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Background Notes: Kyrgyzstan, October 2001
OFFICIAL NAME:
Kyrgyz Republic
People
Nationality: Kyrgyzstani.
Population (July 2000 est.): 4,685,230.
Annual growth rate (2000 est.): 1.43.
Ethnic groups: Kyrgyz 52.4%; Russian 18%; Uzbek 12.9%; Ukrainian 2.5%;
German 2.4%; other 11.8%.
Religions: Sunni Muslim 75%; Russian Orthodox 20%; other 5%.
Official languages: Kyrgyz, Russian (as of 1996).
Education: Years Compulsory--9; Literacy--97%.
Health (2000 est.): Infant mortality rate--77.08 deaths/1,000 live births.
Life expectancy--63.37 years.
Work force: 1.7 million; 55% agriculture and forestry, 15% industry and
consumption, 30% services
Geography
Area: 199,000 sq. mi.
Cities: Bishkek (capital), Osh, Djalal-abad, Talas
Terrain: 80% mountainous, with some desert regions. Elevation
extremes--lowest point: Kara Darya 132 m, highest point: Jengish Chokusu
(Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m.
Government
Type: Republic
Independence: August 31, 1991 (from the Soviet Union).
Constitution: May 5, 1993.
Branches: Executive--president, prime minister). Legislative--Parliament.
Judicial-- Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, Procurator-General
Administrative subdivisions: Six oblasts and the municipality of Bishkek
Political parties and leaders: Agrarian Party (leader NA); Agrarian Party of
Kyrgyzstan [A. ALIYEV]; Banner National Revival Party or ASABA [Chaprashty
BAZARBAY]; Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan or PKK [Absamat MASALIYEV,
chairman]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar JEKSHEYEV,
chairman]; Dignity Party [Feliks KULOV]; Fatherland or Alta Mekel Party
[Omurbek TEKEBAYEV]; Justice Party [Chingiz AYTMATOV]; Kyrgyzstan Erkin
Party (Democratic Movement of Free Kyrgyzstan) or ErK [Tursunbay Bakir
UULU]; Movement for the People's Salvation [Djumgalbek AMAMBAYEV]; Mutual
Help Movement or Ashar [Zhumagazy USUPOV]; National Unity Democratic
Movement or DDNE [Yury RAZGULYAYEV]; Peasant Party [leader NA]; Republican
Popular Party of Kyrgyzstan [J. SHARSHENALIYEV]; Social Democratic Party or
PSD [J. IBRAMOV].
Flag: Red field; yellow sun at the center with 40 counter-clockwise rays
surrounding a red bordered yellow disc, on which are superimposed two
intersecting sects of three red, curved, narrow bands.
Economy (1998 estimates)
GDP: Purchasing power parity--$10.3 billion.
Real growth rate: 3.4%
Inflation rate: 37%.
GDP: Purchasing power parity--$2,300.
Unemployment rate: 6.0%.
Natural resources: Abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and
rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil and natural gas; other
deposits of nepheilne, mercury, bismuth, lead and zinc.
Agriculture: Products--tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes,
fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool.
Industry: Types--small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes,
sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth
metals
Trade: Exports--$515 million; cotton, wool, meat, tobacco, gold, mercury,
uranium, hydropower, machinery, shoes. Partners--Germany 37%, Kazakhstan
17%, Russia 16%, Uzbekistan 8%, China 3%. Imports--$590 million: oil and
gas, machinery and equipment, foodstuffs. Partners--Russia 24%, Uzbekistan
14%, Kazakhstan 9%, Germany 6%, China 5%.
Debt: External: $1.1 billion.
PEOPLE AND HISTORY
The earliest descendents of the Kyrgyz people, who are believed to be of
mixed Mongol, Turkic, and Kypchak descent, probably settled until the 10th
century around what is now the Tyva region of the Russian Federation. With
the rise of the Mongol Empire in the 13th century, the Kyrgyz migrated
south. They did not emerge as a distinct ethnic group until the 15th
century. Various Turkic peoples ruled them until 1685, when they came under
the control of the Mongol Oirots. Islam is the predominant religion in the
region, and most of the Kyrgyz are Sunni Muslims of the Hanafi school.
In the early 19th century, the southern territory of Kyrgyzstan came under
the control of the Khanate of Kokand, and the territory was formally
incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1876. The Russian takeover
instigated numerous revolts against tsarist authority, and many of the
Kyrgyz opted to move to the Pamirs and Afghanistan. In addition, the
suppression of the 1916 rebellion in Central Asia caused many Kyrgyz to
migrate to China.
Soviet power was initially established in the region in 1919, and the
Kara-Kyrgyz Autonomous Oblast was created within the RFSR (the term
Kara-Kyrgyz was used until the mid-1920s by the Russians to distinguish them
from the Kazakhs, who were also referred to as Kyrgyz). On December 5,
1936, the Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) was established as a full
Union Republic of the USSR.
During the 1920s, Kyrgyzstan developed considerably in cultural,
educational, and social life. Literacy was greatly improved, and a standard
literary language was introduced. Economic and social development also was
notable. Many aspects of the Kyrgyz national culture were retained despite
the suppression of nationalist activity under Stalin, and, therefore,
tensions with the all-Union authorities were constant.
The early years of glasnost had little effect on the political climate in
Kyrgyzstan. However, the Republic's press was permitted to adopt a more
liberal stance and to establish a new publication, Literaturny Kirghizstan,
by the Union of Writers. Unofficial political groups were forbidden, but
several groups that emerged in 1989 to deal with the acute housing crisis
were permitted to function.
In June 1990, ethnic tensions between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz surfaced in the Osh
Oblast, where Uzbeks form a majority of the population. Violent
confrontations ensued, and a state of emergency and curfew were introduced.
Order was not restored until August.
The early 1990s brought measurable change to Kyrgyzstan. By then, the
Kyrgyzstan Democratic Movement (KDM) had developed into a significant
political force with support in Parliament. In an upset victory, Askar
Akayev, the liberal President of the Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences, was elected
to the Presidency in October 1990. The following January, Akayev introduced
new government structures and appointed a new government comprised mainly of
younger, reform-oriented politicians.
In December 1990 the Supreme Soviet voted to change the republic's name to
the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. (In 1993, it became the Kyrgyz Republic.) In
February 1991, the name of the capital, Frunze, was changed back to its
prerevolutionary name of Bishkek. Kyrgyz replaced Russian as the official
language in September 1991. (Kyrgyz is a member of the Southern Turkic
group of languages and was written in Arabic until the 20th century. Latin
script was introduced and adopted in 1928, and was subsequently replaced by
Cyrillic in 1941.) Despite these aesthetic moves toward independence,
economic realities seemed to work against secession from the U.S.S.R. In a
referendum on the preservation of the U.S.S.R. in March 1991, 88.7% of the
voters approved the proposal to retain the U.S.S.R. as a "renewed
federation."
On August 19, 1991, when the State Committee for the State of Emergency
(SCSE) assumed power in Moscow, there was an attempt to depose Akayev in
Kyrgyzstan. After the coup had collapsed the following week, Akayev and
Vice President German Kuznetsov announced their resignations from the
Communist Party Soviet Union (CPSU), and the entire bureau and secretariat
resigned. This was followed by the Supreme Soviet vote declaring
independence from the USSR on August 31, 1991.
In October 1991, Akayev ran unopposed and was elected president of the new
independent Republic by direct ballot, receiving 95% of the votes cast.
Together with the representatives of seven other Republics that same month,
he signed the Treaty of the New Economic Community. Finally, on December
21, 1991, Kyrgyzstan joined with the other four Central Asian Republics to
formally enter the new Commonwealth.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
In the first years of full independence, President Akayev appeared
wholeheartedly committed to the reform process. However, despite the
backing of major Western donors, including the International Monetary Fund
(IMF), Kyrgyzstan had consequential economic difficulties from the outset.
These came mainly as a result of the breakup of the Soviet trading bloc,
which impeded the Republic's smooth transfer to a free-market economy.
In 1993, allegations of corruption against Akayev's closest political
associates blossomed into a major scandal. One of those accused of
improprieties was Vice President Feliks Kulov, who resigned for ethical
reasons in December. Following Kulov's resignation, Akayev dismissed the
government and called upon the last communist premier, Apas Djumagulov, to
form a new one. In January 1994, Akayev initiated a referendum asking for a
renewed mandate to complete his term of office. He received 96.2% of the
vote.
A new Constitution was passed by the Parliament in May 1993. In 1994,
however, the Parliament failed to produce a quorum for its last scheduled
session prior to the expiration of its term (February 1995). President
Akayev was widely accused of having manipulated a boycott by a majority of
the parliamentarians. Akayev, in turn, asserted that the communists had
caused a political crisis by preventing the legislature from fulfilling its
role. Akayev scheduled an October 1994 referendum, overwhelmingly approved
by voters, that proposed two amendments to the Constitution, one that would
allow the Constitution to be amended by means of a referendum, and the other
creating a new bicameral parliament called the Jogorku Kenesh.
Elections for the two legislative chambers--a 35-seat full-time assembly and
a 70-seat part-time assembly--were held in February 1995 after campaigns
considered remarkably free and open by most international observers,
although the election-day proceedings were marred by widespread
irregularities. Independent candidates won most of the seats, suggesting
that personalities prevailed over ideologies. The new Parliament convened
its initial session in March 1995. One of its first orders of business was
the approval of the precise constitutional language on the role of the
legislature.
Kyrgyzstan's independent political parties competed in the 1996
parliamentary elections. A February 1996 referendum--in violation of the
Constitution and the law on referendums--amended the Constitution to give
President Akayev more power. It also removed the clause that
parliamentarians be directly elected by universal suffrage. Although the
changes gave the President the power to dissolve Parliament, it also more
clearly defined Parliament's powers. Since that time, Parliament has
demonstrated real independence from the executive branch.
An October 1998 referendum approved constitutional changes, including
increasing the number of deputies in the upper house, reducing the number of
deputies in the lower house, rolling back Parliamentary immunity, reforming
land tender rules, and reforming the state budget.
Two rounds of Parliamentary elections were held on February 20, 2000 and
March 12, 2000. With the full backing of the United States, the OSCE
reported that the elections failed to comply with commitments to free and
fair elections and hence were invalid. Questionable judicial proceedings
against opposition candidates and parties limited the choice of candidates
available to Kyrgyz voters, while state-controlled media reported favorably
on official candidates only and government officials put pressure on
independent media outlets that favored the opposition. The Kyrgyz
Government is being urged to pursue more free, fair, and transparent
elections in the future.
Principal Government Officials
President--Askar Akayev
Prime Minister--Kurmanbek Bakiyev
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Muratbek Imanaliyev
Ambassador to the U.S.--Baktybek Abdrisaev
The Kyrgyz Embassy is located at 1732 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC
20007--telephone (202) 338-5141; fax: (202) 338-5139.
ECONOMY
The economy of Kyrgyzstan was severely affected by the collapse of the
Soviet trading block. In 1990, some 98% of Kyrgyz exports went to other
parts of the Soviet Union. Thus, the nation's economic performance in the
early 1990s was worse than any other former Soviet republic except war-torn
Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Tajikistan. While economic performance has
improved in the last few years, difficulties remain in securing adequate
fiscal revenues and providing an adequate social safety net.
The principal sector of the economy in Kyrgyzstan is agriculture, which
contributes about one-third of the GDP and more than one-third of
employment. The republic possesses a mountainous terrain, which
accommodates livestock rearing, the largest sector within agriculture. The
main crops are cotton, hemp, tobacco, vegetables, and fruit. By the early
1990s, the private sector provided between one-third and one-half of some
harvests. Wool, leather, and silk also are major products, and much of the
industrial sector is devoted to agroprocessing, the most attractive
proposition for foreign investors.
The position of the country geographically works to its disadvantage. The
region is prone to harsh climatic conditions and is in an earthquake zone.
In 1992 there were earthquakes and mudslides, and in 1998 two mudslides also
occurred in southern Kyrgyzstan
With respect to Kyrgyzstan's potential for mining and energy extraction, the
Republic is rich in mineral resources but has negligible petroleum and
natural gas reserves. Among its reserves are substantial deposits of coal,
gold, uranium, antimony, and other rare metals. The main barrier to
development has been the inaccessibility of many of the potential resources.
The government has actively cultivated foreign cooperation in processing and
extracting gold while building up the nation's own reserves in the process.
OPIC has recently been involved in the establishment of two joint ventures
in Kyrgyzstan with Western gold companies.
Kyrgyzstan's plentiful water resources and mountainous terrain have enabled
it to export hydroelectric energy. However, Kyrgyzstan imports petroleum
and gas. There are plans to construct a petroleum refinery in Kyrgyzstan.
The metallurgy industry is among the most important in Kyrgyzstan, and the
government is hopeful of attracting foreign investment in the field.
Kyrgyzstan's principle exports, which go overwhelmingly to other CIS
countries, are nonferrous metals and minerals, woolen goods and other
agricultural products, electric energy, and certain engineering goods. In
turn, the Republic relies on other former Soviet states for petroleum and
natural gas, ferrous metals, chemicals, most machinery, wood and paper
products, some foods, and most construction materials. In 1999, Kyrgyz
exports to the U.S. totaled $11.2 million, and imports from the U.S. totaled
$54.2 million. Kyrgyzstan exports antimony, mercury, rare-earth metals, and
other chemical products to the U.S., and it imports grain, medicine and
medical equipment, vegetable oil, paper products, rice, machinery,
agricultural equipment, and meat from the U.S.
The Kyrgyzstan Government has reduced expenditures, ended most price
subsidies, and introduced a value added tax. Overall, the government
appears committed to transferring to a free market economic system by
stabilizing the economy and implementing reforms, which will encourage
long-term growth. These reforms have led to Kyrgyzstan's accession to the
WTO on December 20, 1998.
FOREIGN RELATIONS
Kyrgyzstan favors close relations with other CIS members, in particular with
Kazakhstan and Russia. Recognizing Russia's concerns about the
Russian-speaking minority in Kyrgyzstan, President Akayev has been sensitive
to potential perceptions of discrimination. For example, although the 1993
Constitution designates Kyrgyz as the official language, a June 1994
presidential decree stipulated that Russian will have official status
alongside Kyrgyz in regions and at enterprises where Russian speakers
constitute a majority, as well as in sectors--health, technical
science--where the use of Russian is appropriate.
While Kyrgyzstan was initially determined to stay in the ruble zone, the
stringent conditions set forth by the Russian Government prompted Kyrgyzstan
to introduce its own currency, the som, in May 1993. Kyrgyzstan's
withdrawal from the ruble zone was done with little prior notification and
initially caused tensions in the region. Both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
temporarily suspended trade, and Uzbekistan even introduced restrictions
tantamount to economic sanctions. Both nations feared an influx of rubles
and an increase in inflation. Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan's hostility toward
Kyrgyzstan was short-lived, and the three nations signed an agreement in
January 1994 creating an economic union. This led to the relaxation of
border restrictions between the nations the following month. Kyrgyzstan
also has contributed to the CIS peacekeeping forces in Tajikistan.
Turkey has sought to capitalize on its cultural and ethnic links to the
region and has found Kyrgyzstan receptive to cultivating bilateral
relations. The Kyrgyz Republic also has experienced a dramatic increase in
trade with China, its southern neighbor. Kyrgyzstan has been active in
furthering regional cooperation, such as joint military exercises with Uzbek
and Kazakh troops.
In January 1999, a new OSCE office opened in Bishkek; on February 18, 2000
the OSCE announced that an additional office will be opened in Osh to assist
Bishkek in carrying out its work. Kyrgyzstan is a member of the OSCE, the
CIS, and the United Nations.
U.S.-KYRGYZ RELATIONS
Kyrgyzstan favors close relations with the United States and would like to
deepen bilateral relations. Kyrgyzstan has advanced quickly in the area of
democratic reform; however, recent setbacks in democratization have caused
serious concern IIN the United States and make it difficult to expand
relations to areas outside of security and the economy. The United States
is disturbed by the deregistration of political parties, the pursuit of
criminal charges, and the arrests of political figures by the Kyrgyz
Government in order to pressure opposition. Because of the threat posed by
insurgents and their ties to foreign terrorist organizations, security
remains a top concern of the United States. The U.S. Government provides
humanitarian assistance, nonlethal military assistance, and assistance to
support economic and political reforms. It also has supported Kyrgyzstan's
requests for assistance from international organizations.
The United States helped Kyrgyzstan accede to the WTO in December 1998, and
U.S. assistance has aided Kyrgyzstan to implement necessary economic
reforms, support the Ferghana Valley, and fund important health programs.
Principal U.S. Officials (Bishkek)
Ambassador--John O'Keefe
Deputy Chief of Mission--Deborah Klepp
Political-Economic Officer--Peter Eckstrom
Administrative Officer--Patricia Miller
USAID Director--Tracy Atwood
The U.S. embassy is located at 171 Prospekt Mira 720016 Bishkek, Kyrgyz
Republic 996-312-55-12-41 (phone); 996-312-55-12-64 (fax)
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