Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyz RepublicKyrgyz Respublikasy
republicIndependence 31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Kyrgyzstan as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 99 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.
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Geography
Central Asia, west of China
18 fieldsLand useshare of 198,500 sq km
Climate
- dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan;
- subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley);
- temperate in northern foothill zone
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
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Hazardous Wastes
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1997 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 36% (male 829,888; female 812,056)
- 15-64 years:
- 58% (male 1,271,390; female 1,321,774)
- 65 years and over:
- 6% (male 101,616; female 176,085) (July 1997 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:
- 0.58 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.95 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
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
Government
Republic; President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October 1990); Prime Minister Apas JUMAGULOV (since NA December 1993)
21 fieldsCountry name
- conventional long form:
- Kyrgyz Republic
- conventional short form:
- Kyrgyzstan
- local long form:
- Kyrgyz Respublikasy
- local short form:
- none
- former:
- Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
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)
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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October 1990)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Apas JUMAGULOV (since NA December 1993)
- 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 elected 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
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 or SDP;
- Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar JEKSHEYEV, chairman];
- National Unity;
- Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan or PCK [Absamat MASALIYEV, chairman];
- Democratic Movement of Free Kyrgyzstan or ErK;
- Republican Popular Party of Kyrgyzstan;
- Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan;
- Ata Meken Party [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV];
- ASABA [Chaprashty BAZARBAY];
- Movement for the People's Salvation [Djumgalbek AMAMBAYEV];
- Ashar [Zhumagazy USUPOV]
Political pressure groups and leaders
- National Unity Democratic Movement;
- Peasant Party;
- Council of Free Trade Unions;
- Union of Entrepreneurs;
- Agrarian Party;
- Kyrgyz Committee on Human Rights [Ramazan DYRYIDAYEV]
International organization participation
AsDB, CIS, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Bakytbek ABDRISAYEV
- chancery:
- 1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 338-5141
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Eileen A. MALLOY
- embassy:
- Erkindik Prospekt #66, Bishkek 720002
- mailing address:
- use embassy street address
- telephone:
- [7] (3312) 22-26-93, 22-32-89
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
Economy
Kyrgyzstan is a small, poor, mountainous country | with a predominantly agricultural economy.
22 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(1994 est.)
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 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 lowered inflation from 88% in 1994 to 32% for 1996, 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 break up 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 salaries arrears continue to suffer. Foreign assistance plays a substantial role in the country's budget. In 1996 the economy showed strong signs that recovery was underway.
GDP
purchasing power parity - $5.8 billion (1996 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)
Industries
small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals
Agriculture - products
wool, tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle
Exports
- total value :
- $506 million (1996)
- commodities:
- cotton, wool, meat, tobacco;
- gold, mercury, uranium, hydropower;
- machinery;
- shoes
- partners:
- China, UK, FSU
Imports
- total value:
- $890 million (1996)
- commodities:
- grain, lumber, industrial products, ferrous metals, fuel, machinery, textiles, footwear
- partners:
- US, China, FSU
Economic aid
recipient: ODA, $56 million (1993) note: commitments, 1992-95, $1,695 million ($390 million disbursements)
Communications
6 fieldsTelephone 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
Transportation
8 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved only
Networkskm
Military
Army, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and | border troops), Civil Defense
7 fieldsMilitary expenditures - dollar figure
151 million soms (1995); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
territorial dispute with Tajikistan on southwestern boundary in Isfara Valley area
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 LAOS
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Kyrgyzstan.” The World Factbook 1997. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/kyrgyzstan/1997.