Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kurmanbek BAKIYEV (since 14 August 2005);
note - former President Askar AKAYEV resigned effective 11 April
2005 following widespread protests that forced him to flee the
country on 24 March 2005
head of government: Prime Minister Feliks KULOV (since 1 September
2005); First Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar USENOV (since 10 May 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister; note - the new constitution of
November 2006 calls for the legislature to appoint the prime
minister and members of the Cabinet after the elections of 2010
elections: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected by popular vote for a five-year
term (eligible for a second term); election last held 10 July 2005
(next scheduled for 2010); prime minister nominated by the president
for approval by Parliament; note - the new constitution of November
2006 calls for the legislature to appoint the prime minister and
members of the Cabinet after the elections of 2010
election results: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected president; percent of
vote - Kurmanbek BAKIYEV 88.6%, Tursunbai BAKIR-UULU 3.9%, other
candidates 7.5%; Feliks KULOV approved as prime minister 55-8
Legislative branch:
unicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku Kenesh (75 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve five year terms)
elections: elections for the new unicameral body or Jorgorku Kenesh
were held 27 February 2005, but the vast majority of positions
remained undecided and were contested in a runoff election on 13
March 2005; election irregularities caused widespread protests that
resulted in the president being forced to flee the country
election results: Supreme Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - NA
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed for 10-year terms by the
Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president);
Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration
Political parties and leaders:
Adilet (Justice) Party [Toychubek KASYMOV]; Agrarian Labor Party of
Kyrgyzstan [Uson SYDYKOV]; Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan [Erkin
ALIYEV]; Alga, Kyrgyzstan (Forward, Kyrgyzstan) [Bolot BEGALIYEV];
Ar-Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIYEV]; Asaba (Banner National
Revival Party) [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV]; Ata-Meken (Fatherland) [Omurbek
TEKEBAYEV]; Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan [Klara ADZHIBEKOVA];
Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar JEKSHEYEV]; Erkin
Kyrgyzstan Progressive and Democratic Party [Bektur ASANOV];
Erkindik (Freedom) Party [Topchubek TURGUNALIYEV]; Future of
Kyrgyzstan [Balbak TULEBAYEV]; Jany Kyrgyzstan (New Kyrgyzstan)
[Dosbol NUR UULU]; Kairan El [Dooronbek SADYKOV]; Kyrgyz National
Party [Bakyt BESHIMOV]; Kyrgyzstan Kelechegi [Ruslan CHYNYBAYEV];
Manas El (Party of Spiritual Restoration) [Chingiz AITMATOV]; Moya
Strana (My Country Party of Action) [Joomart OTORBAYEV]; Party of
Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Bakytbek BEKBOYEV]; Party of
Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV]; Party of Peasants
[Esengul ISAKOV]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Council of Free Trade Unions; Kyrgyz Committee on Human Rights
[Ramazan DYRYLDAYEV]; National Unity Democratic Movement; Union of
Entrepreneurs
International organization participation:
AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC,
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Zamira SYDYKOVA
chancery: 2360 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 338-5141
FAX: [1] (202) 386-7550
consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marie L. YOVANOVITCH
embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217
FAX: [996] (312) 551-264
Flag description:
red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays
representing the 40 Kyrgyz 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