Kyrgyzstan

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. Current concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises, expansion of democracy and political freedoms, inter-ethnic relations, and terrorism.

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

• 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

• 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

party to:

Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

0-14 years:

36% (male 843,038; female 825,519)

15-64 years:

58% (male 1,337,268; female 1,393,397)

65 years and over:

6% (male 107,405; female 178,603) (2000 est.)

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:

0.6 male(s)/female

total population:

0.95 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

noun:

Kyrgyzstani(s)

adjective:

Kyrgyzstani

conventional long form:

Kyrgyz Republic

conventional short form:

Kyrgyzstan

local long form:

Kyrgyz Respublikasy

local short form:

none

former:

Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

• 6 oblastlar (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)

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 November or December 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

• Supreme Court, judges are appointed for 10-year terms by the Supreme Council on recommendation of the president;
• Constitutional Court;
• Higher Court of Arbitration

• Agrarian Party [leader NA];
• Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan [A. ALIYEV];
• Banner National Revival Party or ASABA [Chaprashty BAZARBAY];
• Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan or PKK [Absamat MASALIYEV, chairman];
• Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar JEKSHEYEV, chairman];
• Dignity Party [Feliks KULOV];
• Fatherland or Alta Mekel Party [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV];
• Justice Party [Chingiz AYTMATOV];
• Kyrgyzstan Erkin Party (Democratic Movement of Free Kyrgyzstan) or ErK [Tursunbay Bakir UULU];
• Movement for the People's Salvation [Djumgalbek AMAMBAYEV];
• Mutual Help Movement or Ashar [Zhumagazy USUPOV];
• National Unity Democratic Movement or DDNE [Yury RAZGULYAYEV];
• Peasant Party [leader NA];
• Republican Popular Party of Kyrgyzstan [J. SHARSHENALIYEV];
• Social Democratic Party or PSD [J. IBRAMOV]

• Council of Free Trade Unions;
• Kyrgyz Committee on Human Rights [Ramazan DYRYIDAYEV];
• National Unity Democratic Movement;
• Union of Entrepreneurs

chief of mission:

Ambassador Bakyt ABDRISAYEV

chancery:

1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone:

[1] (202) 338-5141

FAX:

[1] (202) 338-5139

chief of mission:

Ambassador Anne M. SIGMUND

embassy:

171 Prospect Mira, 720016 Bishkek

mailing address:

use embassy street address

telephone:

[996] (3312) 22-29-20, 22-27-77

FAX:

[996] (3312) 22-35-51

• 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

lowest 10%:

2.7%

highest 10%:

26.2% (1993)

• cotton, wool, meat, tobacco;
• gold, mercury, uranium, hydropower;
• machinery;
• shoes

total:

370 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines

broad gauge:

370 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)

total:

18,500 km

paved:

16,854 km (including 140 km of expressways)

unpaved:

1,646 km (1996 est.)

• 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 [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]