*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