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

• 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

total:

28.3 years (2024 est.)

male:

26.9 years

female:

29.8 years

• 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:

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.62 male(s)/female

total population:

0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

24.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male:

28.6 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

20.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

72.9 years (2024 est.)

male:

68.9 years

female:

77.2 years

total:

4.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

0.43 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

3.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

25.4% (2020 est.)

male:

48% (2020 est.)

female:

2.8% (2020 est.)

women married by age 15:

0.3%

women married by age 18:

12.9% (2018 est.)

• 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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

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

urban population:

37.8% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

2.05% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

particulate matter emissions:

37.58 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions:

9.79 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions:

4.47 megatons (2020 est.)

municipal:

220 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial:

340 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural:

7.1 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

conventional long form:

Kyrgyz Republic

conventional short form:

Kyrgyzstan

local long form:

Kyrgyz Respublikasy

local short form:

Kyrgyzstan

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 mythic 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, 2007, 2010; latest approved by referendum in April 2021 that transitioned Kyrgyzstan from a parliamentary to a presidential system, and implemented changes that allow the president to serve for two 5-year terms rather than one 6-year term, reduced the number of seats in Kyrgyzstan's legislature from 120 to 90, and established a Kurultay - a public advisory council

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

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 Sadyr JAPAROV (since 28 January 2021)

head of government:

President Sadyr JAPAROV (since 28 January 2021)

cabinet:

Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

elections/appointments:

• president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
• election last held on 10 January 2021 (next to be held in 2027)

election results:

2021: Sadyr JAPAROV elected president in first round; percent of vote - Sadyr JAPAROV (Mekenchil) 79.2%, Adakhan MADUMAROV (United Kyrgyzstan) 6.8%, other 14%;

• 2017: Sooronbay JEENBEKOV elected president;
• Sooronbay JEENBEKOV (Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan) 54.7%, Omurbek BABANOV (independent) 33.8%, Adakhan MADUMAROV (United Kyrgyzstan) 6.6%, other 4.9%

note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

description:

unicameral Supreme Council or Jogorku Kenesh (90 seats statutory, current 88; 54 seats allocated for proportional division among political party lists from the national vote and 36 seats allocated for candidates running in single-seat constituencies; members serve 5-year terms; parties must receive 5% of the vote to win seats in the Council)

elections:

last held on 28 November 2021 (next to be held in 2026)

election results:

• percent of vote by party - AJK 17.3%, Ishenim 15%, Yntymak 12.1%, Alyans 9.2%, Butun Kyrgyzstan 7.8%, Yiman Nuru 6.8%, other 30%;
• seats by party - AJK 15, Ishenim 12, Yntymak 9, Alyns 7, Butun Kyrgyzstan 6, Yiman Nuru 5, other 36;
• composition - men 70, women 19, percentage women 21.1%

highest court(s):

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

• Afghan's Party
• Alliance
• Ata-Jurt Kyrgyzstan (Fatherland) or AJK
• Cohesion
• Ishenim (Trust)
• Light of Faith
• Mekenchil or the "Patriotic" Political Party
• Social Democrats or SDK
• United Kyrgyzstan
• Yntymak (Unity)

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); (since 26 October 2024)

chancery:

2360 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 449-9822

FAX:

[1] (202) 449-8275

email address and website:

[email protected]; Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in the USA and Canada (mfa.gov.kg)

chief of mission:

Ambassador Lesslie VIGUERIE (since 29 December 2022)

embassy:

171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016

mailing address:

7040 Bishkek Place, Washington DC 20521-7040

telephone:

[996] (312) 597-000

FAX:

[996] (312) 597-744

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://kg.usembassy.gov/

• 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

total World Heritage Sites:

3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

• Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain (c);
• Silk Roads: the Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor (c);
• Western Tien Shan (n)

• landlocked, lower-middle-income Central Asian economy;
• natural resource rich;
• growing hydroelectricity and tourism;
• high remittances;
• corruption limits investment;
• COVID-19 and political turmoil hurt GDP, limited public revenues, and increased spending

agriculture:

9.7% (2023 est.)

industry:

22.6% (2023 est.)

services:

50.8% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

total:

8.2% (2023 est.)

male:

7.6% (2023 est.)

female:

9.2% (2023 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

lowest 10%:

4.1% (2021 est.)

highest 10%:

24.2% (2021 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

production:

3.637 million metric tons (2022 est.)

consumption:

3.352 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports:

1.321 million metric tons (2022 est.)

imports:

738,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves:

28.499 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

total petroleum production:

6,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption:

31,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves:

40 million barrels (2021 est.)

production:

31.026 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

consumption:

438 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports:

406.974 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves:

5.663 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

general assessment:

• the country’s telecom sector (specifically the mobile segment) has been able to prosper;
• Kyrgyzstan has opened up its telecom market to competition;
• the mobile market has achieved high levels of penetration (140% in 2021) along with a fairly competitive operating environment with four major players;
• mobile broadband has come along strongly, reaching over 125% penetration in 2019 before falling back slightly during the COVID-19 crisis;
• slow-to-moderate growth is expected for both segments in coming years, supported by the anticipated rollout of 5G services which began testing in 2022 with a pilot service in 2023 which has been delayed into 2024 (2024)

domestic:

fixed-line subscriptions 5 per 100; mobile-cellular subscribership up to over 130 per 100 persons (2022)

international:

• country code - 996;
• connections with other CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States, 9 members post-Soviet Republics in EU) 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) (2019)

• state-funded public TV broadcaster NTRK has nationwide coverage;
• also operates Ala-Too 24 news channel which broadcasts 24/7 and 4 other educational, cultural, and sports channels;
• ELTR is a state-owned TV station 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 Kyrgyz-language content up to 60% of airtime, as required by law, instead of rebroadcasting primarily programs from Russian channels or airing unlicensed movies and music;
• several Russian TV stations also broadcast;
• state-funded radio stations and about 10 significant private radio stations also exist (2023)

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 (2022)

broad gauge:

424 km (2018) 1.520-m gauge

total:

34,000 km (2022)

paved:

22,600 km (2020)

unpaved:

7,700 km (2020)

Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic:

• Land Forces, Air Defense Forces, National Guard;
• Internal Troops;
• State Committee for National Security (GKNB): State Border Service (2024)

• the Kyrgyz military inventory is comprised almost entirely of Russian and Soviet-era weapons and equipment;
• in recent years, the military has acquired small amounts of material from other suppliers such as Turkey, which provided unmanned aerial vehicles/drones (2024)

• 18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary service for men in the Armed Forces or Interior Ministry;
• 12-month 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 (2023)