1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Introduction
Background
A country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan became part of the Russian empire in 1864. In the Czarist and Soviet periods, Russian managers and technicians were sent to Kyrgyzstan and have recently made up more than one-fifth of the population. Many Russians have been returning home since Kyrgyzstan gained its independence in 1991 when the USSR collapsed. Privatization of state-owned enterprises, expansion of democracy and political freedoms, and inter-ethnic relations are current issues.
Geography
Area
total: 198,500 sq km land: 191,300 sq km water: 7,200 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly smaller than South Dakota
Climate
dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Kara-Darya 132 m highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m
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
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates
41 00 N, 75 00 E
Geography--note
landlocked
Irrigated land
9,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 3,878 km border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km
Land use
arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 44% forests and woodland: 4% other: 45% (1993 est.) note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut forest
Location
Central Asia, west of China
Map references
Commonwealth of Independent States
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
NA
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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 35% (male 804,502; female 788,076) 15-64 years: 59% (male 1,308,145; female 1,362,140) 65 years and over: 6% (male 105,442; female 177,750) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
21.83 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
8.74 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Kirghiz 52.4%, Russian 18%, Uzbek 12.9%, Ukrainian 2.5%, German 2.4%, other 11.8%
Infant mortality rate
75.92 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Kirghiz (Kyrgyz)--official language, Russian?official language note: in March 1996, the Kyrgyzstani legislature amended the constitution to make Russian an official language, along with Kirghiz, in territories and work places where Russian-speaking citizens predominate
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 63.57 years male: 59.25 years female: 68.1 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 99% female: 96% (1989 est.)
Nationality
noun: Kyrgyzstani(s) adjective: Kyrgyzstani
Net migration rate
-6.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
4,546,055 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
0.68% (1999 est.)
Religions
Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%
Sex ratio
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: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.63 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
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: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
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
Country name
conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy local short form: none former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code
KG
Executive branch
chief of state: President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Jumabek IBRAIMOV (since NA December 1998) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; elections last held 24 December 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Askar AKAYEV reelected president; percent of vote--Askar AKAYEV 75%; 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
Flag 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
Government type
republic
Independence
31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
International organization participation
AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMSIL, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bakyt ABDRISAYEV chancery: 1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Anne M. SIGMUND embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, 720016 Bishkek mailing address: use embassy street address
Judicial branch
Supreme Court, judges are appointed for 10-year terms by the Supreme Council on recommendation of the president; Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party or PSD JEKSHEYEV, chairman]; National Unity Democratic Movement or DDNE MASALIYEV, chairman]; Kyrgyzstan Erkin Party (Democratic Movement of Political pressure groups and leaders: National Unity Democratic Movement; Council of Free Trade Unions; Union of Entrepreneurs;
Legal system
based on civil law system
Legislative branch
bicameral Supreme Council or Zhogorku Kenesh consists of the Assembly of People's Representatives (70 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Legislative Assembly (35 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Assembly of People's Representatives--last held 5 February 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); Legislative Assembly--last held 5 February 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: Assembly of People's Representatives--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NA; note--not all of the 70 seats were filled at the 5 February 1995 elections; as a result, run-off elections were held at later dates; the assembly meets twice yearly; Legislative Assembly--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NA; note--not all of the 35 seats were filled at the 5 February 1995 elections; as a result, run-off elections were held at later dates note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995 elections
National holiday
National Day, 2 December; Independence Day, 31 August (1991)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool
Budget
revenues: $225 million expenditures: $308 million, including capital expenditures of $11 million (1996 est.)
Currency
1 Kyrgyzstani som (KGS) = 100 tyiyn
Debt--external
$935 million (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$329.4 million (1995)
Economy--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 include 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 lowered inflation from 88% in 1994 to 15% for 1997, attention is turning toward stimulating growth. Much of the government's stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production have been severe since the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but by mid-1995 production began to recover and exports began to increase. Pensioners, unemployed workers, and government workers with salary arrears continue to suffer. Foreign assistance played a substantial role in the country's economic turnaround in 1996-97. The government has adopted a series of measures to combat some of the severe economic problems such as excessive debt and inadequate revenue collection, encountered in 1998.
Electricity--consumption
10.92 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
6.32 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
3.75 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
13.49 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 9.56% hydro: 90.44% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
soms (KGS) per US$1--30.25 (February 1999), 20.838 (1998), 17.362 (1997), 12.810 (1996), 10.822 (1995), 10.842 (1994)
Exports
$630 million (1998 est.)
Exports--commodities
cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, hydropower; machinery; shoes
Exports--partners
China, UK, FSU
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$9.8 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 47% industry: 12% services: 41% (1996 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$2,200 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
1.8% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 26.2% (1993)
Imports
$670 million (1998 est.)
Imports--commodities
grain, lumber, industrial products, ferrous metals, fuel, machinery, textiles, footwear
Imports--partners
Turkey, Cuba, US, Germany
Industrial production growth rate
14% (1998 est.) note: the gold industry spurted in 1998 giving industry as a whole a boost on a small base while the rest of the economy, including agriculture, lagged
Industries
small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
18.4% (1998 est.)
Labor force
1.7 million
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture and forestry 40%, industry and construction 19%, other 41% (1995 est.)
Population below poverty line
40% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate
6% 1998 est.)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA; note--one 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; one cellular provider, probably only limited to Bishkek region 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; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe Fiber-Optic Line
Telephones
356,000 (1996 est.)
Television broadcast stations
NA (repeater stations throughout the country relay programs from Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey) (1997)
Televisions
875,000
Transportation
Airports
54 (1994 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 under 914 m: 1 (1994 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 40 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 32 (1994 est.)
Highways
total: 18,500 km paved: 16,854 km (including 140 km of expressways) unpaved: 1,646 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines
natural gas 200 km Ports and harbors: Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)
Railways
total: 370 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines broad gauge: 370 km 1.520-m gauge (1990)
Waterways
600 km (1990)
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops), Civil Defense note: border troops controlled by Russia
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$10.8 million (1996)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
1% (1996)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 1,146,595 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 930,017 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
18 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 46,561 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
territorial dispute with Tajikistan on southwestern boundary in Isfara Valley area
Illicit drugs
limited illicit cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; limited government eradication program; increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Russia and Western Europe from Southwest Asia