1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 198,500 km2 land area: 191,300 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than South Dakota
Climate
dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in south (Fergana Valley)
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Environment
NA
International disputes
territorial dispute with Tajikistan on southern boundary in Isfara Valley area
Irrigated land
10,320 km2 (1990)
Land boundaries
total 3,878 km, China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km
Land use
arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% meadows and pastures: NA% forest and woodland: NA% other: NA%
Location
South Asia, between China and Kazakhstan
Map references
Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States - Central Asian States, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
none; landlocked
Natural resources
small amounts of coal, natural gas, oil, nepheline, rare earth metals, mercury, bismuth, gold, lead, zinc, hydroelectric power
Note
landlocked
Terrain
peaks of Tien Shan rise to 7,000 meters, and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation
People and Society
Birth rate
26.69 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
7.45 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Kirghiz 52.4%, Russian 21.5%, Uzbek 12.9%, Ukrainian 2.5%, German 2.4%, other 8.3%
Infant mortality rate
47.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
1.748 million by occupation: agriculture and forestry 33%, industry and construction 28%, other 39% (1990)
Languages
Kirghiz (Kyrgyz) - official language, Russian
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 67.71 years male: 63.47 years female: 72.15 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 9-49 can read and write (1970) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%
Nationality
noun: Kirghiz(s) adjective: Kirghiz
Net migration rate
-3.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
4,625,954 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
1.56% (1993 est.)
Religions
Muslim 70%, Russian Orthodox NA%
Total fertility rate
3.39 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
6 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast'); Chu, Jalal-Abad, Ysyk-Kul', Naryn, Osh, Talas
Capital
Bishkek (Frunze)
Chief of State
President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October 1990); Vice President Feliks KULOV (since 12 October 1992)
Constitution
adopted 5 May 1993
Digraph
KG
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Roza OTUNBAYEVA chancery: 1511 K Street, NW, Washington, DC telephone: (202) 347-5029
Executive branch
president, Cabinet of Ministers, prime minister
FAX
7-3312 22-35-51
Flag
red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40 Krygyz 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
Head of Government
Prime Minister Tursenbek CHYNGYSHEV (since 2 March 1992); Deputy Prime Minister Abdygani ERKEBAYEV; Supreme Soviet Chairman Medetkan SHERIMKULOV (since NA)
Independence
31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Legal system
based on civil law system
Legislative branch
unicameral Zhogorku Keneshom
Member of
CIS, CSCE, EBRD, ECO, ESCAP, IBRD, IDA, ILO, IMF, NACC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
Names
conventional long form: Republic of Kyrgyzstan conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan local long form: Kyrgyzstan Respublikasy local short form: none former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
National holiday
National Day, 2 December
Other political or pressure groups
National Unity Democratic Movement; Peasant Party; Council of Free Trade Unions; Union of Entrepreneurs
Political parties and leaders
Kyrgyz Democratic Movement, Kazat AKMAKOV, chairman; Civic Accord, Coalition representing nonnative minority groups; National Revived Asaba (Banner) Party, Asan ORMUSHEV, chairman; Communist Party was banned but has registered as political party 18 September 1992
President
last held 12 October 1991 (next to be held NA 1996); results - Askar AKAYEV won in uncontested election with 95% of vote with 90% of electorate voting; note - president elected by Supreme Soviet 28 October 1990, then by popular vote 12 October 1991
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
republic
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador Edward HURWITZ embassy: (temporary) Erkindik Prospekt #66, Bishkek mailing address: APO AE 09721 telephone: 7-3312 22-26-93, 22-35-51, 22-29-20
Zhogorku Keneshom
last held 25 February 1990 for the Supreme Soviet (next to be held no later than NA November 1994 for the Zhgorku Keneshom); results - Commnunists 90%; seats - (350 total) Communists 310
Economy
Agriculture
wool, tobacco, cotton, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle), vegetables, meat, grapes, fruits and berries, eggs, milk, potatoes
Budget
revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Currency
introduced national currency, the som (10 May 1993)
Economic aid
$300 million official and commitments by foreign donors (1992)
Electricity
4,100,000 kW capacity; 11,800 million kWh produced, 2,551 kWh per capita (1992)
Exchange rates
rubles per US$1 - 415 (24 December 1992) but subject to wide fluctuations
Exports
$NA commodities: wool, chemicals, cotton, ferrous and nonferrous metals, shoes, machinery, tobacco partners: Russia 70%, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and others
External debt
$650 million (1991)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Illicit drugs
illicit producer of cannabis and opium; mostly for CIS consumption; limited government eradication program; used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europel
Imports
$NA commodities: lumber, industrial products, ferrous metals, fuel, machinery, textiles, footwear partners: other CIS republics
Industrial production
growth rate NA% (1992)
Industries
small machinery, textiles, food-processing industries, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, and rare earth metals
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
29% per month (first quarter 1993)
National product
GDP $NA
National product per capita
$NA
National product real growth rate
-25% (1992 est.)
Overview
Kyrgyzstan's small economy (less than 1% of the total for the former Soviet Union) is oriented toward agriculture, producing mainly livestock such as goats and sheep, as well as cotton, grain, and tobacco. Industry, concentrated around Bishkek, produces small quantities of electric motors, livestock feeding equipment, washing machines, furniture, cement, paper, and bricks. Mineral extraction is small, the most important minerals being coal, rare earth metals and gold. Kyrgyzstan is a net importer of many types of food and fuel but is a net exporter of electricity. In 1992, the Kirghiz leadership made progress on reform, primarily by privatizing business, granting life-long tenure to farmers, and freeing most prices. Nonetheless, in 1992 overall industrial and livestock output declined because of acute fuel shortages and a widespread lack of spare parts.
Unemployment rate
0.1% includes officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of underemployed workers
Communications
Airports
total: 52 useable: 27 with permanent-surface runways: 12 with runways over 3,659 m: 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 13
Highways
30,300 km total; 22,600 km paved or graveled, 7,700 km earth(1990)
Pipelines
natural gas 200 km
Ports
none; landlocked
Railroads
370 km; does not include industrial lines (1990)
Telecommunications
poorly developed; 56 telephones per 1000 persons (December 1990); connections with other CIS countries by landline or microwave and with other countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway switch; satellite earth stations - Orbita and INTELSAT (TV receive only); new intelsat earth station provide TV receive-only capability for Turkish broadcasts
Military and Security
Branches
National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops), Civil Defense
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA% of GDP
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 1,093,694; fit for military service 890,961 (1993 est.)