Irrigated land: 10,740 sq km (1998 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: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

People Kyrgyzstan

Population: 4,822,166 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 34.4% (male 838,224; female 821,230) 15-64 years: 59.4% (male 1,403,328; female 1,459,914) 65 years and over: 6.2% (male 113,861; female 185,609) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.45% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 26.11 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 9.1 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)