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Communications

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops), Civil Defense

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

151 million soms, NA% of GDP (1995); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 1,096,985 males fit for military service: 890,901 males reach military age (18) annually: 44,159 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA; note -1 state-run radio broadcast station

Radios [time series]

825,000 (radio receiver systems with multiple speakers for program diffusion 748,000)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

poorly developed; about 100,000 unsatisfied applications for household telephones domestic: principally microwave radio relay international: 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

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

342,000 (1991 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 note: receives Turkish broadcasts

Televisions [time series]

875,000 Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

wool, tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle

Budget [time series]

revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

introduced national currency, the som (10 May 1993)

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $56 million (1993) note: commitments, 1992-95, $1,695 million ($390 million disbursements)

Economic overview [time series]

Kyrgyzstan is a small, poor, mountainous country with a predominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products and exports. Industrial exports included gold, mercury, uranium, and hydropower. Kyrgyzstan has been one of the most progressive countries of the former Soviet Union in carrying out market reforms. Following a successful stabilization program, which has lowered inflation from 88% in 1994 to 32% for 1995, attention is turning toward stimulating growth. About half of government stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production have been severe since the break up of the Soviet Union, but by mid-1995 production began to level off as exports began to increase. The level of hardship for pensioners, unemployed workers, and government workers with salaries arrears continues to be very high. Foreign assistance plays a substantial role in the country's budget. In early 1996, the economy apparently is slowly beginning to restore previous levels of output.

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 3,660,000 kW production: 12.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,500 kWh (1995 est.)

Exchange rates [time series]

soms per US$1 - 11.2 (yearend 1995), 10.6 (yearend 1994)

Exports [time series]

$380 million (1995) commodities: cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, hydropower; machinery; shoes partners: Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakstan, Turkey, Cuba, and Germany

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$480 million (of which $115 million to Russia) (1995 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $5.4 billion (1995 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Real GDP per capita (GDP per capita) [time series]

$1,140 (1995 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP real growth rate) [time series]

-6% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy; mostly for CIS consumption; government eradication program; used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe and North America from Southwest Asia

Imports [time series]

$439 million (1995) commodities: grain, lumber, industrial products, ferrous metals, fuel, machinery, textiles, footwear partners: Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakstan, China, and UK

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

-12.5% (1995)

Industries [time series]

small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

32% (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

1.836 million by occupation: agriculture and forestry 38%, industry and construction 21%, other 41% (1990)

Unemployment rate [time series]

4.8% includes officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of unregistered unemployed and underemployed workers (December 1995)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 198,500 sq km land area: 191,300 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than South Dakota

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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 natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA

Geographic coordinates [time series]

41 00 N, 75 00 E

Geography - note (Geographic note) [time series]

landlocked

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

territorial dispute with Tajikistan on southwestern boundary in Isfara Valley area

Irrigated land [time series]

10,320 sq km (1990)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 3,878 km border countries: China 858 km, Kazakstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 7% permanent crops: NEGL% meadows and pastures: 42% forest and woodland: 0% other: 51%

Location [time series]

Central Asia, west of China

Map references [time series]

Commonwealth of Independent States

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation lowest point: Kara-Daryya 132 m highest point: Jengish Chokusu 7,439 m

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

6 oblasttar (singular - oblast) and 1 city* (singular - shaar); Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty, Ysyk-Kol Oblasty (Karakol) note: names in parentheses are administrative centers when name differs from oblast name

Capital [time series]

Bishkek

Constitution [time series]

adopted 5 May 1993 note: amendment proposed by President AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 10 February 1996 significantly expands the powers of the president at the expense of the legislature

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Acting Ambassador Almas CHUKIN chancery: (temporary) Suite 706, 1511 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 347-3732

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October 1990) was elected for a five-year term by popular vote; elections last held 24 December 1995 (next to be held NA); results - Askar AKAYEV won election with 75% of vote with 86% of electorate voting; note - elections were held early which gave the two opposition candidates little time to campaign; AKAYEV may have orchestrated the "deregistration" of two other candidates, one of whom was a major rival head of government: Prime Minister Apas JUMAGULOV (since NA December 1993) was appointed by the president and reappointed February 1996 cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers was appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (202) 347-3718

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[7] (3312) 22-35-51

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

International organization participation [time series]

AsDB, CIS, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court, judges are appointed for a 10-year term by the Zhogorku Kenesh on recommendation of the president; Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration

Legal system [time series]

based on civil law system

Legislative branch (Legislative Assembly) [time series]

elections last held 5 February 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (35 total) seats by party NA; note - not all the 35 seats were filled at the 5 February elections; as a result, run-off elections were held note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995 elections

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Supreme Council (Zhogorku Kenesh) Assembly of People's Representatives: elections last held 5 February 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (70 total) seats by party NA; note - not all the 70 seats were filled at the 5 February elections; as a result, run-off elections were held at later dates; the assembly meets twice yearly

Country name (Name of country) [time series]

conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy local short form: none former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

National holiday [time series]

National Day, 2 December; Independence Day, 31 August (1991)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

National Unity Democratic Movement; Peasant Party; Council of Free Trade Unions; Union of Entrepreneurs; Agrarian Party

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Social Democratic Party (SDP); Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan (DDK), Jypar JEKSHEYEV, chairman; National Unity; Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan (PCK), Absamat MASALIYEV, chairman; Democratic Movement of Free Kyrgyzstan (ErK), Tursunbay Bakir UULU, chairman; Republican Popular Party of Kyrgyzstan; Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan; Atu Meken Party, Omurbek TEKEBAYEV; ASABA

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type of government) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Eileen A. MALLOY embassy: Erkindik Prospekt #66, Bishkek 720002 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [7] (3312) 22-29-20, 22-27-77, 22-26-31, 22-24-73

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 37% (male 847,859; female 828,889) 15-64 years: 57% (male 1,263,044; female 1,312,040) 65 years and over: 6% (male 100,524; female 177,292) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

26.02 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

8.83 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Kirghiz 52.4%, Russian 21.5%, Uzbek 12.9%, Ukrainian 2.5%, German 2.4%, other 8.3%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

77.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

Kirghiz (Kyrgyz) - official language, Russian - official language note: in March 1996, the Kyrgyz legislature amended the constitution to make Russian an official language, along with Kyrgyz, in territories and work places where Russian-speaking citizens predominate

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 63.86 years male: 59.18 years female: 68.77 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.) total population: 97% male: 99% female: 96%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Kyrgyz(s) adjective: Kyrgyz

Net migration rate [time series]

-16.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population [time series]

4,529,648 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.07% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim NA%, Russian Orthodox NA%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female all ages: 0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.22 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 54 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 3 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 9 with paved runways under 914 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 4 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 4 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 32 (1994 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 28,400 km paved: 22,400 km unpaved: 6,000 km (1990)

Pipelines [time series]

natural gas 200 km

Ports [time series]

Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)

Railways [time series]

total: 370 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 370 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)