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

• the vast majority of Kyrgyzstanis live in rural areas;
• densest population settlement is to the north in and around the capital, 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;
• air pollution due to rapid increase of traffic

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 the capital, 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:

0.97 male(s)/female

55-64 years:

0.78 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.62 male(s)/female

total population:

0.96 male(s)/female (2020 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 40 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)

etymology:

founded in 1868 as a Russian settlement on the site of a previously destroyed fortress named "Pishpek"; the name was retained and overtime became "Bishkek"

• 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)

history:

• previous 1993;
• latest adopted by referendum 27 June 2010, effective 2 July 2010;
• note - constitutional amendments that bolstered some presidential powers and transferred others from the president to the prime minister passed in a referendum in December 2016, effective December 2017

amendments:

• proposed as a draft law by the majority of the Supreme Council membership or by petition of 300,000 voters;
• passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Council membership in each of at least three readings of the draft two months apart;
• the draft may be submitted to a referendum if approved by two thirds of the Council membership;
• adoption requires the signature of the president;
• amended 2017

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:

• Acting President Talant MAMYTOV (since 14 November 2020);
• President Sooronbay JEENBEKOV resigned on 16 October 2020 following massive protests brought on by disputed legislative election results of 4 October 2020

head of government:

• Acting Prime Minister Artem NOVIKOV (since 14 November 2020);
• note - Prime Minister Kubatbek BORONOV resigned on 9 October 2020 following massive protests brought on by disputed legislative election results of 4 October 2020

cabinet:

• Cabinet of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president upon approval by the Supreme Council;
• 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 15 October 2017 (next to be held 10 January 2021);
• prime minister nominated by the majority party or majority coalition in the Supreme Council, appointed by the president upon approval by the Supreme Council

election results:

• Sooronbay JEENBEKOV elected president in first round;
• percent of vote - Sooronbay JEENBEKOV (SDPK) 54.2%, Omurbek BABANOV (Respublika) 33.5%, Adakhan MADUMAROV (Butun Kyrgyzstan) 6.6%, Temir SARIYEV (Akshumar) 2.5%, other 3.2%;
• note - JEENBEKOV resigned as president on 16 October 2020;
• BORONOV resigned as prime minister on 9 October 2020

highest courts:

Supreme Court (consists of 25 judges); Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (consists of the chairperson, deputy chairperson, and 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-Meken (Fatherland) [Almambet SHYKMAMATOV]
• Bir Bol (Stay United) [Altynbek SULAYMANOV]
• Kyrgyzstan Party [Almazbek BAATYRBEKOV]
• Onuguu-Progress (Development-Progress) [Bakyt TOROBAEV]
• Respublika-Ata-Jurt (Republic-Homeland) [Jyrgalbek TURUSKULOV] (parliamentary faction)
• Social-Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan or SDPK [Almazbek ATAMBAEV, Isa OMURKULOV]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Bolot I. OTUNBAEV (since 8 April 2018)

chancery:

2360 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 449-9822

FAX:

[1] (202) 449-8275

honorary consulate(s):

Maple Valley (WA)

chief of mission:

Ambassador Donald LU (since 18 September 2018)

telephone:

[996] (312) 597-000

embassy:

171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016

mailing address:

use embassy street address

FAX:

[996] (312) 597-744

• 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%:

4.4%

highest 10%:

22.9% (2014 est.)

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

• state-funded public TV broadcaster KTRK has nationwide coverage;
• also operates Ala-Too 24 news channel which broadcasts 24/7 and 4 other educational, cultural, and sports channels;
• ELTR and Channel 5 are state-owned stations with national reach;
• the switchover to digital TV in 2017 resulted in private TV station growth;
• approximately 20 stations are struggling to increase their own content up to 50% of airtime, as required by law, instead of rebroadcasting primarily programs from Russian channels or airing unlicensed movies and music;
• 3 Russian TV stations also broadcast;
• state-funded radio stations and about 10 significant private radio stations also exist (2019)

number of registered air carriers:

5 (2020); inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 17

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:

709,198 (2018)

total:

424 km (2018)

broad gauge:

424 km 1.520-m gauge (2018)

Kyrgyz Armed Forces:

• Land Forces, Air Defense Forces, National Guard;
• State Border Service;
• Internal Troops (2019)

• the Kyrgyz Armed Forces' inventory is comprised of older Russian and Soviet-era equipment;
• outside of a small delivery by China in 2019, Russia continues to be the only supplier of weapons systems to Kyrgyzstan (2020)

• 18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary male military service in the Armed Forces or Interior Ministry;
• 1-year service obligation (9 months for university graduates), with optional fee-based 3-year service in the call-up mobilization reserve;
• women may volunteer at age 19;
• 16-17 years of age for military cadets, who cannot take part in military operations (2016)

• disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with Tajikistan;
• delimitation of approximately 15% or 200 km of border with Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes over enclaves and other areas

• 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