Kyrgyzstan

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Kyrgyzstan

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Kyrgyz Respublikasy/Kyrgyz Republic Area 198,500 sq km/76,640 sq mi Capital Bishkek (formerly Frunze) Language Kyrgyz (a Turkic language; official), Russian Religion Sunni Muslim 70%, Russian Orthodox 20% Time difference GMT +5 Major holidays 1, 7 January, 8, 21 March, 1, 9 May, 31 August


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Osh, Karakol, Kyzyl-Kiya, Tokmak, Djalal-Abad Physical features mountainous, an extension of the Tien Shan range Airports two international airports and three other paved airports; about 45 unpaved airfields; total passengers carried: 206,000 (2003 est) Railways total length: 440 km/292 mi; total passenger journeys: 1.4 million (2002) Roads total road network: 18,500 km/11,496 mi, of which 91.1% paved (1999 est); passenger cars: 37.7 per 1,000 people (2002 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Kurmanbek Bakiyev (acting) from 2005 Head of government Almazbek Atambayev from 2007 Political system emergent democracy Political executive limited presidency Administrative divisions seven regions and the municipality of Bishkek, the capital Political parties Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan (banned 1991–92); Ata Meken, Kyrgyz-nationalist; Erkin Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyz-nationalist; Social Democratic Party, nationalist, pro-Akayev; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan, nationalist reformist Death penalty retains the death penalty for ordinary crimes but can be considered abolitionist in practice Armed forces 12,500; plus paramilitary forces of 5,000 (2006 est) Conscription compulsory for 18 months Defence spend (% GDP) 2.6 (2004 est) Education spend (% GDP) 4.4 (2003 est) Health spend (% GDP) 2.2 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency som GDP (US$) 2.4 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 5 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 2.3 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 1,870 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 5.7% (2006 est) Unemployment 2.8% (2005 est) Labour force 52.7% agriculture, 10.3% industry, 37% services (2003) Foreign debt (US$) 2.1 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners United Arab Emirates, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Switzerland, Germany, USA Resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, gold, tin, mercury, antimony, zinc, tungsten, uranium Industries metallurgy, machinery, electronics and instruments, textiles, food processing (particularly sugar refining), mining Exports precious metals and stones, mineral products, textiles, tobacco, electric power, electronic and engineering products, glass and construction materials. Principal market: United Arab Emirates 25.8% (2005) Imports petroleum, natural gas, engineering products, chemicals, food, beverages and tobacco. Principal source: Russia 34.2% (2005) Arable land 6.6% (2006 est) Agricultural products grain, potatoes, cotton, tobacco, sugar beet, hemp, kenat, kendyr, medicinal plants; livestock rearing (sheep, cattle, goats, yaks, and horses) is the mainstay of agricultural activity


POPULATION

Population 5,324,800 (2006 est) Population growth rate 1.1% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 27 (2005 est) Urban population (% of total) 34 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 31%, 15–59 61%, 60+ 8% (2005 est) Ethnic groups 60% ethnic Kyrgyz, 15% Russian, 14% Uzbek, 2% Ukrainian; Dungan, German, Kazakh, Korean, Tajik, Tartar and Uighar minorities Life expectancy 63 (men); 72 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 68 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 9 Literacy rate 99% (men); 98% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 26.8 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 5.9 (2003 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 0.1 (2005 est) AIDS deaths <100 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 98 (urban); 66 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 8.3 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 10.3 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 112 (1997) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 188 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 1.9 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 5.3 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

8th century Spread of Islam. 10th century onwards Southward migration of Kyrgyz people from upper Yenisey River region to Tien Shan region; accelerated following rise of Mongol Empire in 13th century. 13th–14th centuries Part of Mongol Empire. 1685 Came under control of Mongol Oirots following centuries of Turkic rule. 1758 Kyrgyz people became nominal subjects of Chinese Empire, following Oirots' defeat by Chinese rulers, the Manchus. early 19th century Came under suzerainty of Khanate (chieftaincy) of Kokand, to the west. 1864–76 Incorporated into tsarist Russian Empire. 1916–17 Many Kyrgyz migrated to China after Russian suppression of rebellion in Central Asia and outbreak of civil war following 1917 October Revolution in Russia, with local armed guerrillas (basmachi) resisting Bolshevik Red Army. 1917–1924 Part of independent Turkestan republic. 1920s Land reforms resulted in settlement of many formerly nomadic Kyrgyz; literacy and education improved. 1924 Became autonomous republic within USSR. 1930s Agricultural collectivization programme provoked basmachi resistance and local ‘nationalist communists’ were purged from Kyrgyz Communist Party (KCP). 1936 Became full union republic within USSR. 1990 State of emergency imposed in Bishkek after ethnic clashes. 1991 Reform communist Askar Akayev became president; condemned attempted coup in Moscow against reformist Mikhail Gorbachev; Kyrgyzstan joined new Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS); independence recognized by USA. 1992 Kyrgyzstan joined United Nations and Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE; now the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE). Market-centred economic reform programme instituted. 1994 Country joined Central Asian Union, with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. 1996 Constitutional amendment increased powers of president. Agreement made with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to create single economic market. 1997 Private ownership of land legalized but privatization programme suspended. Agreement made on border controls with Russia. 1998 Referendum approved private ownership of land. 1999 Amengeldy Muraliyev appointed prime minister. 2000 Islamist rebels entered country from Afghanistan via Tajikistan, seeking to create Islamic state in east Uzbekistan. Akayev re-elected president, despite economic crisis and criticism from international observers of election process. Kurmanbek Bakiyev became prime minister. 2002 Prime Minister Bakiyev resigned after 13 days of antigovernment protests and hunger strikes. Civil unrest followed killing by police of five protesters after arrest of opposition leader Azimbek Beknazarov; state commission ruled that senior officials were to blame for the deaths. Nikolay Tanayav became prime minister. Beknazarov released; scores of protesters arrested as they marched on capital, demanding the president step down; protests also against controversial border deal with China, in which 95,000 ha/234,750 acres of disputed territory was ceded to China. 2003 Referendum on constitutional change approved; widespread voting irregularities reported by international observers and opposition. Parliament passed bill giving lifelong immunity from prosecution to President Akayev and two former Soviet-era Communist Party leaders. Russian air base opened at Kant, near base used by US forces. 2003 Parliamentary elections; many independent and opposition candidates barred; wave of protests escalated after second round of polling. Official buildings in the south taken over by protesters whose call for president's resignation spread to capital. President Akayev left for Russia, where he later resigned. Kurmanbek Bakiyev became acting president and prime minister. Bakiyev won landslide victory in presidential polls. 2003 Candidate for presidency of Kyrghiz Olympic Committee shot dead; post became vacant when previous holder killed in 2005. Mass protests demanded that president initiate constitutional reform and act to fight crime and corruption. After thousands of protesters rallied in Bishkek, calling for his resignation, president signed new constitution limiting his powers. Bakiyev pushed through revisions to new constitution reinstating some of his powers, in time for government's resignation in December. 2003 Following early parliamentary elections, Azim Isabekov became prime minister; in March government resigned and moderate opposition leader Almaz Atabayev replaced him. Week-long demonstration demanding president's resignation broken up forcibly by police. According to medical report, Prime Minister Atabayev poisoned with toxin of unknown origin; he claimed attempt on his life linked to government privatization plans.


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