Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyz RepublicKyrgyz Respublikasy
republicIndependence 31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Kyrgyzstan as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 107 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
A country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan became part of the Russian empire in 1864. In the Czarist and Soviet periods, Russian managers and technicians were sent to Kyrgyzstan and have recently made up more than one-fifth of the population. Many Russians have been returning home since Kyrgyzstan gained its independence in 1991 when the USSR collapsed. Privatization of state-owned enterprises, expansion of democracy and political freedoms, and inter-ethnic relations are current issues.
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, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1999 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 35% (male 804,502; female 788,076)
- 15-64 years:
- 59% (male 1,308,145; female 1,362,140)
- 65 years and over:
- 6% (male 105,442; female 177,750) (1999 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:
- 0.59 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 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 Jumabek IBRAIMOV (since NA December 1998)
19 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 Jumabek IBRAIMOV (since NA December 1998)
- 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 reelected 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 at later dates
note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995 elections
Judicial branch
- Supreme Court, judges are appointed for 10-year terms by the Supreme Council on recommendation of the president;
- Constitutional Court;
- Higher Court of Arbitration
Political parties and leaders
- Social Democratic Party or PSD JEKSHEYEV, chairman];
- National Unity Democratic Movement or DDNE MASALIYEV, chairman];
- Kyrgyzstan Erkin Party (Democratic Movement of
Political pressure groups and leaders
- National Unity Democratic Movement;
- Council of Free Trade Unions;
- Union of Entrepreneurs;
International organization participation
AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMSIL, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Bakyt ABDRISAYEV
- chancery:
- 1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Anne M. SIGMUND
- embassy:
- 171 Prospect Mira, 720016 Bishkek
- mailing address:
- use embassy street address
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.
31 fieldsGDP--composition by sector(1996 est.)
Electricity
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 include 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 15% for 1997, 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 breakup 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 salary arrears continue to suffer. Foreign assistance played a substantial role in the country's economic turnaround in 1996-97. The government has adopted a series of measures to combat some of the severe economic problems such as excessive debt and inadequate revenue collection, encountered in 1998.
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture and forestry 40%, industry and construction 19%, other 41% (1995 est.)
Industries
small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals
Agriculture--products
tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool
Exports--commodities
- cotton, wool, meat, tobacco;
- gold, mercury, uranium, hydropower;
- machinery;
- shoes
Imports--commodities
grain, lumber, industrial products, ferrous metals, fuel, machinery, textiles, footwear
Exchange rates
soms (KGS) per US$1--30.25 (February 1999), 20.838 (1998), 17.362 (1997), 12.810 (1996), 10.822 (1995), 10.842 (1994)
Communications
6 fieldsTelephone system
poorly developed; about 100,000 unsatisfied applications for household telephones
- domestic:
- principally microwave radio relay; one cellular provider, probably only limited to Bishkek region
- 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;
- connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe Fiber-Optic Line
Television broadcast stations
NA (repeater stations throughout the country relay programs from Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey) (1997)
Transportation
8 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved only
Networkskm
Military
Army, National Guard, Security Forces | (internal and border troops), Civil Defense | note: border troops controlled by Russia
7 fieldsMilitary branches
Army, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops), Civil Defense note: border troops controlled by Russia
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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Kyrgyzstan.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/kyrgyzstan/1999.