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. Nationwide demonstrations in the spring of 2005 resulted in the ouster of President Askar AKAYEV, who had run the country since 1990. Subsequent presidential elections in July 2005 were won overwhelmingly by former prime minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV. The political opposition organized demonstrations in Bishkek in April, May, and November 2006 resulting in the adoption of a new constitution that transferred some of the president's powers to parliament and the government. In December 2006, the Kyrgyz parliament voted to adopt new amendments, restoring some of the presidential powers lost in the November 2006 constitutional change. Current concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises, expansion of democracy and political freedoms, reduction of corruption, improving interethnic relations, and combating terrorism.
Location
Central Asia, west of China
Geographic coordinates
41 00 N, 75 00 E
Map references
Asia
Area
total
198,500 sq km
land
191,300 sq km
water
7,200 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than South Dakota
Land boundaries
total
3,878 km
border countries
China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Climate
dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone
Terrain
peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m
highest point
Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m
Natural resources
Land use
arable land
6.55%
permanent crops
0.28%
other
93.17%
note
Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut forest (2005)
Irrigated land
10,720 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards
NA
Environment - current issues
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
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Independence
31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday
Independence Day, 31 August (1991)
Constitution
adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by President Askar AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 2 February 2003 significantly expanded the powers of the president at the expense of the legislature; during large-scale demonstrations in November 2006, President BAKIYEV and the opposition negotiated a new constitution granting greater powers to the parliament and the government; amendments added on 30 December 2006 redistributed some power back to the president
Legal system
based on French and Russian laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
President Kurmanbek BAKIYEV (since 14 August 2005)
head of government
Prime Minister Almaz ATAMBAYEV (since 30 March 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar USENOV (since 10 May 2006)
cabinet
Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister; note - following legislative elections under the constitution, the legislature will propose and the president appoint the prime minister, and the prime minister will propose and the president appoint members of the Cabinet, except for ministers in charge of defense and security, who will be appointed solely by the president
elections
Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 10 July 2005 (next scheduled for 2010); prime minister nominated by the president for approval by Parliament; note - the constitution calls for the legislature to propose and the president to appoint the prime minister after legislative elections, currently scheduled for 2010
election results
Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected president; percent of vote - Kurmanbek BAKIYEV 88.6%, Tursunbai BAKIR-UULU 3.9%, other candidates 7.5%; Almaz ATAMBAYEV approved as prime minister 48-3
Legislative branch
unicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku Kenesh (75 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - the December 2006 constitution calls for 90 seats
elections: elections for the new unicameral body or Jorgorku Kenesh were held 27 February 2005, but the vast majority of positions remained undecided and were contested in a runoff election on 13 March 2005; election irregularities caused widespread protests that resulted in the president being forced to flee the country
election results: Supreme Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
Judicial branch
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (judges of both the Supreme and Constitutional Courts are appointed for 10-year terms by the Jorgorku Kenesh on the recommendation of the president; their age limit is 70 years); Higher Court of Arbitration; Local Courts (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council on Legal Affairs for a probationary period of five years, then 10 years)
Political parties and leaders
Ar-Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIYEV]; Asaba (Banner National Revival Party) [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV, Roza OTUNBAYEVA]; Ata-Meken (Fatherland) [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Viktor TCHETRNOMORETS]; Erkindik (Freedom) Party [Topchubek TURGUNALIYEV]; Moya Strana (My Country Party of Action) [Medet SADYRKULOV]; Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Ishak MASALIYEV]; Party of Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV]; Party of Peasants [Esengul ISAKOV]; Republican Party of Labor and Unity [Tabaldy OROZALIYEV]; Sanjira (Tree of Life) [Ednan KARABAYEV]; Social Democratic Party [Almaz ATAMBAYEV]; Sodruzhestvo (Cooperation) [Vladimir NIFADYEV, Samat BORUBAYEV]; Union of Democratic Forces [Kubatbek BAIBOLOV]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Adilet Legal Clinic [Cholpon JAKUPOVA]; Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society; For Reforms [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV, Almazbek ATAMBAYEV]; Interbilim [Asiya SASYKBAYEVA]
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
Economy - overview
Kyrgyzstan is a poor, mountainous country with a predominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton are exported in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, and electricity. Following independence Kyrgyzstan was progressive in carrying out market reforms, such as an improved regulatory system and land reform, but political instability during 2005-06 has undercut the investment climate. Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. Much of the government's stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had been severe after the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but by mid-1995, production began to recover and exports began to increase. The economy is heavily weighted toward gold export and a drop in output at the main Kumtor gold mine sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002, but GDP growth bounced back the following year. In 2005 Kyrgyzstan again experienced a decline in GDP, this time 0.6%. The government has made steady strides in controlling its substantial fiscal deficit, nearly closing the gap between revenues and expenditures in 2006. The government and international financial institutions have been engaged in a comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth strategy; in 2005 Bishkek agreed to pursue much-needed tax reform and in 2006 became eligible for the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative. Progress fighting corruption, further restructuring of domestic industry, and success in attracting foreign investment are keys to future growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$10.73 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$2.255 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
2.7% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$2,100 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
34.5%
industry
19.5%
services
46.1% (2006 est.)
Labor force
2.7 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
55%
industry
15%
services
30% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate
18% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line
40% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
3.9%
highest 10%
23.3% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
29 (2001)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
6.4% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
15.5% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$498.3 million
expenditures
$544.8 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products
Industries
small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals
UAE 35.8%, Russia 20.2%, Kazakhstan 13.1%, China 11.8% (2006)
Imports
$1.177 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners
China 56.8%, Russia 15.1%, Kazakhstan 8.1% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$621.2 million (2006 est.)
Debt - external
$2.483 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$50 million from the US (2001)
Currency (code)
som (KGS)
Currency code
KGS
Exchange rates
soms per US dollar - 40.149 (2006), 41.012 (2005), 42.65 (2004), 43.648 (2003), 46.937 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
438,200 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
541,700 (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
telecommunications infrastructure is growing; fixed line penetration remains low and concentrated in urban areas
domestic
4 mobile cellular service providers with growing coverage
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, 1 Intelsat; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line (2006)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 3 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 20, shortwave NA (2006)
Radios
520,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations
7 (1 countrywide and 6 regional stations) (2006)
Televisions
210,000 (1997)
Internet country code
.kg
Internet hosts
18,928 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
NA
Internet users
280,000 (2005)
Airports
37 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
18
over 3,047 m
1
2,438 to 3,047 m
3
1,524 to 2,437 m
11
under 914 m
3 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
19
1,524 to 2,437 m
2
914 to 1,523 m
1
under 914 m
16 (2006)
Pipelines
gas 254 km; oil 16 km (2006)
Railways
total
470 km
broad gauge
470 km 1.520-m gauge (2005)
Roadways
total
18,500 km
paved
16,854 km
unpaved
1,646 km (1999)
Waterways
600 km (2007)
Ports and terminals
Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)
Military branches
Army, Air Force, National Guard (2005)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49
1,193,529
females age 18-49
1,219,080 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49
871,493
females age 18-49
1,024,568 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49
61,091
females age 18-49
59,784 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
1.4% (2005 est.)
Disputes - international
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 around enclaves and other areas
Illicit drugs
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
