LAND AND GEOGRAPHY OF KYRGYZSTAN

Located in eastern Central Asia in the heart of the Tien Shan mountains and
bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, China to the east, Tajikistan to the south,
and Uzbekistan the west, Kyrgyzstan covers 199,951 square kilometers (77, 201
square miles), which is roughly the same size as Nebraska or England and
Scotland combined. The second-smallest of the five Central Asian states, it
occupied 0.9 percent of the Soviet Union.

The formal name of Kyrgyzstan is the Kyrgyz Republic. It has also sometimes
called Kirghizia. Stretching 900 kilometers (560 miles) from east to west and 410
kilometers from north to south, it is landlocked and strategically located
between Central Asia and China and is separated from Afghanistan by Tajikistan.
Major land features include Lake Issyk-Kul, one of the world’s largest mountain
lakes, and the Fergana Valley, which Kyrgyzstan shares with Uzbekistan and
Tajikistan.

Kyrgyzstan is 93 percent mountainous and mostly lies on land situated at

elevations between 1,000 meters and 7,400 meters. More than 40 percent of the
country is above 3,000 meters and three quarters of that is under permanent
snow or glaciers, with 600 glaciers, covering 6,578 square kilometers. Mountains
in the central part of the country effectively isolate the northern and southern
populations of Kyrgyzstan, especially in the winter, when snow closes many of
the roads. The famous steppes and deserts of Central Asia are mostly in other
Central Asian countries.

About 6.3 percent of the country is good for agriculture (compared to 21

percent in the United States). Most of this land is in the mountain valleys, the
Fergana Valley, plains around Bishkek and Lake Issyk-Kul and irrigated areas
near the major rivers and lakes. About 4.25 percent of the country is covered by
forest, 4.4 percent by lakes and water reservoirs and 4 percent by glacier.
Forests are found mostly in the mountains. Most people live around Bishkek and
Lake Issyk-Kul and in valleys with arable land, industrial areas and places with
mineral deposits.

As one move from west to east the landscape gets progressively greener. This
is result of the rain blocking effect of mountains in the west and the moist winds
and rain catching effect of the Tien Shan mountains in the east. Along the
Kyrgyzstan and China border mountains are broken up by gaps and passes used
by Silk Road traders in centuries past and modern roads today.

Geographical Data for Kyrgyzstan

Total area of Kyrgyzstan: 199,951 square kilometers: land: 191,801 square
kilometers; water: 8,150 square kilometers; country comparison to the world: 87.
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Dakota. [Source: CIA World
Factbook =]
 Land boundaries: total: 4,573 kilometers: borders four countries: China: 1,063
kilometers; Kazakhstan: 1,212 kilometers; Tajikistan: 984 kilometers;
Uzbekistan: 1,314 kilometers. Coastline: 0 kilometers (landlocked); Maritime
claims: none (landlocked). =

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 meters; highest

point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 meters. Kyrgyzstan is landlocked;
entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; 94 percent of the
country is 1,000 meters above sea level with an average elevation of 2,750
meters. There are many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes.

In 2005 some 6.5 percent of Kyrgyzstan’s land surface was classified as arable,
and 0.3 percent was planted to permanent crops. The remainder is mountains,
glaciers, and high- altitude steppe that is used for grazing. More than 85 percent
of arable land is irrigated. Land use: agricultural land: 55.4 percent: arable land
6.7 percent; permanent crops 0.4 percent; permanent pasture 48.3 percent;
forest: 5.1 percentl other: 39.5 percent (2011 est.). Irrigated land: 10,210 square
kilometers (2005). Total renewable water resources: 23.62 cubic kilometers
(2011). Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): total: 8.01 cubic
kilometers a year (3 percent/4 percent/93 percent); per capita: 1,558 cubic
kilometers a year (2006) [Source: Library of Congress, January 2007 **]

Disputed Territory: Kyrgyzstan has unresolved border disputes with Tajikistan

(in the Isfara Valley to the southwest) and with Uzbekistan (on the status of
Uzbek enclaves in Kyrgyzstan and elsewhere along the common border). One
consequence of the Stalinist division of Central Asia into five republics is that
many ethnic Kyrgyz do not live in Kyrgyzstan. Three enclaves, legally part of the
territory of Kyrgyzstan but geographically removed by several kilometers, have
been established, two in Uzbekistan and one in Tajikistan. [Source: ** Library of
Congress, March 1996]

The territory of Kyrgyzstan is located within two mountain systems. Its

northeastern part lies within Tien Shan and the southwestern part lies within the
Pamir-Alay. The state borders of Kyrgyzstan mainly pass along the mountain
chains. Most people live in the north, north-west and south-west, in the densely
populated Chu, Talas and Fergana valleys – along the bottoms of mountains and
piedmont plains. The mountains bring snowmelt water and life. There is a lot of
seismic activity. Kyrgyzstan is a major study sight for the geology of Central
Asia.

Central Asia
Central Asia embraces Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and
Tajikistan, five former Soviet republics. Sometimes western China, Afghanistan,
Pakistan, Iran, south-central Russia and/or Mongolia are included depending on
whether the countries are grouped together by language family, geography,
horseman-nomadic traditions or sharing the “stan” suffix.” The core five Central
Asian nation, plus western China (Xinjiang) are sometimes called Turkestan
(Turkistan) because many of the people that live there speak Turkic languages.
The term “Inner Asia” is also used. It includes Tibet and Manchuria, with a
particular focus on people with horseman-nomadic traditions.

Central Asia has traditionally provided a bridge between Asia and Europe,
which meet on the Eurasia steppe. The region is often regarded as exotic
because its association with the Silk Road, the Great Game, and cultures and
people that Westerners have traditionally known little about. The regions
inaccessibility during the Soviet area only augmented this reputation.

Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan together

occupy about 7.5 million square kilometers, an area around half the size of the
continental United States or two thirds the size of the European Union. Central
Asia is defined geographically by the Caspian Sea to the west, the northern part
of the Kazakhstan steppe to the north, the Altay Mountains and Taklamakan
Desert of China to the east and the Pamirs and southern Turkmenistan deserts in
the south. The dying Aral Sea lies between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

Central Asia is mostly arid and landlocked, with steppes in the north and harsh
deserts in the south. Majestic mountains — in particular the Tien Sien and the
Pamirs — dominate the east and southeast. There are high plateaus around the
mountains. The rivers that thread through the region are fed by melting snow and
glaciers and carve deep valleys and ravines. Many important agricultural areas
are irrigated, sometimes using ancient qanat systems of underground canals;
other times canals built during the Soviet era. Important crops include cotton,
wheat, melons, rice and vegetables. Around the mountains and in the steppes
people herd sheep, goats and horses. Scattered around the region are large
deposits of oil, natural gas, gold, aluminum and other valuable minerals. The
largest oil and natural gas deposits are in and around the Caspian Sea in
Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

Topography of Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan is dominated by the Tien Shan, Pamir, and Alay mountain ranges.
The average elevation 2,750 meters. Mountains are separated by deep valleys
and glaciers. Flat expanses are only in the northern and eastern valleys. Many
lakes and fast-flowing rivers drain from mountains. [Source: Library of Congress,
March 1996 *]

The topography is dominated by sharp mountain peaks and valleys, and

considerable areas are covered by glaciers. The elevation of about 94 percent of
the terrain is 1,000 meters or more above sea level, and 30 percent of the terrain
is higher than 3,000 meters above sea level. The only relatively flat regions are
the Kyrgyzstani part of the Fergana Valley, in southwestern Kyrgyzstan, and in
the Chu and Talas valleys along the northern border. [Source: Library of
Congress, January 2007 **]
 The Tien Shan, a northern extension of the Pamirs and Himalayas, occupies
much of the eastern half of the country. The Tien Shan contains the most
northerly mountain above 7,000 meters. There are huge glaciers and these
glaciers extend to a lower elevation than in mountains further south. Branches of
the Tien Shan extend into western Kyrgyzstan and the Pamir-Alay range run
along the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border.

Mountains of Kyrgyzstan
The Tien Shan and Pamir mountain systems together occupy about 65 percent
of the national territory of Kyrgyzstan. The Alay range portion of the Tien Shan
system dominates the southwestern crescent of the country, and, to the east,
the main Tien Shan range runs along the boundary between southern Kyrgyzstan
and China before extending farther east into China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous
Region. Kyrgyzstan's average elevation is 2,750 meters, ranging from 7,439
meters at Pik Pobedy (Mount Victory) to 394 meters in the Fergana Valley near
Osh. Almost 90 percent of the country lies more than 1,500 meters above sea
level. [Source: Library of Congress, March 1996 *]

The mountains of Kyrgyzstan are geologically young, so that the physical

terrain is marked by sharply uplifted peaks separated by deep valleys. There is
also considerable glaciation. Kyrgyzstan's 6,500 distinct glaciers are estimated
to hold about 650 billion cubic meters of water. Only around the Chu, Talas, and
Fergana valleys is there relatively flat land suitable for large-scale agriculture. *

Pik Podedy, Khan Tengri and Pik Lenina, three of five highest mountains in the
former Soviet Union are located in Kyrgyzstan. The highest mountains of Tien
Shan are found where China, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan meet. Major Tien Shan
branches include 1) Kungey Alatua and Zailiyski Alatau between Almaty and
Lake Issyk-Kul; 2) the Tersky Alatau and Saryjaz Alatau between Lake Issyk-Kul
and China; and 3) Central Tien Shan south of Lake Issyk-Kul. These mighty and
beautiful mountains feature glacier-covered peaks, lovely Alpine lakes, clear
swift, streams, and forested valleys.

Other major mountain ranges include: 1) Kyrgyz Alatau in northwestern

Kyrgyzstan; 2) the Fergana Range, which divides Kyrgyzstan proper from the
Fergana Valley; and 3) the Pamir Alay Range between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Some Kyrgyz live in the high Pamirs in Tajikstan and Afghanistan to the south of
Kyrgyzstan. The most noteworthy lowland areas are the Chuy and Talas valleys
along the Kazakhstan border and the Fergana Valley, where Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikstan and Uzbekistan all come together.

Tien Shan Mountains

The Tien Shan is a formidable mountain range in Central Asia and one of the
great mountain ranges of the world. Extending for 3000 kilometers in a
northeast-southwest direction along the border between China and Central Asia
from the Altai area — where where Mongolia, Russia and China all come together
— to the Pamir Range in the Tajikstan and southwest China. The highest point is
24,406-foot-high Pobeda Peak in Kyrgyzstan.

The Tien Shan are lovely mountains with some of Central Asia and China's most
beautiful scenery: towering cliffs, massive glaciers, snow-capped peaks,
mountain streams, sweet-smelling spruce forests, boulder-strewn gullies and
deep gorges. The name "Tien Shan" means "celestial mountains" in Chinese.

The Tien Shan stretch for 1,600-kilometer from southwest Kyrgyzstan to

northwest China and form the border between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and
western China. The Tien Shan are not as high as the Himalayas but they are
almost as high. The peaks are between 4,000 and 7,000 meters high and are
covered by snow and ice. Some mountains resemble peaks in the Alps. The Tien
Shan contains the most northerly mountain above 7,000 meters, which means
that there are huge glaciers and these glaciers extend to a lower elevation than
on mountains further south.

Between the mountains are canyons and valleys filed with dense evergreen
forests, meadows covered by are wild flowers and colorful birds, and lush
summer pastures known in Kyrgyz as jailao, where nomadic horsemen tend
flocks of sheep, live in yurts, hunt with eagles, and drink fermented mare's milk.

The Tien Shan are part of the great mountain group that includes the
Himalayas, Karakoram, Hindu Kush and Kulun mountains. All of these young
mountains have been produced by the collision of the Indian subcontinent into
the Asian land massm which began about 50 million years ago. The Tien Shan
are rising at a rate of about 10 millimeters a year. By some reckonings the Tien
Shan is a spur of the Pamirs. Both the Tien Shan and Pamirs are connected with
the Karokorum, Himalayas and Hindu Kush mountains.

The Tien Shan were first described by the 7th century Chinese explorer Xuan
Zang who spent seven days crossing a snowbound pass, where half of the 14
people in his party froze to death. The first European to extensively explore the
central Tien Shan was the Russian explorer Pyotr Semyonov who traveled
extensively in the region in 1856.

Ibex, Marco Polo sheep and snow leopard roam in the mountains. Other wild life
found in the Tien Shan and the Lake Issyk-Kul area include wild boar, marmots,
ibis, manul, Himalayan, snowcock, wild geese, pheasants, partridges and wild
turkeys. Some guest houses serve ibex meat.

Pamirs
Pamirs is a 800-kilometer-long range made up of very high rounded mountains
between 5,000 and 7,000 meters high that stretch across eastern Tajikistan and
Kyrgyzstan into western China. Known as “The Roof of the World,” "The Foot of
the Gods," and "Midpoint between Heaven and Earth," they occupy one of the
least explored and most sparsely populated regions of the world. The Pamirs
offer some of the most spectacular Alpine scenery in the world but is difficult to
get to.

Pamir means "pasture." In some ways the Pamirs are better described as a high
plateau with mountains than a mountain range. There are many flat, broad,
treeless valleys that are as high as the low mountains and filled with grass.
Winding through the valleys are meandering, sometimes swampy rivers, and
occasionally an Alpine lake. Between the peaks are large glaciers, including 72-
kilometer-long Fedchenko glacier, the longest glacier in the former Soviet Union.

The Pamirs embrace three of the four highest mountains in the former Soviet
Union: 7495-meter-high Pik Kommunizma, the highest mountain in the former
Soviet Union and Central Asia; 7134-meter-high Pik Lenina, the third highest
mountain in the former Soviet Union; and 7105-meter-high Pik Korzhenevskaya,
the forth highest. Other landmarks mountains include Revolution Peak and
Academy of Sciences Range.

The mountains around Pik Kommunizma are called the Pamir Knot. Geologists
regard it as a hub, from which the Himalayas, Karokorum, Hindu Kush, Tien Shan
and Kulun mountains branch out. All of these young mountains have been
produced by the collision of the Indian subcontinent into the Asian land mass
during the past 50 million years.

There are several high pass through the Pamirs, one of which was use dby
Marco Polo in 1271. Wildlife in the Pamirs incline Marco Polo sheep and snow
leopards. Some yeti stories originated from here. Herders keep sheep, goats and
yaks. The winters are long and harsh and the summers are cool. The Mountain-
Badakhshan District in the heart of the Pamirs recives only 12.7 centimeters of
precipitation a year. The amounts of precipitation decreases as one climbs in
elevation not increases as is the case with most mountain ranges in the world.

Pamir Allay is a 500-kilometer-long mountain range that runs across the

southern Kyrgyzstan border and extends all the way from Samarkand in
Uzbekistan to Xinjiang in western China. The 60-kilometer-long Allay Valley is
regard as the center of hiking in the Pamirs in Kyrgyzstan. It is the access point
for: Pik Kommunizma, Lenin Peak and Pik Korzhenevskaya. 1) Pik Kommunizma
(in Tajikistan south of the Kyrgyzstan border) is the highest mountain in the
Pamirs and the former Soviet Union. At 7,495 meters (24,590 feet) high, it is
regarded as relatively easy for experienced mountaineers to climb. Lenin Peak
(border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) is 7,134 meters (23,405 feet) high and is
regarded as relatively easy for experienced mountaineers to climb. 3) Pik
Korzhenevskaya (in Tajikistan south of the Kyrgyzstan border) is 7,105 meters
(23,310 feet) high and is also considered relatively easy for experienced
mountaineers to climb.

Lenin Peak (border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) is 7,134 meters (23,405 feet)
high. It is the forth highest mountain in the former Soviet Union and is relatively
easy for experienced mountaineers to climb. The snow-covered ridges and
slopes are not technically demanding. There are serious dangers from weather
and avalanches though. The world's worst mountaineering accident claimed 43
climbers in July 1990, when a small earthquake triggered an avalanche that the
buried the climber's camp on Lenin peak. In 1974, eight of the Soviet Union’s
best women climbers died while ascending the peak.

The main road to the regions is the A372, which runs between Osh, start Tash,
near the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border, and the Gorno-Badakhshan region on
Tajikistan Unrest has closed down much of the area. Even in the best of times it
is a restricted area and requires special permits to visit that are best arranged
through travel agencies.

Rivers and Lakes in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan has no navigable rivers. The Chu River arises in the mountains of
northern Kyrgyzstan and flows northwest into Kazakhstan. The Naryn River
arises in the Tien Shan Mountains of eastern Kyrgyzstan and crosses central
Kyrgyzstan before meeting the Kara Darya to form the Syr Darya in the Uzbek
part of the Fergana Valley.

Because the high peaks function as moisture catchers, Kyrgyzstan is relatively

well watered by the streams that descend from them. The majority are small,
rapid, runoff streams. Most of Kyrgyzstan's rivers are tributaries of the Syrdariya,
which has its headwaters in the western Tien Shan along the Chinese border.
Another large runoff system forms the Chu River, which arises in northern
Kyrgyzstan, then flows northwest and disappears into the deserts of southern
Kazakstan. [Source: Library of Congress, March 1996 *]

The Syr Darya and the Amu Darya, the two largest and most important rivers in
Central Asia originate in Kyrgyzstan, feed by glaciers, snow melt and steams in
the Tien Shan and Pamirs mountains. The Syr Darya flows through Uzbekistan to
Kazakhstan and then into the Aral Sea. The Amu Darya flows through Tajikistan
and then runs along the border of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan then winds into
Uzbekistan and empties into the Aral Sea.

Other important rivers include the 1) Naryn River, which run the length of the
country to the Syr Darya in the Fergana Valley; 2) the Ak Shyrak, Inylchek and
Saryjaz rivers in the mountainous southwest, which flow into China’s Tarim
basin; and 3) the Kyzyl-Suu river in the far south, which flows in the Amu-Darya.

The rivers in Central Asia are often brown and muddy even many hundreds of
miles from their sources. This is because the water contains suspended
“yellowish-grey marl, or loess” that is very fine and stays suspended in the water
for a long time. One geologist wrote these minerals are “formed by the
disintegration of porphyry rock carried by the wind off the surrounding mountains
in the form of very fine dust” and “it gradually settled and built by the Central
Asian plateau.”

Lake Issyk-Kul is Kyrgyzstan’s and one of the largest lakes in the world.
Located between Tien Shan mountain ranges, it covers 1,738 cubic kilometers
and is one of the world’s deepest lakes. Song Kul is another important lake.
Many herding nomads spend the summer there. There about 300 other lakes.

Issyk-Kul is the second largest body of water in Central Asia, after the Aral Sea,
but the saline lake has been shrinking steadily, and its mineral content has been
rising gradually. Kyrgyzstan has a total of about 2,000 lakes with a total surface
area of 7,000 square kilometers, mostly located at altitudes of 3,000 to 4,000
meters. Only the largest three, however, occupy more than 500 square
kilometers. The second- and third-largest lakes, Songköl and Chatyr-Köl (the
latter of which also is saline), are located in the Naryn Basin. *

Lake Issyk-Kul
Lake Issyk-Kul (160 kilometers miles west of Bishkek) is Kyrgyzstan’s largest
lake, one of the largest lakes in the world and the forth deepest lake in the world
(almost 700 meters deep at its deepest point). Located at an elevation of 1,609
meters, it is essentially a large valley filled with water. Surrounded by
snowcapped mountains on all four sides, it is a lovely sight and is regarded as a
national treasure. One 19th century explorer called it “a blue emerald set in a
frame of silvery mountains.”

By some reckonings, Lake Issyk-Kul is the second highest large lake in the
world after Lake Titicaca in Peru and Bolivia. It measures about 180 kilometers
(110 miles) from east to west and about 70 kilometers (45 miles) north to south
at its widest point and has a 570-kilometer-long (350-mile-long) shoreline.
Shallow on the north side and deep on the south side, it lies at the converging
point of two tectonic plates and is expected to be twice as deep as its present
depth in a few centuries.

Issyk-Kul means “warm water.” Because the lake is so deep, the salinity is
relatively low and it is fed by thermal springs, it never freezes. The warm water
creates a microclimate in the area of the lake with relatively high rainfall and
relatively warm temperatures. For this reason people have settled around it for
centuries. Remains of Scythian settlements have been found. Silk Road caravans
stopped here for a breather. Tamerlane reportedly vacationed here. The remains
of mysterious ancient cities have been found in the lake’s depths.

Issyk-Kul has great spiritual meaning to the Kyrgyz people. There are many
legends about it; tribes pray to its spirits and it is said that divers have found
remains of ancient cities in its depths. According to legend, the 40 maidens who
gave Kyrgyzstan its name and migrated to Kyrgyzstan from Siberia in ancient
times, settled along Lake Issyk-Kul and founded the 40 traditional Kyrgyz clans.

In the Soviet era, Lake Issyk-Kul was used to test naval weapons such as
torpedoes. The idea was that the lake had some conditions comparable to that
of the sea and the United States could not monitor what the Soviets were doing.
Most of the facilities were located around Koy-Sary on the eastern end of the
lake. Opium was also grown in this area and cannabis grows wild there as it
does all around the lake. Russia has expressed interest in reopening a torpedo
test range in the lake.

The lake was also a major tourist area in the Soviet era. People came from all
over the U.S.S.R. and eastern Europe to relax and enjoy the scenery. Communist
party members stayed in fancy resorts, health spas or had luxurious villas built.
Khrushchev had a favorite villa here . In the post Soviet era this tradition has
continued. The president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev has a villa here.

Climate of Kyrgyzstan
The climate of Kyrgyzstan varies a great deal depending on location, ranging
from dry continental to polar in high the Tien Shan Mountains to subtropical in
the southwest (Fergana Valley) to temperate in northern foothill zone. There are
sharp local variations between mountain valleys and flatlands. Precipitation also
varies greatly from western mountains (high) to north-central region (low).

The country's climate is influenced chiefly by the mountains, Kyrgyzstan's

position near the middle of the Eurasian landmass, and the absence of any body
of water large enough to influence weather patterns. Those factors create a

winter temperatures averaging –30̊ C in the mountain valleys and summer

distinctly continental climate that has significant local variations that include

temperatures averaging 27̊ C in the Fergana Valley. The western mountains

receive as much as 2,000 millimeters of precipitation per year, but the west bank
of the Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan’s largest lake, receives only 100 millimeters per
year.

Although the mountains tend to collect clouds and block sunlight (reducing
some narrow valleys at certain times of year to no more than three or four hours
of sunlight per day), the country is generally sunny, receiving as much as 2,900
hours of sunlight per year in some areas. The same conditions also affect

warmest average temperature (-4̊C) occurs around the southern city of Osh, and
temperatures, which can vary significantly from place to place. In January the

around Ysyk-Köl, which does not freeze in winter. Indeed, its name means "hot

readings can fall to -30̊C or lower; the record is -53.6̊C. The average temperature
lake" in Kyrgyz. The coldest temperatures are in mountain valleys. There,

for July similarly varies from 27̊C in the Fergana Valley, where the record high is
44̊C, to a low of -10̊C on the highest mountain peaks.

Weather in Kyrgyzstan
There are great extremes of hot and cold on a daily basis and yearly basis. It can
be as cold as Siberia in the winter and quite hot in the summer. In the mountains
daytime and nighttime differences of 50 degrees C (90 degrees F) have been
recorded. The temperature extremes found in Central Asia have earned it the
nickname, “the land of the fan and the fur.” Kyrgyzstan is also very windy. In the
highlands winds of 50 mph are not uncommon. Fog is also common.
 The winter are harsh in the mountains but tolerable in Bishkek and the Lake
Issyk-Kul area. Siberian winds can send the temperature plummeting to -30
degrees C (-25 degrees F) in the high elevations. Snow covers much of country.
In Bishkek, the high temperatures on winter days are below freezing about a
forth of the time. Snows falls in Bishkek from mid November through March and
tends to fall in squalls and flurries rather than storms although severe blizzards
do occur from time to time. The snow on the ground tends to be icy and crusty.
In the mountains snow can accumulate to great depths.

The summers are hot and characterized by great extremes during the night and
day. Temperatures often rises above 32 degrees C (90 degrees F) or even 37
degrees C (100 degrees F) during the afternoon and then sometimes drop into
the 40s at night. Spring and autumn are pleasant and the best time to visit.
Spring can be rainy, muddy and windy. Temperatures and weather conditions are
also greatly influenced by elevations. The mountains and highlands obviously are
colder than the lowlands.

The weather in Kyrgyzstan is wetter than the other Central Asia countries but it
is still pretty dry in much of the country. Precipitation varies from 2,000
millimeters per year in the mountains above the Fergana Valley to less than 100
millimeters per year on the west bank of Issyk-Kul. Bishkek enjoys 247 days of
sunny weather a year. It gets only around 53 centimeters of rain a year
(compared to more than 100 centimeters a year in the United States). Rainfall
amounts are related to locations on the mountains. Wind blow primarily from
west to east and areas along the windward sides of the mountains receive a fair
amount of rain while areas along the leeward sides of the mountains receive
little rain. Most rains fall in the spring and early summer. The rains in May and
June are crucial for agriculture. Often times the rain is spotty. Huge thunder
heads blow in, dropping heavy rains in one place and completely bypassing
another.

Image Sources:

Text Sources: New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Times of
London, Lonely Planet Guides, Library of Congress, U.S. government, Compton’s
Encyclopedia, The Guardian, National Geographic, Smithsonian magazine, The
New Yorker, Time, Newsweek, Reuters, AP, AFP, Wall Street Journal, The
Atlantic Monthly, The Economist, Foreign Policy, Wikipedia, BBC, CNN, and
various books, websites and other publications.

© 2008 Jeffrey Hays

Last updated April 2016

Kyrgyzstan Politics
Kyrgyzstan is a parliamentary republic that has overthrown its president twice:
once in 2005 and again in 2010. Mismanagement at the national-level furthers
corruption by organized crime, which is perceived as receiving kickbacks from
the lack of clear policy on appropriate resource management. Local, formal,
government officials and informal, local leaders, like aksakals (“white beards" in
Kyrgyz language) also known as senior community elders, leaders of women’s
councils, youth leaders and, in some cases, religious officials are trusted
leaders. They were cited as those who tried to solve local problems, but lack the
power and resources for sustainable change. Lack of oversight, transparency
and accountability of state institutions at the local level has led to a lack of trust
in formal state institutions by the general population. The majority know that
formal state institutions need to exist but have little to no trust in them.

The incompetence at the local level is linked to two issues: corruption and nepotism which
“qualifies" individuals for positions in formal institutions and national-level instability within
formal state institutions. In turn, people’s reliance on informal structures (civil society
organizations, teachers, village councils, women’s councils, youth sports programs, etc.) for
protection, service provision and advocacy has lead to a rise in tension between Kyrgyzstan’s
formal and informal institutions.
Since independence from the Soviet Union, the Kyrgyz Republic has struggled to find a strong
government to lead the country through political transitions in a non-violent manner. Corruption
is endemic, and people have lost faith in its governing structures. State institutions have been
unable to provide justice and security for all or to adopt a comprehensive strategy to resolve
conflict drivers associated with interethnic discord.
Crime is pervasive in Kyrgyzstan and is often linked to people in power. In some
circles, and to some extent, violence can be bought, as evidenced in its
sometimes highly organized nature in Osh and other parts of the country. The
quest for power through criminal, commercial and political means - with a grey
area in between - is in turn based on a clan structure which continues to play an
important part in social relationships.

A major divide runs along the north-south axis. The two regions have historically
been distinct and tensions between them are an important underlying factor in
political power struggles. Significant regional political power centers continue to
exist, with a pronounced split between northern and southern provinces. In
many cases, political loyalties still are defined by clan rather than party. Since its
independence, Kyrgyzstan has been noteworthy for the relative openness of its
political discourse and vibrancy of its civil society. Although still the leader in the
region, Kyrgyzstan remains a fledgling democracy. It boasts a political
opposition, an independent press that occasionally criticizes the government,
and credible freedoms of religion, speech and assembly.
Beginning in the late 1990s, the regime of the thrice-elected President Oskar
Akayev increasingly bypassed democratic processes, despite increasing
protests. In the early 2000s, Akayev’s informal power base among the business
elite and younger politicians eroded as he increasingly favored the clans of the
north (his region) over those of the south. In early 2005, energized by manifestly
unfair parliamentary elections, opposition demonstrations in the cities brought
about Akayev’s resignation in what became known as the Tulip Revolution. His
successor, former prime minister Kurmanbek Bakiyev, pledged in 2005 to
restore some powers to the legislative branch. Upon election he retained most
of the acting cabinet that he had selected on Akayev’s resignation.

