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NAVIGATION
Kyrgyz Republic
Kyrgyz Respublikasy
Kyrgyzstan
former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic
conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan local short form: none former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Bishkek |
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Administrative divisions:
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7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city* (shaar); Batken Oblasty, 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) |
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Independence:
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31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 31 August (1991) |
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Constitution:
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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 |
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Legal system:
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based on civil law system |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Nikolay TANAYEV (since 22 May 2002); note - Prime Minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV resigned on 22 May 2002 when five demonstrators were killed in clashes with the police cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister election results: Askar AKAYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Askar AKAYEV 74%, Omurbek TEKEBAYEV 14%, other candidates 12%; note - election marred by serious irregularities elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; elections last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held November or December 2005); prime minister appointed by the president |
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Legislative branch:
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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)
election results: Assembly of People's Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; percent of vote by party - NA; and Legislative Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - total seats by party in the Supreme Council were as follows: Union of Democratic Forces 12, Communists 6, My Country Party of Action 4, independents 73, other 10 note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995 elections; the 2000 election results include both the Assembly of People's Representatives and the Legislative Assembly elections: Assembly of People's Representatives - last held 20 February and 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA February 2005); Legislative Assembly - last held 20 February and 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA February 2005) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court (judges are appointed for 10-year terms by the Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president); Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Agrarian Labor Party of Kyrgyzstan [Uson S. SYDYKOV]; Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan [Arkin ALIYEV]; Ata-Meken or Fatherland [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV]; Banner National Revival Party or ASABA [Chaprashty BAZARBAY]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar JEKSHEYEV]; Democratic Women's Party of Kyrgyzstan [T. A. SHAILIYEVA]; Dignity Party [Feliks KULOV]; Erkin Kyrgyzstan Progressive and Democratic Party [Tursunbay Bakir UULU]; Justice Party [Chingiz AYTMATOV]; Movement for the People's Salvation [Jumgalbek AMAMBAYEV]; Mutual Help Movement or Ashar [Jumagazy USUPOV]; My Country of Action [Almazbek ISMANKULOV]; National Unity Democratic Movement or DDNE [Yury RAZGULYAYEV]; Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Absamat M. MASALIYEV]; Party of the Veterans of the War in Afghanistan [leader NA]; Peasant Party [leader NA]; People's Party [Melis ESHIMKANOV]; Republican Popular Party of Kyrgyzstan [J. SHARSHENALIYEV]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [J. IBRAMOV]; Union of Democratic Forces (composed of Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan or PSD [J. IBRAMOV], Economic Revival Party, and Birimdik Party |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Council of Free Trade Unions; Kyrgyz Committee on Human Rights [Ramazan DYRYLDAYEV]; National Unity Democratic Movement; Union of Entrepreneurs |
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International organization participation:
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AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW (signatory), OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Bakyt ABDRISAYEV
FAX: [1] (202) 338-5139 consulate(s): New York telephone: [1] (202) 338-5141 chancery: 1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador John M. O'KEEFE
embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, 720016 Bishkek mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217 FAX: [996] (312) 551-264 |
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Flag description:
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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 the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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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 electricity. Kyrgyzstan has been one of the most progressive countries of the former Soviet Union in carrying out market reforms. With fits and starts, inflation has been lowered to an estimated 7% in 2001. Much of the government's stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had 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. Growth was held down to 2.1% in 1998 largely because of the spillover from Russia's economic difficulties, but moved ahead to 3.6% in 1999, 5% in 2000, and 5% again in 2001. Despite these gains, poverty indicators are no better in 2001 than in 1996. On the positive side, the government and the international financial institutions have embarked on a comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth strategy. In November 2001, with financing assurance from the Paris Club, the IMF Board approved a three-year, $93 million Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $13.5 billion (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $2,800 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 38%
industry: 27% services: 35% (2000 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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55% (2001 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 32% (1997) (1997) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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41 (1997) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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7% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force:
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2.7 million (2000) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 55%, industry 15%, services 30% (2000 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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7.2% (1999 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $207.4 million
expenditures: $238.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) (1999 est.) |
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Industries:
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small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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6% (2000 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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14.677 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 8%
hydro: 92% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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9.818 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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4.153 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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321 million kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool |
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Exports:
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$475 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, hydropower; machinery; shoes |
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Exports - partners:
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Germany 28.7%, Uzbekistan 17.7%, Russia 12.9%, China 8.7%, Kazakhstan 6.6% (2000) |
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Imports:
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$420 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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oil and gas, machinery and equipment, foodstuffs |
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Imports - partners:
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Russia 23.9%, Uzbekistan 13.5%, Kazakhstan 10.3%, US 9.7%, Turkey 4.8% (2000) |
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Debt - external:
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$1.6 billion (2001 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$50 million from the US (2001) |
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Currency:
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Kyrgyzstani som (KGS) |
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Currency code:
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KGS |
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Exchange rates:
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soms per US dollar - 47.972 (January 2002), 48.378 (2001), 47.704 (2000), 39.008 (1999), 20.838 (1998), 17.362 (1997) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |