peasant Party;
Council of Free Trade Unions;
Union of Entrepreneurs;
Agrarian Party

International organization participation

AsDB, CIS, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Acting Ambassador Almas CHUKIN
chancery:: (temporary) Suite 706, 1511 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone:: [1] (202) 347-3732

FAX

[1] (202) 347-3718

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Eileen A. MALLOY
embassy:: Erkindik Prospekt #66, Bishkek 720002
mailing address:: use embassy street address
telephone:: [7] (3312) 22-29-20, 22-27-77, 22-26-31, 22-24-73

FAX

[7] (3312) 22-35-51

Flag

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

Kyrgyzstan is a small, poor, mountainous | country with a predominantly agricultural economy.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$1,140

(1995 est.)

Real growth rate

-6%

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: -12.5% (1995)

Inflation, consumer prices

32%

(1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.8%

includes officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of unregistered unemployed and underemployed workers (December 1995)

Installed generating capacity, 3,660,000 kW

Electricity production

12.3 billionElectricity consumption per capita

2,500 (1995 est.)

Economic 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 included 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 has lowered inflation from 88% in 1994 to 32% for 1995, attention is turning toward stimulating growth. About half of government stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production have been severe since the break up of the Soviet Union, but by mid-1995 production began to level off as exports began to increase.

The level of hardship for pensioners, unemployed workers, and government workers with salaries arrears continues to be very high. Foreign assistance plays a substantial role in the country's budget. In early 1996, the economy apparently is slowly beginning to restore previous levels of output.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $5.4 billion (1995 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture:: NA%
industry:: NA%
services:: NA%

Labor force

1.836 million; by occupation: agriculture and forestry 38%, industry and construction 21%, other 41% (1990)

Budget

revenues:: $NA
expenditures:: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries

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

Agriculture

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

Illicit drugs

illicit cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy;
mostly for CIS consumption;
government eradication program;
used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe and North America from Southwest Asia

Exports

$380 million (1995)

commodities:: cotton, wool, meat, tobacco;
gold, mercury, uranium, hydropower;
machinery;
shoes
partners:: Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakstan, Turkey, Cuba, and Germany

Imports

$439 million (1995)

commodities:: grain, lumber, industrial products, ferrous metals, fuel, machinery, textiles, footwear
partners:: Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakstan, China, and UK

External debt

$480 million (of which $115 million to Russia) (1995 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $56 million (1993) note: commitments, 1992-95, $1,695 million ($390 million disbursements)

Currency

introduced national currency, the som (10 May 1993)

Exchange rates

soms per US$1 - 11.2 (yearend 1995), 10.6 (yearend 1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

5 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 54 in all

over 3 047 m

2 438 to 3 047 m

1 524 to 2 437 m

under 914 m

914 to 1 523 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

28,400Railways

370

Highways: paved: 22,400 km · unpaved: 6,000 km (1990) · Railways: ; does not include industrial lines · broad gauge: 370 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)

Railways

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

Highways

total:: 28,400 km
paved:: 22,400 km
unpaved:: 6,000 km (1990)

Pipelines

natural gas 200 km

Ports

Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)

Communications

Army, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and | border troops), Civil Defense

9 fields

Fixed lines

342,000

(1991 est.)

Defense expenditures

151million soms

NA% of GDP (1995); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

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 stations - 1 Intersputnik and 1 Intelsat

males age 15-49:: 1,096,985
males fit for military service:: 890,901
males reach military age (18) annually:: 44,159 (1996 est.)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Kyrgyzstan.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/kyrgyzstan/1996.

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