1996 Edition

Description

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

Location

41 00 N, 75 00 E -- Central Asia, west of China Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly smaller than South Dakota

land area

191,300 sq km

total area

198,500 sq km

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

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

international agreements

NA

natural hazards

NA

Geographic coordinates

41 00 N, 75 00 E

Geographic note

landlocked

International disputes

territorial dispute with Tajikistan on southwestern boundary in Isfara Valley area

Irrigated land

10,320 sq km (1990)

Land boundaries

border countries

China 858 km, Kazakstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

total

3,878 km

Land use

arable land

7%

forest and woodland

0%

meadows and pastures

42%

other

51%

permanent crops

NEGL%

Location

Central Asia, west of China

Map references

Commonwealth of Independent States

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural resources

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

peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation

highest point

Jengish Chokusu 7,439 m

lowest point

Kara-Daryya 132 m

Age structure

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

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

Death rate

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

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

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

Languages

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

female

68.77 years (1996 est.)

male

59.18 years

total population

63.86 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)

female

96%

male

99%

total population

97%

Nationality

adjective

Kyrgyz

noun

Kyrgyz(s)

Net migration rate

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

Population

4,529,648 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

0.07% (1996 est.)

Religions

Muslim NA%, Russian Orthodox NA%

Sex ratio

all ages

0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

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

Total fertility rate

3.22 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

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

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

Capital

Bishkek

Constitution

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

KG

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

(temporary) Suite 706, 1511 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

chief of mission

Acting Ambassador Almas CHUKIN

telephone

[1] (202) 347-3732

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers was appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

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

FAX

[1] (202) 347-3718

[7] (3312) 22-35-51

Flag

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

31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

International organization participation

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

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

based on civil law system

Legislative Assembly

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

bicameral Supreme Council (Zhogorku Kenesh)

Name of country

conventional long form

Kyrgyz Republic

conventional short form

Kyrgyzstan

former

Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

local long form

Kyrgyz Respublikasy

local short form

none

National holiday

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

Other political or pressure groups

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

Political parties and leaders

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

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

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

Agriculture

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

Budget

expenditures

$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

revenues

$NA

Currency

introduced national currency, the som (10 May 1993)

Economic aid

note

commitments, 1992-95, $1,695 million ($390 million disbursements)

recipient

ODA, $56 million (1993)

Economic overview

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

capacity

3,660,000 kW

consumption per capita

2,500 kWh (1995 est.)

production

12.3 billion kWh

Exchange rates

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

Exports

$380 million (1995)

commodities

cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, hydropower; machinery; shoes

partners

Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakstan, Turkey, Cuba, and Germany

External debt

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

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

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

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP per capita

$1,140 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

-6% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

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

$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

-12.5% (1995)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

32% (1995 est.)

Labor force

1.836 million

by occupation

agriculture and forestry 38%, industry and construction 21%, other 41% (1990)

Unemployment rate

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

Branches

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

Defense expenditures

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

males age 15-49

1,096,985

males fit for military service

890,901

males reach military age (18) annually

44,159 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

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

Radios

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

Telephone system

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

342,000 (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1

note

receives Turkish broadcasts

Televisions

875,000 Defense

Airports

total

54

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

9

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

3

with paved runways over 3 047 m

1

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.)

Highways

paved

22,400 km

total

28,400 km

unpaved

6,000 km (1990)

Pipelines

natural gas 200 km

Ports

Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)

Railways

broad gauge

370 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)

total

370 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines