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Kyrgyzstan
The
Kyrgyz Republic is bounded by Kazakhstan on the northwest
and north, by China on the east and south, and by Tajikistan
and Uzbekistan on the south and west. Most of
Kyrgyzstan’s borders run along mountacrests. The
mountains stand in the core of the Tien Shan system, which
continues eastward to China. To the southwest are two great
valleys. The country’s area totals approximately 76,600
square miles (199, 900 square kilometers). The Kyrgyz, a
Turkic-speaking people, constitute more than half the
population.
The
Kyrgyzs speak a language belonging to the north-western or
Kipchak group of the Turkic languages. They were formerly a
nomadic people who were settled into collectivized
agriculture by the Soviet regime. Besides Kyrgyzs, the
country’s population includes minorities of Russians,
Uzbeks, Ukrainians, and Germans (exiled to the region from
European parts of the Soviet Union in 1941), as well as
Tatars, Kazakhs, Dungans (Hui; Chinese Muslims), Uighurs,
and Tajiks. Since independence in 1991, many Russians and
Germans have emigrated.
Kyrgyzstan’s 1993 constitution, which replaced the
Soviet-era constitution that had been in effect since 1978,
recognizes numerous rights and freedoms for citizens. It
establishes legislative, executive, and judicial
branches of government but gives the President, who is the
Head of State, the ability to implement important policies
or constitutional amendments through a national referendum.
The current President is H.E. Mr. Kurmanbek Bakiyev .
The
new constitution originally created a uni-cameral
parliament, but in 1994 voters approved a bi-cameral
legislature, with a lower chamber (the legislative Assembly)
consisting of 35 nationally elected deputies and an upper
chamber (the Assembly of People’s Representatives)
consisting of 70 regionally elected, part-time members. The
President, elected directly for a maximum of two consecutive
five-year terms, appoints the Prime Minister, the Cabinet,
and members of the high courts, subject to approval by the
parliament. The President also appoints the administrators
of Kyrgyzstan’s six oblastes (provinces). The judicial
branch includes local courts and three high courts: the
Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, and the Court of
Higher Arbitration.
The
people of Kyrgyzstan have traditionally raised livestock and
engaged in farming. Cotton, wool, and meat are the main
agricultural products and exports. By the late 20th
century the Republic had become a source for nonferrous
metals, notably of antimony and mercury ores, and a producer
of machinery, light industrial products, hydroelectric
power, and food products. Gold mining has increased in
importance, and Kyrgyzstan possesses substantial coal
reserves and some petroleum and natural gas deposits.
Hydroelectric power provides more than three-fourths of the
country’s electric energy.
Kyrgyzstan has been one of the most progressive countries of
the former Soviet Union in carrying out market reforms. More
than half of government stock in enterprises has been sold.
The share of private sector activity in Gross Value Added
increased from 13% in 1994 to 35% in 1997. Drops in
production have been severe since the break up of the Soviet
Union but during 1996 for the first time there was an
achievement of 5.6% of GDP growth. Moreover, the real growth
of GDP in 1997 has been fixed at the 6.2% level.
Export:
Total value:
1718.2 million US $ (2006)
Major Items:
precious metals, electric power, tobacco,
cotton, scrap and wastes of aluminum, chemicals, filament
lamps, means of land transport and spare parts, agricultural
products (vegetables and fruits), cement and slate, copper
wastes and scrap, raw leather and wool
Import:
Total value:
794.1 million US $ (2006)
Major Items:
grains, mineral products, natural gas,
automobile fuel, bituminous coal, kerosene, cars, equipment
and machinery, products of chemical, vegetable, lumber,
textile and base metals
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