Natural resources: abundant hydroelectric potential; significant deposits of gold and rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc
Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 44% forests and woodland: 4% other: 45% (1993 est.) note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut forest
Irrigated land: 9,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
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
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: landlocked
@Kyrgyzstan:People
Population: 4,522,281 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 36% (male 817,229; female 800,248) 15-64 years: 58% (male 1,285,520; female 1,337,259) 65 years and over: 6% (male 104,105; female 177,920) (July 1998 est.)