2018 Edition

Background

A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions, most of the territory of the present-day Kyrgyz Republic was formally annexed to the Russian Empire in 1876. The Kyrgyz staged a major revolt against the Tsarist Empire in 1916 in which almost one-sixth of the Kyrgyz population was killed. The Kyrgyz Republic became a Soviet republic in 1936 and achieved independence in 1991 when the USSR dissolved. Nationwide demonstrations in 2005 and 2010 resulted in the ouster of the country’s first two presidents, Askar AKAEV and Kurmanbek BAKIEV. Interim President Rosa OTUNBAEVA led a transitional government and following a nation-wide election, President Almazbek ATAMBAEV was sworn in as president in 2011. In 2017, ATAMBAEV became the first Kyrgyz president to step down after serving one full six-year term as required in the country’s constitution. Former prime minister and ruling Social-Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan member Sooronbai JEENBEKOV replaced him after winning an October 2017 presidential election that was the most competitive in the country’s history, although international and local election observers noted cases of vote buying and abuse of public resources. The president holds substantial powers as head of state even though the prime minister oversees the Kyrgyz Government and selects most cabinet members. The president represents the country internationally and can sign or veto laws, call for new elections, and nominate Supreme Court judges, cabinet members for posts related to security or defense, and numerous other high-level positions. Continuing concerns for the Kyrgyz Republic include the trajectory of democratization, endemic corruption, a history of tense, at times violent, interethnic relations, border security vulnerabilities, and potential terrorist threats.

Area

land

191,801 sq km

total

199,951 sq km

water

8,150 sq km

Area Comparative

slightly smaller than South Dakota

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

elevation extremes

132 m lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya)

mean elevation

2,988 m

note

7439 highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy)

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; air pollution due to rapid increase of traffic

Environment International Agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Geographic Coordinates

41 00 N, 75 00 E

Geography Note

landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; 94% of the country is 1,000 m above sea level with an average elevation of 2,750 m; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

Irrigated Land

10,233 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

border countries (4)

China 1063 km, Kazakhstan 1212 km, Tajikistan 984 km, Uzbekistan 1314 km

total

4,573 km

Land Use

arable land: 6.7% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0.4% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 48.3% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

55.4% (2011 est.)

forest

5.1% (2011 est.)

other

39.5% (2011 est.)

Location

Central Asia, west of China, south of Kazakhstan

Map References

Asia

Maritime Claims

note

none (landlocked)

Natural Hazards

major flooding during snow melt; prone to earthquakes

Natural Resources

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

Population Distribution

the vast majority of Kyrgyzstanis live in rural areas; densest population settlement is to the north in and around the capital, Bishkek, followed by Osh in the west; the least densely populated area is the east, southeast in the Tien Shan mountains

Terrain

peaks of the Tien Shan mountain range and associated valleys and basins encompass the entire country

Age Structure

0-14 years

30.4% (male 912,455 /female 865,910)

15-24 years

16.28% (male 483,799 /female 468,653)

25-54 years

39.94% (male 1,146,221 /female 1,189,763)

55-64 years

7.95% (male 202,754 /female 262,412)

65 years and over

5.43% (male 121,221 /female 196,108) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

21.6 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

2.8% (2014)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

42% (2014)

Death Rate

6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

6.6 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

15.1 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

54.7 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

48.1 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 96.7% of population

rural: 86.2% of population

total: 90% of population

unimproved: urban: 3.3% of population

rural: 13.8% of population

total: 10% of population (2015 est.)

Education Expenditures

6% of GDP (2015)

Ethnic Groups

Kyrgyz 73.2%, Uzbek 14.6%, Russian 5.8%, Dungan 1.1%, other 5.3% (includes Uyghur, Tajik, Turk, Kazakh, Tatar, Ukrainian, Korean, German) (2017 est.)

Health Expenditures

6.5% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

0.2% (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids Deaths

<500 (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

7,600 (2017 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

4.5 beds/1,000 population (2013)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

20.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

29 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

25 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Kyrgyz (official) 71.4%, Uzbek 14.4%, Russian (official) 9%, other 5.2% (2009 est.)

Life Expectancy At Birth

female

75.6 years (2018 est.)

male

67.1 years (2018 est.)

total population

71.2 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

female

99.4% (2015 est.)

male

99.6% (2015 est.)

total population

99.5% (2015 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

996,000 BISHKEK (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

76 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median Age

female

27.9 years (2018 est.)

male

25.7 years

total

26.8 years

Mother S Mean Age At First Birth

23.2 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Kyrgyzstani

noun

Kyrgyzstani(s)

Net Migration Rate

-5.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

16.6% (2016)

Physicians Density

1.85 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

5,849,296 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.02% (2018 est.)