On July 23, 2009 President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was overwhelmingly reelected

with 76% of the vote, although the OSCE noted numerous voting irregularities.
In October 2009, Daniyar Usenov was nominated as Prime Minister. Protests in
April 2010 in the town of Talas and in Bishkek ousted Bakiyev and his
government from office.

On 7 April, amidst violent clashes in the north of the country, the government of
former President Bakiyev was overthrown and a new interim government
installed. Between 11-14 June an explosion of violence, destruction and looting
in southern Kyrgyzstan killed hundreds of people and displaced many
thousands, in particular in and around the city of Osh. The events in 2010 led to
an increase in instability, both at the political level and among the population;
this has been expressed in significant inter-ethnic tension.

A provisional government headed by President Roza Otunbayeva took office in

April and navigated through brief but intense interethnic clashes in June 2010 to
organize a referendum on June 27, 2010, by which voters approved a new
constitution. The referendum also confirmed Otunbayeva as President until
December 31, 2011.

The 2010 constitution is intended to limit presidential power and enhance the role of parliament
and the prime minister. Parliamentary elections were held in October 2010. The elections were
highly competitive and peaceful, Five parties entered parliament, led by the Ata Jurt party (28
seats), and followed by the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (26 seats), Ar-Namys (25
seats), Respublika (23 seats) and Ata-Meken (18 seats). Three parties (Ata Jurt, SDPK, and
Respublika) formed a governing coalition with Almazbek Atambayev as prime minister.
Because the 2010 constitutional referendum limited Roza Otunbayeva’s term in
office until the end of 2011, Kyrgyzstan held a presidential election on October
30, 2011. Almazbek Atambayev of the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan
won the first round with 63 percent of the vote, thus avoiding the possibility of a
second-round runoff. The 2011 election was democratic and peaceful, but some
observers noted areas for improvement. Atambayev’s inauguration on
December 1, 2011 marked the first peaceful and democratic transfer of
presidential power in Central Asia. With Atambayev vacating the office of prime
minister, party factions consulted to organize a new government. A new
governing coalition was formed consisting of SDPK, Respublika, Ata-Meken and
Ar-Namys. Parliament approved the new government on December 23, 2011,
with Omurbek Babanov (leader of the Respublika faction) as the new prime
minister.

The election was widely observed with nearly 800 international observers and
thousands of local observers, representing domestic NGOs, political parties,
and the candidates themselves. Although not widespread, instances of fraud,
including ballot stuffing and manipulation of polling station and precinct results,
were observed and reported, as were problems with voter lists. For the first
time, the country required citizens to register in advance and appear on voter
lists in order to cast ballots. Although more than 300,000 people reportedly
changed the location of their voter registration, thousands who went to the polls
did not find themselves on the final voter list and were not allowed to vote.
International and local observation missions noted the problems, but the general
consensus was that they did not change the outcome of the election.
Atambayev’s two closest competitors, who each received approximately 15
percent of the vote, alleged widespread fraud and challenged the results.
Nonetheless, the Central Election Commission certified the results on 12
November 2011.

Local and international observers judged the presidential election in 2011 to

have been open and transparent but not without problems and accusations of
fraud. Although not widespread, observers reported instances of fraud, including
ballot stuffing and manipulation of polling stations and precinct results as well as
problems with voter lists, but in general concluded that they did not change the
outcome of the election. Local elections in cities and oblasts occurred
throughout 2012 and 2013 without serious incident.

The Bishkek Garrison Court sentenced former Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek

Bakiev to 24 years in prison on 11 February 2013. Bakiev's brother, Janysh
Bakiev, received a life sentence on the same day. The Bakievs were tried in
absentia for their alleged roles in a high-profile political assassination.
Opposition politician Medet Sadyrkulov and two associates were found dead in
a burned-out car near Bishkek in March 2009. In November 2012, five former
security officers were sentenced to prison terms for their roles in the killings.
Bakiev had been living in Belarus since his ouster.

Though the situation was relatively stable, demonstrations can break out without
advance notice. During times of political unrest, demonstrators often gather in
front of the Presidential Administration building (White House), the Parliament,
and on Alatoo Square in Bishkek’s city center.

Kyrgyzstan's Ata-Meken (Fatherland) party announced 18 March 2014 its

withdrawal from the ruling coalition, which meant the government was effectively
dissolved. Ata-Meken was part of a ruling coalition formed in September 2012
that included the Social Democratic Party and Ar-Namys (Dignity). The party
said Prime Minister Jantoro Satybaldiev had lost the moral right to continue in
his post after a criminal boss was prematurely released from prison last year
and subsequently fled the country. The party also cited Satybaldiev's inability to
resolve the issue of boosting Kyrgyzstan's share in the Kumtor gold-mining
project.

A new coalition was formed on 31 March 2014 between the Social-Democrat

Party, Ata Meken Party and Ar-Namis Party. The former government was the
longest-standing one since the violent uprising in April 2010.

Joomart Otorbaev was elected prime minister 09 April 2014. The swearing-in
ceremony of the Cabinet members was attended by President Almazbek
Atambayev. A decade earlier, some saw Otorbaev as a successor to then-
Kyrgyz President Askar Akaev. Otorbaev rose to become deputy prime minister
the last three years that Akaev was president. When Akaev was chased from
office by widespread protests in March 2005, Otorbaev left Kyrgyzstan’s political
scene. Otorbaev returned to politics after Akaev’s replacement, Kurmanbek
Bakiev, was chased from power amid protests in April 2010. He won a seat in
parliament in October 2010 as a candidate from the Ata-Meken party. He served
as deputy prime minister in charge of the economy and investment from
December 2011 until September 2012, when he became first deputy prime
minister.

Around half of the country's 5.8 million people are eligible to vote on 04 October
2015. In the decade since the so-called Tulip Revolution ousted a Soviet-
holdover president, the Kyrgyz social and political landscape has experienced
periodic convulsions. But the country has also clung to democracy and a free
press sufficiently to remain a bright spot in a region otherwise populated by
authoritarian and dynastic governments. These parliamentary elections feature
14 political parties competing for all 120 seats in the Supreme Council.

The Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK) was expected to fare well,
due to people's tendency to associate the Social Democrats with President
Almazbek Atambaev, though he left the party upon becoming president, in
accordance with Kyrgyz law. Other parties that were likely to do well are the
Ata-Meken (Fatherland) party, the Respublika Ata-Jurt (also Fatherland) party,
Bir Bol, the Kyrgyzstan party, and Butun Kyrgyzstan Emgek (United Kyrgyzstan
Labor). Some other parties such as Ar-Namys (Dignity) might pick up a few
seats.

The SDPK won the country's parliamentary elections on October 4, receiving

almost 28 percent of the votes. Six political parties passed the threshold to enter
the 120-member unicameral legislature, which is known as Jogorku Kenesh
(The Supreme Council).

On October 29, 2015 Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev officially asked the
Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK) to create a ruling coalition.
Atambaev met with the leader of the SDPK parliamentary group, Chynybai
Tursunbekov and told him to establish a ruling coalition. Such parties as
Kyrgyzstan (with 12.8 percent of the votes); Onuguu-Progress (9.3 percent) and
Ata-Meken (Fatherland, 7.7 percent) could all join the SDPK in a government.

Kyrgyz Prime Minister Temir Sariyev resigned on 11 April 2016 after a

parliamentary commission accused his cabinet for corruption, a move
highlighting tensions between different factions of President Almazbek
Atambayev's supporters. A commission set up by the ex-Soviet republic's
parliament said the government had broken the law, accusing it of having rigged
a $100 million road construction tender to ensure it was given to a Chinese firm
that lacked the required license. Sariyev, who has denied any wrongdoing, had
asked Atambayev to sack Transport Minister Argynbek Malabayev, but
Atambayev refused to do so.

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) withdrew from the ruling coalition in
Kyrgyzstan's parliament, meaning that the coalition cabinet of Prime Minister
Sooronbai Jeenbekov would have to resign. SDP faction leader Isa Omurkulov
said on 24 October 2016 that the decision to withdraw from the six-party
coalition was made at a party meeting earlier the same day "because of
irreconcilable political views." The SDP was headed by President Almazbek
Atambaev before his election as president. The move came amid tensions
within the six-party coalition over holding a referendum on constitutional
changes. Two parties within the ruling coalition -- Ata-Meken (Fatherland) and
Onuguu (Progress) -- opposed the constitutional changes, which would expand
the powers of the prime minister and parliament and reform Kyrgyzstan's judicial
system. Civil society activists and opposition groups criticized the proposals,
accusing Atambaev of seeking to extend his grip on power.

Atambaye's Social Democratic party nominated Kyrgyzstan's current prime

minister, Sooronbai Jeenbekov, as its candidate for the 15 October 2017
election. The sitting president, Almazbek Atambayev, is not eligible to run again
because he has completed the sole six year term he is allowed by the Kyrgyz
constitution. Jeenbekov has said the future president should be a person
"capable of continuing" the policies of Atambaev, who has publicly called
Jeenbekov a "friend" and said Jeenbekov's government was "the best" cabinet
during his presidency. In a country where regional associations play a key role
in politics, Jeenbekov is among a group of influential politicians from the
southern provinces.

A former prime minister and wealthy businessman, 47-year-old Omurbek

Babanov is a top contender according to polls. Babanov is the billionaire leader
of the conservative-nationalist Respublika-Ata Zhurt party. In 2010, Babanov
founded the pro-business Respublika Party, which has since merged with Ata
Jurt to form Kyrgyzstan's second-largest faction in parliament It opposed to the
left-wing Social Democratic Party (SDPK) that is the leader of the Kyrgyz
Parliament's majority coalition. These two parties control 66 of the 120 seats in
the Kyrgyz Parliament, with the other 54 controlled by four other parties.

A court in Kyrgyzstan sentenced opposition politician Omurbek Tekebayev to

eight years in prison for corruption and fraud on 16 August 2017, two months
ahead of a presidential election in which he planned to run. The Central Asian
republic's pro-Russian president, Almazbek Atambayev, is barred from running
in the October 15 election and is backing an ally. Some of his critics now accuse
him of seeking to retain political power after October by taking on the role of
prime minister, a switch that President Vladimir Putin engineered in Russia in
2008. Tekebayev is one of Atambayev most outspoken critics.

Kyrgyzstan formally accused larger neighbor Kazakhstan of interfering in their

upcoming October presidential election, saying that Astana has publicly favored
right-wing challenger Omurbek Babanov. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Kyrgyzstan summoned Rymtai Karibzhanov, Kazakhstan's chief diplomat to
Bishkek, and handed him a notice of official protest 23 September 2017.
Bishkek has accused Astana of interfering in their election when Kazakh
President Nursultan Nazarbayev met with Babanov. "Despite the fact that the
leader of friendly Kazakhstan said that he does not interfere in the internal
affairs of Kyrgyzstan, his words clearly reflect the preference of the Kazakh side
regarding the future president of the Kyrgyz Republic," the note said.

This was an historic vote; the first “regular" transition of power from a sitting
president who has completed a constitutionally defined term of office to an
elected successor. There are 11 candidates registered, including one woman
candidate and three former prime ministers. Polls appear to show two clear
front-runners in what could shape up to be a rare competitive vote in post-Soviet
Central Asia.
The president is elected for a six-year term by direct universal suffrage on the
basis of an absolute majority. A candidate that gets more than one-half of the
votes cast in the first round is considered elected. There are no turnout
requirements for the validity of an election. If no candidate receives the required
majority, a run-off takes place between the two candidates with the most votes.

Former Prime Minister Sooronbai Jeenbekov won the 15 October 2017

presidential election. The central election commission said that Jeenbekov won
about 55 percent of the vote, with 98 percent of the polls counted. He defeated
10 other candidates, including main opposition leader Omurbek Babanov.
Jeenbekov said he will do all he can to justify the trust the people have placed in
him. He noted that his task is to maintain past achievements and strengthen the
economy.

Kyrgyzstan has been struggling with a sluggish economy and high

unemployment. Many young people have been leaving the country for Syria to
join the Islamic State militants.

Page last updated on January 12, 2017

Economy - overview:
Kyrgyzstan is a poor, mountainous country with an economy dominated by
minerals extraction, agriculture, and reliance on remittances from citizens
working abroad. Cotton, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products,
although only cotton is exported in any quantity. Other exports include gold,
mercury, uranium, natural gas, and - in some years - electricity. The country
has sought to attract foreign investment to expand its export base, including
construction of hydroelectric dams, but a difficult investment climate and an
ongoing legal battle with Canadian investors in the nation’s largest gold mine
deter potential investors. Remittances from Kyrgyz migrant workers in Russia
and Kazakhstan are equivalent to about a quarter of Kyrgyzstan’s
GDP.Following independence, Kyrgyzstan rapidly carried out market reforms,
such as improving the regulatory system and instituting land reform.
Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) country
to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. The government has
privatized much of its ownership shares in public enterprises. Despite these
reforms, the country suffered a severe drop in production in the early 1990s
and has again faced slow growth in recent years as the global financial crisis
and declining oil prices have damaged economies across Central Asia.Kyrgyz
leaders hope the country’s August 2015 accession to the Eurasian Economic
Union will bolster trade and investment, but slowing economies in Russia and
China, low commodity prices, and currency fluctuations continue to hamper
economic growth. The keys to future growth include progress in fighting
corruption, improving administrative transparency, restructuring domestic
industry, and attracting foreign aid and investment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$21.01 billion (2016 est.) $20.55 billion (2015 est.) $19.87 billion (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
country comparison to the world: 145
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):

$5.794 billion (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:

2.2% (2016 est.) 3.5% (2015 est.) 4% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita:

$3,500 (2016 est.) $3,400 (2015 est.) $3,400 (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
country comparison to the world: 182
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

Gross national saving:

18.5% of GDP (2016 est.) 19.3% of GDP (2015 est.) 9.3% of GDP (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:

household consumption: 77.9%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country
ranks ]
government consumption: 18.8%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country
ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 25.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country
ranks ]
investment in inventories: 2.5%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country
ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 30.6%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services
country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -55% (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services
country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:

agriculture: 17.9%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 25.9%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 56.2% (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle,
wool

Industries:
small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs,
refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals

Industrial production growth rate:

0% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
2.778 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 48%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 12.5%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 39.5% (2005 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]
Unemployment rate:
8% (2013 est.) 8.1% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:

33.7% (2011 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.8%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest
10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 27.8% (2009 est.)
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest
10% country ranks ]

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

33.4 (2007) 29 (2001)
country comparison to the world: 103
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: $2.04 billion
[see also: Budget revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $2.354 billion (2016 est.)
[see also: Budget expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:

35.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):

-5.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
69.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]
Fiscal year:
calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.9% (2016 est.) 6.5% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Central bank discount rate:

13.73% (22 December 2011) 2.5% (31 December 2010)
country comparison to the world: 15
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

23.3% (31 December 2016 est.) 24.25% (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:

$1.179 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $928.2 million (31 December 2015
est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:

$1.333 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $1.399 billion (31 December 2014
est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:

$980.7 million (31 December 2016 est.) $831.4 million (31 December 2015
est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$165 million (31 December 2012 est.) $165 million (31 December 2011 est.)
$79 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]
Current account balance:
-$867 million (2016 est.) -$692 million (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$1.453 billion (2016 est.) $1.61 billion (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - commodities:
gold, cotton, wool, garments, meat; mercury, uranium, electricity; machinery;
shoes

Exports - partners:
Switzerland 26%, Uzbekistan 22.6%, Kazakhstan 20.8%, UAE 4.9%, Turkey
4.5%, Afghanistan 4.5%, Russia 4.2% (2015)

Imports:
$3.146 billion (2016 est.) $3.648 billion (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
China 56.4%, Russia 17.1%, Kazakhstan 9.9% (2015)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.838 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $1.778 billion (31 December 2015
est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$7.728 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $7.37 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$4.897 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $4.347 billion (31 December 2015
est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$331.4 million (31 December 2016 est.) $331.4 million (31 December 2015
est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
soms (KGS) per US dollar - 69.08 (2016 est.) 64.462 (2015 est.) 64.462 (2014
est.) 53.654 (2013 est.) 47.01 (2012 est.)

NOTE: The information regarding Kyrgyzstan on this page is re-published from the 2

Social Structure
Kyrgyzstan Table of Contents

The age-old geographic separation of pockets of the Kyrgyz population has tended to
reinforce conservatism in all of the country's society. The modern Kyrgyz still apply great
significance to family and clan origins. The majority of Kyrgyz continued a nomadic
lifestyle until the Soviet campaigns of forcible collectivization forced them first into
transitional settlements and then into cities and towns or state and collective farms in the
1930s. Within the centralized farm systems, however, many Kyrgyz continued to move
seasonally with their herds. There has been strong resistance to industrial employment.

Clans

Kyrgyz identity in public and private life is said to be determined primarily by membership
in one of three clan groupings known as "wings" (right, or ong ; left, or sol ; and ichkilik ,
which is neither) and secondarily by membership in a particular clan within a wing. The
history of this grouping is unknown, although several legends explain the phenomenon.
The left wing now includes seven clans in the north and west. Each of the seven has a
dominant characteristic, and all have fought each other for influence. The Buguu warrior
clan provided the first administrators of the Kyrgyz Republic under the Soviet Union;
when the purges of Stalin eradicated their leaders in the 1930s, their place was taken by a
second northern warrior clan, the Sarybagysh, who have provided most Kyrgyz leaders
since that time, including Akayev. The right wing contains only one clan, the Adygine.
Located in the south, the Adygine are considered the most genuinely Kyrgyz clan because
of their legendary heritage. The southern Ichkilik is a group of many clans, some of which
are not of Kyrgyz origin, but all of which claim Kyrgyz identity in the present.

Acutely aware of the roles each of the clans traditionally has played, the Kyrgyz are still
very conscious of clan membership in competing for social and economic advantage.
Support for fellow clan members is especially strong in the northern provinces. Kyrgyz
men frequently wear traditional black-on-white felt headgear, which informs others of their
clan status and the degree of respect to be accorded them. Larger clans are subdivided by
origin and by the nobility of their ancestors; although there is no prohibition of
advancement for those of non-noble descent, descent from a high-born extended family
still is considered a social advantage.

Like other Central Asian groups, the Kyrgyz venerate history and see themselves as part of
a long flow of events. A traditional requirement is the ability to name all the people in the
previous seven generations of one's family. Clan identity extends this tradition even
further, to the legendary origins of the Kyrgyz people. Kyrgyz clans are said to spring from
"first fathers," most of whom appear in both oral legends and in history. Clan history and
genealogy are entrusted to tribal elders, whose ongoing knowledge of those subjects makes
falsification of lineage difficult. Because clan identity remains an important element of
social status, however, Kyrgyz do sometimes claim to have descended from a higher
branch of their clan than is actually the case.

Domestic Life

The Kyrgyz are classified as nomadic pastoralists, meaning that they traditionally have
herded sheep, horses, or yaks, following the animals up and down the mountains as the
seasons change. The basic dwelling is the yurt, a cylindrical felt tent easily disassembled
and mounted on a camel or horse. The image of a yurt's circular smoke opening is the
central design of Kyrgyzstan's flag. Various parts of the yurt have ritual significance.
Because the herding economy continues in many parts of the country, the yurt remains a
strong symbol of national identity. Families living in Western-style dwellings erect yurts to
celebrate weddings and funerals.

Traditional domestic life centers on the flocks. The diet of the nomads is limited to mutton
and noodles; fruit and vegetables are rare even in today's Kyrgyz cuisine. The most
traditional dishes are besh barmak , a mutton stew, and roast lamb. For ceremonial meals,
the lamb is killed without spilling its blood, and the head is served to the guest of honor,
who slices portions of the eyes and ears and presents them to other guests to improve their
sight and hearing. Horsemeat is eaten fresh and in sausages. Traditional beverages
are kumys , fermented mare's milk, and two varieties of beer.

Family traditions continue to demonstrate the patriarchal and feudal character of a nomadic
people. Family relations are characterized by great respect for older family members and
the dominance of male heads of households. Traditional celebrations of special events
retain the markings of religious and magical rites. For example, the cutting of a child's
umbilical cord is celebrated with elaborate consumption of food and humorous games. The
 naming of a child and the cutting of the child's hair are conducted in such a way as to
appease supernatural forces. The full observance of the most important family event, the
wedding celebration, requires considerable expense that relatively few Kyrgyz can afford:
payment for a bride, dowry, animal sacrifice, and an exchange of clothing between the
relatives of the bride and the groom.

The Role of Women

In traditional Kyrgyz society, women had assigned roles, although only the religious elite
sequestered women as was done in other Muslim societies. Because of the demands of the
nomadic economy, women worked as virtual equals with men, having responsibility for
chores such as milking as well as child-rearing and the preparation and storage of food. In
the ordinary family, women enjoyed approximately equal status with their husbands.
Kyrgyz oral literature includes the story of Janyl-myrza, a young woman who led her tribe
to liberation from the enemy when no man in the tribe could do so. In the nineteenth
century, the wife of Khan Almyn-bek led a group of Kyrgyz tribes at the time of the
Russian conquest of Quqon.

In modern times, especially in the first years of independence, women have played more
prominent roles in Kyrgyzstan than elsewhere in Central Asia. Since 1991 women have
occupied the positions of state procurator (the top law enforcement official in the national
government), minister of education, ambassador to the United States and Canada, and
minister of foreign affairs. Women have also excelled in banking and business, and the
editor of Central Asia's most independent newspaper, Respublika , is a woman. Roza
Otunbayeva, who was minister of foreign affairs in 1996, has been mentioned frequently as
a successor to Akayev.

