Kyrgyzstan

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

• abundant hydropower;
• gold, rare earth metals;
• locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas;
• other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

agricultural land:

55.4%;

• arable land 6.7%;
• permanent crops 0.4%;
• permanent pasture 48.3%

forest:

5.1%

other:

39.5% (2011 est.)

• the vast majority of Kyrgyzstanis live in rural areas;
• densest population settlement is to the north in and around Bishkek, followed by Osh in the west;
• the least densely populated area is the east, southeast in the Tien Shan mountains

• 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, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

• landlocked;
• entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range;
• 94% of the country is 1,000 m above sea level with an average elevation of 2,750 m;
• many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

noun:

Kyrgyzstani(s)

adjective:

Kyrgyzstani

• the vast majority of Kyrgyzstanis live in rural areas;
• densest population settlement is to the north in and around Bishkek, followed by Osh in the west;
• the least densely populated area is the east, southeast in the Tien Shan mountains

at birth:

1.07 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years:

1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years:

0.96 male(s)/female

55-64 years:

0.77 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.62 male(s)/female

total population:

0.96 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

total number:

563,920

percentage:

40.3%

note: data represent children ages 5-17 (2007 est.)

conventional long form:

Kyrgyz Republic

conventional short form:

Kyrgyzstan

local long form:

Kyrgyz Respublikasy

local short form:

Kyrgyzstan

former:

Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

etymology:

• a combination of the Turkic words "kyrg" (forty) and "-yz" (tribes) with the Persian suffix "-stan" (country) creating the meaning "Land of the forty tribes";
• the name refers to the forty clans united by the legendary Kyrgyz hero, MANAS

name:

Bishkek

geographic coordinates:

42 52 N, 74 36 E

time difference:

UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

• 7 provinces (oblustar, singular - oblus) and 2 cities* (shaarlar, singular - shaar);
• Batken Oblusu, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblusu (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad Oblusu, Naryn Oblusu, Osh Oblusu, Osh Shaary*, Talas Oblusu, Ysyk-Kol Oblusu (Karakol)

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

• previous 1993;
• latest adopted 27 June 2010, effective 2 July 2010;
• note - the current constitution prohibits any change until 2020 (2016)

citizenship by birth:

no

citizenship by descent only:

at least one parent must be a citizen of Kyrgyzstan

dual citizenship recognized:

yes, but only if a mutual treaty on dual citizenship is in force

residency requirement for naturalization:

5 years

chief of state:

President Almazbek ATAMBAEV (since 1 December 2011)

head of government:

Prime Minister Sooronbay JEENBEKOV (since 13 April 2016)

cabinet:

Cabinet of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president; defense and security committee chairs appointed by the president

elections/appointments:

• president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 6-year term;
• election last held on 30 October 2011 (next to be held in 2017);
• prime minister nominated by the majority party or majority coalition in the Supreme Council, appointed by the president

election results:

• Almazbek ATAMBAEV elected president;
• percent of vote - Almazbek ATAMBAEV (SDPK) 63.2%, Adakhan MADUMAROV (All Kyrgyzstan) 14.7%, Kamchybek TASHIEV (Homeland) 14.3%, other 7.8%;
• Sooronbay JEENBEKOV elected prime minister;
• Supreme Council vote - 115 to 0

description:

unicameral Supreme Council or Jogorku Kengesh (120 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)

elections:

last held on 4 October 2015 (next to be held in 2020)

election results:

• Supreme Council - percent of vote by party - SDPK 27.4%, Respublika-Ata-Jurt 20.1%, Kyrgyzstan Party 12.9%, Onuguu-Progress 9.3%, Bir Bol 8.5%, Ata-Meken 7.8%, other 14%;
• seats by party - SDPK 38, Respublika-Ata-Jurt 28, Kyrgyzstan Party 18, Onuguu-Progress 13, Bir Bol 12, Ata-Meken 11

highest court(s):

Supreme Court (consists of 25 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)

judge selection and term of office:

• Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president;
• Supreme Court judges serve for 10 years, Constitutional Court judges serve for 15 years;
• mandatory retirement at age 70 for judges of both courts

subordinate courts:

Higher Court of Arbitration; oblast (provincial) and city courts

• Ata-Jurt-Respublika (Homeland-Republic) [Omurbek BABANOV, Kamchybek TASHIEV]
• Ata-Meken (Fatherland) [Omurbek TEKEBAEV]
• Bir Bol (Stay United) [Altynbek SULAIMANOV]
• Kyrgyzstan Party [Kanatbek ISAEV, Kanybek IMANALIEV]
• Onuguu-Progress [Bakyt TOROBAEV]
• Social-Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan or SDPK [Almazbek ATAMBAEV]

• Adilet (Justice) Legal Clinic [Cholpon JAKUPOVA]
• Citizens Against Corruption [Tolekan ISMAILOVA]
• Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society [Dinara OSHURAKHUNOVA]
• Kylym Shamy (Torch of the Century) [Aziza ABDIRASULOVA]
• Precedent Partnership Group [Nurbek TOKTAKUNOV]
• Societal Analysis Public Association [Rita KARASARTOVA]
• Union of True Muslims [Nurlan MOTUEV]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Kadyr TOKTOGULOV (since 23 February 2015)

chancery:

2360 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 449-9822-23

FAX:

[1] (202) 386-7550

consulate(s):

New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador Sheila GWALTNEY (14 October 2015)

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 a "tunduk" - the crown of a traditional Kyrgyz yurt;
• red symbolizes bravery and valor, the sun evinces peace and wealth

name:

"Kyrgyz Respublikasynyn Mamlekettik Gimni" (National Anthem of the Kyrgyz Republic)

lyrics/music:

Djamil SADYKOV and Eshmambet KULUEV/Nasyr DAVLESOV and Kalyi MOLDOBASANOV

note: adopted 1992

agriculture:

48%

industry:

12.5%

services:

39.5% (2005 est.)

lowest 10%:

2.8%

highest 10%:

27.8% (2009 est.)

• gold, cotton, wool, garments, meat;
• mercury, uranium, electricity;
• machinery;
• shoes

general assessment:

• telecommunications infrastructure is being upgraded;
• loans from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) are being used to install a digital network, digital radio-relay stations, and fiber-optic links

domestic:

• fixed-line penetration remains low and concentrated in urban areas;
• multiple mobile-cellular service providers with growing coverage;
• mobile-cellular subscribership up to about 130 per 100 persons in 2015

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 - 2 (1 Intersputnik, 1 Intelsat);
• connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line (2015)

• state-run TV broadcaster operates 2 nationwide networks and 6 regional stations;
• roughly 20 private TV stations operating with most rebroadcasting other channels;
• state-run radio broadcaster operates 2 networks;
• about 20 private radio stations (2007)

number of registered air carriers:

3; inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 10

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:

625,294

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:

69,290 mt-km (2015)

total:

470 km

broad gauge:

470 km 1.520-m gauge (2014)

country comparison to the world: 116

• 18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary male military service in the Armed Forces or Interior Ministry;
• 1-year service obligation, with optional fee-based 3-year service in the callup mobilization reserve;
• women may volunteer at age 19;
• 16-17 years of age for military cadets, who cannot take part in military operations (2013)

• Kyrgyzstan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary delimitation with Kazakhstan;
• disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with Tajikistan;
• delimitation of 130 km of border with Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes over enclaves and other areas

stateless persons:

• 9,118 (2015);
• note - most stateless people were born in Kyrgyzstan, have lived there many years, or married Kyrgyz citizens;
• in 2009, Kyrgyzstan adopted a national action plan to speed up the exchange of old Soviet passports for Kyrgyz ones;
• stateless people are unable to register marriages and births, to travel within the country or abroad, to own property, or to receive social benefits

• 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;
• major consumer of opiates