Religions

Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

Sanitation Facility Access

improved: urban: 89.1% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 95.6% of population (2015 est.)

total: 93.3% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 10.9% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 4.4% of population (2015 est.)

total: 6.7% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

female

13 years (2014)

male

13 years (2014)

total

13 years (2014)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

0.96 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

0.77 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

0.62 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2.59 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

20.6% (2016 est.)

male

12.7% (2016 est.)

total

15.5% (2016 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.03% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

36.4% of total population (2018)

Administrative Divisions

7 provinces (oblustar, singular - oblus) and 2 cities* (shaarlar, singular - shaar); Batken Oblusu, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblusu (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad Oblusu, Naryn Oblusu, Osh Oblusu, Osh Shaary*, Talas Oblusu, Ysyk-Kol Oblusu (Karakol)

note

administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Capital

geographic coordinates

42 52 N, 74 36 E

name

Bishkek

time difference

UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Kyrgyzstan

dual citizenship recognized

yes, but only if a mutual treaty on dual citizenship is in force

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed as a draft law by the majority of the Supreme Council membership or by petition of 300,000 voters; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Council membership in each of at least three readings of the draft two months apart; the draft may be submitted to a referendum if approved by two-thirds of the Council membership; adoption requires the signature of the president; amended 2017 (2018)

history

previous 1993; latest adopted by referendum 27 June 2010, effective 2 July 2010; note - constitutional amendments that bolstered some presidential powers and transferred others from the president to the prime minister passed in a referendum in December 2016, effective December 2017 (2018)

Country Name

conventional long form

Kyrgyz Republic

conventional short form

Kyrgyzstan

etymology

a combination of the Turkic words "kyrg" (forty) and "-yz" (tribes) with the Persian suffix "-stan" (country) creating the meaning "Land of the Forty Tribes"; the name refers to the forty clans united by the legendary Kyrgyz hero, MANAS

former

Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

local long form

Kyrgyz Respublikasy

local short form

Kyrgyzstan

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Alan MELTZER (since 4 August 2017)

embassy

171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016

FAX

[996] (312) 597-744

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[996] (312) 597-000

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

chancery

2360 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Kadyr TOKTOGULOV (since 23 February 2015)

FAX

[1] (202) 449-8275

honorary consulate(s)

Maple Valley (WA)

telephone

[1] (202) 449-9822

Executive Branch

cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president upon approval by the Supreme Council; defense and security committee chairs appointed by the president

chief of state

President Sooronbay JEENBEKOV (since 24 November 2017)

election results

Sooronbay JEENBEKOV elected president in first round; percent of vote - Sooronbay JEENBEKOV (SDPK) 54.2%, Omurbek BABANOV (Respublika) 33.5%, Adakhan MADUMAROV (Butun Kyrgyzstan) 6.6%, Temir SARIYEV (Akshumar) 2.5%, other 3.2%; note - Sapar ISAKOV elected prime minister; Supreme Council vote - 97 to 5

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 6-year term; election last held on 15 October 2017 (next to be held in October 2023); prime minister nominated by the majority party or majority coalition in the Supreme Council, appointed by the president upon approval by the Supreme Council

head of government

Prime Minister Mukhammedkalyy ABYLGAZIEV (since 20 April 2018); First Deputy Prime Minister Kubatbek BORONOV (since 20 April 2018); Deputy Prime Minister Jengish RAZAKOV (since 20 April 2018); Deputy Prime Minister Altynay OMURBEKOVA (since 20 April 2018); Deputy Prime Minister Zamirbek ASKAROV (since 20 April 2018)

Flag Description

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 a "tunduk" - the crown of a traditional Kyrgyz yurt; red symbolizes bravery and valor, the sun evinces peace and wealth

Government Type

parliamentary republic

Independence

31 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International Organization Participation

ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EITI (compliant country), FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial Branch

highest courts

Supreme Court (consists of 25 judges); Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (consists of the chairperson, deputy chairperson, and 9 judges)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president; Supreme Court judges serve for 10 years, Constitutional Court judges serve for 15 years; mandatory retirement at age 70 for judges of both courts

subordinate courts

Higher Court of Arbitration; oblast (provincial) and city courts

Legal System

civil law system, which includes features of French civil law and Russian Federation laws

Legislative Branch

description

unicameral Supreme Council or Jogorku Kenesh (120 seats; parties directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed party-list proportional representation vote; members selected from party lists to serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - SDPK 27.4%, Respublika-Ata-Jurt 20.1%, Kyrgyzstan Party 12.9%, Onuguu-Progress 9.3%, Bir Bol 8.5%, Ata-Meken 7.7%, other 14.1%; seats by party - SDPK 38, Respublika-Ata-Jurt 28, Kyrgyzstan Party 18, Onuguu-Progress 13, Bir Bol 12, Ata-Meken 11; composition - men 97, women 23, percent of women 19.2%

elections

last held on 4 October 2015 (next to be held in 2020)

National Anthem

lyrics/music

Djamil SADYKOV and Eshmambet KULUEV/Nasyr DAVLESOV and Kalyi MOLDOBASANOV

name

"Kyrgyz Respublikasynyn Mamlekettik Gimni" (National Anthem of the Kyrgyz Republic)

note

adopted 1992

National Holiday

Independence Day, 31 August (1991)

National Symbol S

white falcon; national colors: red, yellow

Political Parties And Leaders

Ata-Jurt (Homeland) [Kamchybek TASHIEV]Ata-Meken (Fatherland) [Omurbek TEKEBAEV]Bir Bol (Stay United) [Altynbek SULAIMANOV]Butun Kyrgyzstan (United Kyrgyzstan) [Adakhan MADUMAROV]Kyrgyzstan Party [Almazbek BAATYRBEKOV]Onuguu-Progress [Bakyt TOROBAEV]Respublika (Republic) [Ruslan KAZAKBAEV]Respublika-Ata-Jurt (Republic-Homeland) [Ruslan KAZAKBAEV] (parliamentary faction)Social-Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan or SDPK [Almazbek ATAMBAEV]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

expenditures

2.409 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

2.169 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-3.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

5% (31 December 2016)

8% (31 December 2015)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

18.49% (31 December 2017 est.)

22.23% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current Account Balance

-$306 million (2017 est.)

-$792 million (2016 est.)

Debt External

$8.164 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$8.182 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

33.4 (2007)

29 (2001)

Economy Overview

Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked, mountainous, lower middle income country with an economy dominated by minerals extraction, agriculture, and reliance on remittances from citizens working abroad. Cotton, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products, although only cotton is exported in any quantity. Other exports include gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, and - in some years - electricity. The country has sought to attract foreign investment to expand its export base, including construction of hydroelectric dams, but a difficult investment climate and an ongoing legal battle with a Canadian firm over the joint ownership structure of the nation’s largest gold mine deter potential investors. Remittances from Kyrgyz migrant workers, predominantly in Russia and Kazakhstan, are equivalent to more than one-quarter of Kyrgyzstan’s GDP.Following independence, Kyrgyzstan rapidly implemented market reforms, such as improving the regulatory system and instituting land reform. In 1998, Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth of Independent States country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. The government has privatized much of its ownership shares in public enterprises. Despite these reforms, the country suffered a severe drop in production in the early 1990s and has again faced slow growth in recent years as the global financial crisis and declining oil prices have dampened economies across Central Asia. The Kyrgyz government remains dependent on foreign donor support to finance its annual budget deficit of approximately 3 to 5% of GDP.Kyrgyz leaders hope the country’s August 2015 accession to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will bolster trade and investment, but slowing economies in Russia and China and low commodity prices continue to hamper economic growth. Large-scale trade and investment pledged by Kyrgyz leaders has been slow to develop. Many Kyrgyz entrepreneurs and politicians complain that non-tariff measures imposed by other EAEU member states are hurting certain sectors of the Kyrgyz economy, such as meat and dairy production, in which they have comparative advantage. Since acceding to the EAEU, the Kyrgyz Republic has continued harmonizing its laws and regulations to meet EAEU standards, though many local entrepreneurs believe this process as disjointed and incomplete. Kyrgyzstan’s economic development continues to be hampered by corruption, lack of administrative transparency, lack of diversity in domestic industries, and difficulty attracting foreign aid and investment.

Exchange Rates

soms (KGS) per US dollar -

68.35 (2017 est.)

69.914 (2016 est.)

69.914 (2015 est.)

64.462 (2014 est.)

53.654 (2013 est.)

Exports

$1.84 billion (2017 est.)

$1.544 billion (2016 est.)

Exports Commodities

gold, cotton, wool, garments, meat; mercury, uranium, electricity; machinery; shoes

Exports Partners

Switzerland 59.1%, Uzbekistan 9.4%, Kazakhstan 5.1%, Russia 4.9%, UK 4% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

39.7% (2017 est.)

government consumption

18.9% (2017 est.)

household consumption

85.4% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-79% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

33.2% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

1.8% (2017 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

14.6% (2017 est.)

industry

31.2% (2017 est.)

services

54.2% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$7.565 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$3,700 (2017 est.)

$3,600 (2016 est.)

$3,500 (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$23.15 billion (2017 est.)

$22.14 billion (2016 est.)

$21.22 billion (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Real Growth Rate

4.6% (2017 est.)

4.3% (2016 est.)

3.9% (2015 est.)

Gross National Saving

27.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

20.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

18.3% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

22.9% (2014 est.)

lowest 10%

22.9% (2014 est.)

Imports

$4.187 billion (2017 est.)

$3.709 billion (2016 est.)

Imports Commodities

oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports Partners

China 32.6%, Russia 24.8%, Kazakhstan 16.4%, Turkey 4.8%, US 4.2% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

10.9% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

3.2% (2017 est.)

0.4% (2016 est.)

Labor Force

2.841 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

48%

industry

12.5%

services

39.5% (2005 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

$165 million (31 December 2012 est.)

$165 million (31 December 2011 est.)

$79 million (31 December 2010 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

32.1% (2015 est.)

Public Debt

56% of GDP (2017 est.)

55.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$2.177 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.97 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$1.698 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.411 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

$709.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$655.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment At Home

$6.003 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$5.21 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$1.856 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.444 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$1.698 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.411 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

28.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

7.1% (2017 est.)

7.2% (2016 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

10.02 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

4,480 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

1,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

40 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - total population

100% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

10.52 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

184 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

24% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

76% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

331 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

4.046 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

13.04 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

186.9 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

169.9 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

28.32 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

37,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

2,290 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

34,280 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

6,996 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

4 (2017 est.)

total

258,013 (2017 est.)

Broadcast Media

state-funded public TV broadcaster KTRK has nationwide coverage; also operates Ala-Too 24 news channel which broadcasts 24/7; ELTR is a state-owned station with national reach; the switchover to digital TV in 2017 resulted in private TV station growth; approximately 20 stations primarily rebroadcast programs from Russian channels; 3 Russian TV stations also broadcast; 1 state-funded radio station and about 10 significant private radio stations (2018)

Internet Country Code

.kg

Internet Users

percent of population

34.5% (July 2016 est.)

total

1,976,006 (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

domestic

fixed-line penetration 6 per 100 persons remains low and concentrated in urban areas; mobile-cellular subscribership up to over 127 per 100 persons (2016)

general assessment

digital radio-relay stations, and fiber-optic links; low fixed-line and fixed-broadband penetration and low to moderate mobile broadband penetration; international connectivity continues to grow; 4 mobile networks in operation; 4G networks cover over 50% of the nation, eventually 5G networks will be available (2016)

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 - 2 (1 Intersputnik, 1 Intelsat); connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line (2016)

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

6 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

362,288 (2017 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

127 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

7,369,927 (2017 est.)

Airports

28 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

11 (2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m

3 (2017)

over 3,047 m

1 (2017)

total

18 (2017)

under 914 m

3 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2013)

total

10 (2013)

under 914 m

8 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

EX (2016)

National Air Transport System

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

69,290 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

625,294 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

10 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

3 (2015)

Pipelines

3566 km gas (2018), 16 km oil (2013)

Ports And Terminals

lake port(s)

Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)(Lake Ysyk-Kol)

Railways

broad gauge

424 km 1.520-m gauge (2018)

total

424 km (2018)

Roadways

total

34,000 km (2018)

Waterways

600 km (2010)

Military Branches

Land Forces, Air Defense Forces, National Guard, State Border Service, and State Committee on Defense Affairs (GKDO) (2017)

Military Expenditures

3.15% of GDP (2016)

3.45% of GDP (2015)

3.38% of GDP (2014)

3.2% of GDP (2013)

3.21% of GDP (2012)

Military Service Age And Obligation

18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary male military service in the Armed Forces or Interior Ministry; 1-year service obligation, with optional fee-based 3-year service in the call-up mobilization reserve; women may volunteer at age 19; 16-17 years of age for military cadets, who cannot take part in military operations (2013)

Disputes International

Kyrgyzstan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary delimitation with Kazakhstandisputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with Tajikistandelimitation of 130 km of border with Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes over 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

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

stateless persons

855 (2017); note - most stateless people were born in Kyrgyzstan, have lived there many years, or married Kyrgyz citizens; in 2009, Kyrgyzstan adopted a national action plan to speed up the exchange of old Soviet passports for Kyrgyz ones; between 2014 and 2016, Kyrgyzstan has resolved nearly 9,000 stateless cases; stateless people are unable to register marriages and births, to travel within the country or abroad, to own property, or to receive social benefits