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, interethnic relations, and combating 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:

Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

• landlocked;
• entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range;
• many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

0-14 years:

32.3% (male 835,599; female 804,384)

15-64 years:

61.6% (male 1,535,447; female 1,594,972)

65 years and over:

6.1% (male 120,555; female 190,472) (2004 est.)

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.63 male(s)/female

total population:

0.96 male(s)/female (2004 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

• 7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city* (shaar);
• Batken Oblasty, 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 Nikolay TANAYEV (since 22 May 2002);
• note - Prime Minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV resigned on 22 May 2002 when five demonstrators were killed in a clash with police in March of 2002;
• First Deputy Prime Minister Kubanychbek JUMALIYEV (since 19 March 2004)

cabinet:

Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections:

• president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
• elections last held 29 October 2000 (next to be 30 October 2005);
• prime minister appointed by the president;
• note - President AKAYEV has publicly stated that he will not seek reelection when his current term expires in 2005

election results:

• Askar AKAYEV reelected president;
• percent of vote - Askar AKAYEV 74%, Omurbek TEKEBAYEV 14%, other candidates 12%;
• note - election marred by serious irregularities

• bicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku 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);
• note - in accordance with a 2003 referendum, the Parliament is slated to become unicameral with 75 deputies after the 27 February 2005 elections

elections:

• Assembly of People's Representatives - last held 20 February and 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA February 2005);
• Legislative Assembly - last held 20 February and 12 March 2000;
• elections for the new unicameral body or Jorgorku Kenesh are to be held 27 February 2005)

election results:

• Assembly of People's Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%;
• seats by party - NA;
• and Legislative Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%;
• seats by party - NA;
• note - total seats by party in the Supreme Council were as follows: Union of Democratic Forces 12, Communists 6, My Country Party of Action 4, independents 73, other 10

note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995 elections; the 2000 election results include both the Assembly of People's Representatives and the Legislative Assembly

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

• Adilet (Justice) Party [Toychubek KASYMOV];
• Agrarian Labor Party of Kyrgyzstan [Uson SYDYKOV];
• Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan [Erkin ALIYEV];
• Alga, Kyrgyzstan (Forward, Kyrgyzstan) [Bolot BEGALIYEV];
• Ar-Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIYEV];
• Asaba (Banner National Revival Party) [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV];
• Ata-Meken (Fatherland) [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV];
• Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan [Klara ADZHIBEKOVA];
• Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar JEKSHEYEV];
• Erkin Kyrgyzstan Progressive and Democratic Party [Bektur ASANOV];
• Erkindik (Freedom) Party [Topchubek TURGUNALIYEV];
• Future of Kyrgyzstan [Balbak TULEBAYEV];
• Jany Kyrgyzstan (New Kyrgyzstan) [Dosbol NUR UULU];
• Kairan El [Dooronbek SADYKOV];
• Kyrgyz National Party [Bakyt BESHIMOV];
• Kyrgyzstan Kelechegi [Ruslan CHYNYBAYEV];
• Manas El (Party of Spiritual Restoration) [Chingiz AITMATOV];
• Moya Strana (My Country Party of Action) [Joomart OTORBAYEV];
• Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Bakytbek BEKBOYEV];
• Party of Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV];
• Party of Peasants [Esengul ISAKOV]

• Council of Free Trade Unions;
• Kyrgyz Committee on Human Rights [Ramazan DYRYLDAYEV];
• 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

consulate(s):

New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador Stephen M. YOUNG

embassy:

171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016

mailing address:

use embassy street address

telephone:

[996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217

FAX:

[996] (312) 551-264

• red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40 Kyrgyz 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 Kyrgyz yurt

lowest 10%:

3.2%

highest 10%:

27.7% (1999)

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

general assessment:

poorly developed; about 100,000 unsatisfied applications for household telephones

domestic:

principally microwave radio relay; one cellular provider, probably limited to Bishkek region

international:

• country code - 996;
• 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 (TAE) fiber-optic line

total:

470 km

broad gauge:

470 km 1.520-m gauge (2003)

total:

18,500 km

paved:

16,854 km (including 140 km of expressways)

unpaved:

1,646 km (1999 est.)

• boundary with China is fully demarcated;
• delimitation with Kazakhstan is largely complete with only minor disputed areas;
• disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with Tajikistan;
• delimitation is underway with Uzbekistan but serious disputes around enclaves and elsewhere continue to mar progress for some 130 km of border

• limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy for CIS markets;
• limited government eradication of illicit crops;
• transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of Europe