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Source: U.S. Library of Congress

KYRGYZSTAN: PROBLEMS,
OPPORTUNITIES
03/15/1993

John Banks Senior Associate

Robert Ebel Senior Manager
International Resources Group Washington, D.C.
Kyrgyzstan is a country of 4.3 million persons in Central Asia with Kazakhstan bordering to
the north, China to the southeast, Uzbekistan to the west, and Tajikistan to the southwest.
Among Kyrgyzstan's major ethnic groups, Kyrgyz account for 52% of the population,
Russians 22%, and Uzbeks 13%.
Since independence Sept. 7, 1991, from the Soviet Union, Kyrgyzstan has found itself in a
very difficult position. The economy is in rapid decline with industrial output likely to fall 20-
25% in 1993.
Inflation is at or exceeds hyperinflation levels. And although salaries have increased
substantially, in real terms the average worker faces declining purchasing power. There is
no reliable banking or taxation system, and labor discipline continues to decline.
The situation in the energy sector is particularly strained.
In the past, cheap--subsidized--energy from the Soviet Union in whatever amounts were
required resulted in a focus on increased industrial output with little concern for energy
conservation. Before 1990, the supply of fuels and energy in Kyrgyzstan increased
2-3%/year. Consumption of fuels and energy grew at a similar rate, resulting in high rates of
energy consumption per unit of national income, which continues unchecked.
As a member of the Soviet Union, Kyrgyzstan had been overwhelmingly dependent on
energy imports (Table 1).
Oil and gas production are minimal, there are no refineries in the country, and all petroleum
products are brought in from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. Natural gas is supplied
from Turkmenistan. Although there are domestic reserves of coal, imports from Russia and
Kazakhstan account for 55% of supply.
However, there is significant hydropower potential in Kyrgyzstan. Energy officials have
clearly identified development of this resource as the path to energy independence and
economic progress.
Here is an overview of Kyrgyzstan's energy sector:
CRUDE OIL, PRODUCTS
Oil production is about 2,400 b/d, while consumption is estimated at 30,000 b/d, resulting in
virtual total dependence on imports. All major oil deposits have been drilled, and production
continues to decline as a result of water encroachment and natural decline of reservoirs.
Although the government has foreign assistance in reviewing geologic and seismic data in
an effort to determine the extent and viability of exploiting oil resources, there is no pipeline
infrastructure.
The main supplier of petroleum products is Kazakhstan. It provided 50% of Kyrgyzstan's
product imports in 1992, followed by Russia with slightly less than 30%.
Difficulties in the Russian oil industry, where oil production is falling rapidly, have a direct
impact on the supply of petroleum products from Russia to Kyrgyzstan. As the winter of
1992-93 approached, Kyrgyzstan's imports of Russian gasoline were running just 56% of
the previous year's level, while imports of diesel fuel were off about 51%, and those of fuel
oil were down 66%.
For the country as a whole, authorities expect a deficit in petroleum product supply of
20,000 b/d. That is a very severe deficit, considering that consumption of all products in
1992 is likely to be less than 30,000 b/d when final figures are in.
NATURAL GAS
Current natural gas consumption is estimated at 1.9 billion cu m/year, of which only 3% is
produced domestically.
Traditionally, Kyrgyzstan has imported its gas from Turkmenistan via Uzbekistan.
Since the breakup of the Soviet Union, however, Turkmenistan has raised natural gas
prices substantially and Uzbekistan has increased transit tariffs.
District heating officials in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan's capital, estimated natural gas prices
increased from 20 rubles/1,000 cu m in 1989 to about 10,000 rubles/1,000 cu m in 1992.
In addition to sharply increasing prices, Turkmenistan has reduced deliveries to Kyrgyzstan,
preferring to sell gas for hard currency to western customers.
COAL RESOURCES
Kyrgyzstan's coal resources are estimated at 1.36 billion metric tons, mostly brown or lignite
with very high ash content. Less than 1% has been exploited to date.
The country's coal industry is in deep crisis, with working conditions at mines and living
conditions for miners significantly deteriorating. In addition, mining costs have risen
dramatically. As a result, coal production has fallen by about 40% in the past 2 years.
This trend is worrisome because demand for coal is increasing due to the rising cost of
petroleum products--especially fuel oil--and natural gas and to the increasing unreliability of
imports of those fuels.
For example, Bishkek's district heating system depended on coal to fuel 20% of generating
capacity in 1990, but coal's share increased to 50% in 1992. The cost of coal for the district
also increased from 12 rubles/billion cal in 1989 to 2,400 rubles/billion cal.
The government estimates that, to meet demand, coal production should climb to 4 million
metric tons/year by 1995 and 4.7 million metric tons/year by 2000 from an estimated 1992
level of 2.25 million metric tons. This, however, will require significant investment from
outside sources.
ELECTRICAL POWER
Although already the most developed energy subsector in Kyrgyzstan, further development
of hydropower resources and electrification of the economy are the pillars on which the
government seeks to base long term economic stability and independence.
Hydropower accounts for 80% of all of Kyrgyzstan's electricity production, and electricity
accounts for 60% of the country's total energy output.
The government estimates that only 9% of total hydropower resources have been exploited
to date. Potential electricity output from hydropower capacity is estimated to be 4.6 million
kw-hr/year. One of the key issues in developing this potential, however, is expansion and
upgrading of the power transmission network, especially the integration of northern and
southern networks.
The manufacturing infrastructure for electrical components, equipment, and machinery
exists and forms a base from which upgrades, expansions, and further investment can be
added.
INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Based on this overall energy scenario, the government of Kyrgyzstan has highlighted
priority areas for investment where seeks foreign-especially U.S-investors. Here are the
priority areas:

 Hydroelectric power--review of expansion plans, feasibility studies for development of sites, construction of small
hydropower units, upgrade and expansion of transmission network.
 Electrification of the economy--formation of joint ventures with western companies to manufacture equipment,
appliances, and other components, as well as to upgrade and rehabilitate manufacturing plants.
 Coal--determine reserve base, upgrade facilities, review markets and expansion plans, integrate environmental impact
assessments, introduce cleaner processes and technologies.
 Development of a legal and regulatory framework, especially as it relates to attracting foreign investors.

Kyrgyzstan's government is taking substantial steps to solve economic problems.

Compared with neighboring Central Asian republics, Kyrgyzstan is seen as having
progressed further in its economic reforms, particularly in its efforts to privatize the
economy. Price liberalization has been introduced on a broader scale than in other former
Soviet republics.
Kyrgyzstan, like all other newly independent republics of the former Soviet Union, sees
much of its economic salvation in the encouragement of foreign investment.
But severe constraints to significant U.S. investment remain.
Kyrgyzstan is remote from the rest of the world and landlocked. And with the ruble
remaining nonconvertible and the ability to repatriate profits uncertain, except through barter
or the export of raw materials, interest in Kyrgyzstan could be marginal for some time.
However, great progress is being made in laying the foundation for closer economic
cooperation between the U.S. and Kyrgyzstan, particularly in the encouragement and
protection of investment (Table 2).
There are opportunities for the adventuresome U.S. investor. Kyrgyzstan's democratic
survival depends in large part on foreign technical and financial assistance.