*Kyrgyzstan, Geography

Location:
  South Asia, between China and Kazakhstan
Map references:
  Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States - Central Asian States, Standard
  Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  198,500 km2
 land area:
  191,300 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly smaller than South Dakota
Land boundaries:
  total 3,878 km, China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870 km,
  Uzbekistan 1,099 km
Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
  none; landlocked
International disputes:
  territorial dispute with Tajikistan on southern boundary in Isfara Valley
  area
Climate:
  dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in south (Fergana
  Valley)
Terrain:   peaks of Tien Shan rise to 7,000 meters, and associated valleys and basins
  encompass entire nation
Natural resources:
  small amounts of coal, natural gas, oil, nepheline, rare earth metals,
  mercury, bismuth, gold, lead, zinc, hydroelectric power
Land use:
 arable land:
  NA%
 permanent crops:
  NA%
 meadows and pastures:
  NA%
 forest and woodland:
  NA%
 other:
  NA%
Irrigated land:
  10,320 km2 (1990)
Environment:
  NA
Note:
  landlocked

*Kyrgyzstan, People

Population:
  4,625,954 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  1.56% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  26.69 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  7.45 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  -3.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  47.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  67.71 years
 male:
  63.47 years
 female:
  72.15 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  3.39 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Kirghiz(s)
 adjective:
  Kirghiz
Ethnic divisions:
  Kirghiz 52.4%, Russian 21.5%, Uzbek 12.9%, Ukrainian 2.5%, German 2.4%,
  other 8.3%
Religions:
  Muslim 70%, Russian Orthodox NA%
Languages:
  Kirghiz (Kyrgyz) - official language, Russian
Literacy:
  age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
 total population:
  100%
 male:
  100%
 female:
  100%
Labor force:
  1.748 million
 by occupation:
  agriculture and forestry 33%, industry and construction 28%, other 39%
  (1990)

*Kyrgyzstan, Government

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
Digraph:
  KG
Type:
  republic
Capital:
  Bishkek (Frunze)
Administrative divisions:
  6 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast'); Chu, Jalal-Abad, Ysyk-Kul', Naryn,
  Osh, Talas
Independence:
  31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Constitution:
  adopted 5 May 1993
Legal system:
  based on civil law system
National holiday:
  National Day, 2 December
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
Other political or pressure groups:   National Unity Democratic Movement; Peasant Party; Council of
Free Trade
  Unions; Union of Entrepreneurs
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 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
 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
Executive branch:
  president, Cabinet of Ministers, prime minister
Legislative branch:
  unicameral Zhogorku Keneshom
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court
Leaders:
 Chief of State:
  President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October 1990); Vice President Feliks KULOV
  (since 12 October 1992)

*Kyrgyzstan, Government

 Head of Government:
  Prime Minister Tursenbek CHYNGYSHEV (since 2 March 1992); Deputy Prime
  Minister Abdygani ERKEBAYEV; Supreme Soviet Chairman Medetkan SHERIMKULOV
  (since NA)
Member of:
  CIS, CSCE, EBRD, ECO, ESCAP, IBRD, IDA, ILO, IMF, NACC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, WHO
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Roza OTUNBAYEVA
 chancery:
  1511 K Street, NW, Washington, DC
 telephone:
  (202) 347-5029
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
 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

*Kyrgyzstan, Economy

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.
National product:
  GDP $NA
National product real growth rate:
  -25% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
  $NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  29% per month (first quarter 1993)
Unemployment rate:
  0.1% includes officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of
  underemployed workers
Budget:
  revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Exports:
  $NA
 commodities:
  wool, chemicals, cotton, ferrous and nonferrous metals, shoes, machinery,
  tobacco
 partners:
  Russia 70%, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and others
Imports:
  $NA
 commodities:
  lumber, industrial products, ferrous metals, fuel, machinery, textiles,
  footwear
 partners:
  other CIS republics
External debt:
  $650 million (1991)
Industrial production:
  growth rate NA% (1992)
Electricity:
  4,100,000 kW capacity; 11,800 million kWh produced, 2,551 kWh per capita
  (1992)
Industries:
  small machinery, textiles, food-processing industries, cement, shoes, sawn
  logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, and rare earth metals
Agriculture:
  wool, tobacco, cotton, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle), vegetables, meat,
  grapes, fruits and berries, eggs, milk, potatoes
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
Economic aid:
  $300 million official and commitments by foreign donors (1992)

*Kyrgyzstan, Economy

Currency:
  introduced national currency, the som (10 May 1993)
Exchange rates:
  rubles per US$1 - 415 (24 December 1992) but subject to wide fluctuations
Fiscal year:
  calendar year

*Kyrgyzstan, Communications

Railroads:
  370 km; does not include industrial lines (1990)
Highways:
  30,300 km total; 22,600 km paved or graveled, 7,700 km earth(1990)
Pipelines:
  natural gas 200 km
Ports:
  none; landlocked
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
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

*Kyrgyzstan, Defense Forces

Branches:
  National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops), Civil Defense
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 1,093,694; fit for military service 890,961 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  $NA, NA% of GDP