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Kyrgyzstan

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Countries

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   in Kyrgyzstan
       Кыргыз Республикасы
   Kyrgyz Respublikasy
   Кыргызская республика
   Kyrgyzskaya respublika
   Kyrgyz Republic

   Flag of Kyrgyzstan Coat of arms of Kyrgyzstan
   Flag               Coat of arms
   Motto: none
   Anthem: National Anthem of the
   Kyrgyz Republic
   Location of Kyrgyzstan
   Capital
   (and largest city)    Bishkek
                         42°52′N 74°36′E
    Official languages   Kyrgyz, Russian
   Government            Republic
    - President          Kurmanbek Bakiyev
    - Prime Minister     Feliks Kulov
       Independence      from the Soviet Union
    - Declared           31 August 1991
    - Completed          25 December 1991
                        Area
    - Total              199,900 km² ( 86th)
                         77,181 sq mi
    - Water (%)          3.6
                     Population
    - July 2005 estimate 5,264,000 ( 111th)
    - 1999 census        4,896,100
    - Density            26/km² ( 176th)
                         67/sq mi
        GDP ( PPP)       2005 estimate
    - Total              $10.764 billion ( 134th)
    - Per capita         $2,088 ( 140th)
        HDI  (2003)      0.702 (medium) ( 109th)
         Currency        Som ( KGS)
         Time zone       KGT ( UTC+6)
       Internet TLD      .kg
       Calling code      +996

   Kyrgyzstan ( Kyrgyz and Russian: Кыргызстан, variously transliterated,
   also Kirgizia or Kirghizia), officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a
   country in Central Asia. Landlocked and mountainous, it borders
   Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the
   southwest and the People's Republic of China to the southeast.
   Kyrgyzstan means the "Land of the Kyrgyz". The country is also
   occasionally called "the Switzerland of Central Asia".

History

   The earliest ancestors of the Kyrgyz people, who are believed to be of
   mixed Mongol and Kipchak descent, probably settled until the 10th
   century around what is now the Tuva region of Russia. 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 Kalmyks ( Oirats, Dzungars). 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 part of what is today
   Kyrgyzstan came under the control of the Khanate of Kokand. The
   territory, then known in Russian as "Kirgizia", 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. Since many ethnic groups in the region were (and
   still are) split between neighbouring states, at a time when borders
   were more porous and less regulated, it was common to move back and
   forth over the mountains, depending on where life was perceived as
   better; this might mean better rains for pasture or better government
   after oppression.

   Soviet power was initially established in the region in 1919 and the
   Kara-Kyrgyz Autonomous Oblast was created within the Russian SFSR (the
   term Kara-Kirghiz was used until the mid-1920s by the Russians to
   distinguish them from the Kazakhs, who were also referred to as
   Kirghiz). On December 5, 1936, the Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic was
   established as a full republic of the Soviet Union.

   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. The Kyrgyz
   language replaced Russian as the official language in September 1991.
   (Kyrgyz is a member of the Southern Turkic group of languages and was
   written in the Arabic alphabet 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 Soviet
   Union. In a referendum on the preservation of the Soviet Union in March
   1991, 88.7% of the voters approved the proposal to retain the Soviet
   Union as a "renewed federation."

   On August 19, 1991, when the State Emergency Committee 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 of the
   Soviet Union (CPSU), and the entire bureau and secretariat resigned.
   This was followed by the Supreme Soviet vote declaring independence
   from the Soviet Union 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 of
   Independent States. In 1992, Kyrgyzstan joined the UN and the CSCE.

   The Tulip Revolution after the parliamentary elections in March 2005
   forced President Akayev's resignation on April 4, 2005. Opposition
   leaders formed a coalition and a new government was formed under
   President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and Prime Minister Feliks Kulov.

   Political stability appears to be elusive, however, as various groups
   and factions allegedly linked to organized crime are jockeying for
   power. Three of the 75 members of Parliament elected in March 2005 have
   been assassinated since then, and another member was assassinated on 10
   May 2006 shortly after winning his murdered brother's seat in a
   by-election. All four are reputed to have been directly involved in
   major illegal business ventures.

   Current concerns in Kyrgyzstan include: privatization of state-owned
   enterprises, expansion of democracy and political freedoms,
   inter-ethnic relations, and terrorism.

Politics

   The 1993 constitution defines the form of government as a democratic
   republic. The executive branch includes a president and prime minister.
   The parliament currently is bicameral. The judicial branch comprises a
   Supreme Court, a Constitutional Court, local courts, and a Chief
   Prosecutor.

   In March 2002, in the southern district of Aksy, five people protesting
   the arbitrary arrest of an opposition politician were shot dead by
   police, sparking nationwide protests. President Akayev initiated a
   constitutional reform process which initially included the
   participation of a broad range of government, civil, and social
   representatives in an open dialogue, leading to a February 2003
   referendum marred by voting irregularities. The amendments to the
   constitution approved by the referendum resulted in stronger control by
   the president and weakened the parliament and the Constitutional Court.
   Parliamentary elections for a new, 75-seat unicameral legislature were
   held on February 27 and March 13, 2005, but were widely viewed as
   corrupt. The subsequent protests led to a bloodless coup on March 24,
   after which Akayev fled the country and was replaced by acting
   president Kurmanbek Bakiyev. (see: Tulip Revolution).

   Interim government leaders are developing a new governing structure for
   the country and working to resolve outstanding constitutional issues.
   On July 10, 2005, acting president Bakiyev won a presidential election
   in a landslide, with 88.9% of the vote and was inaugurated on 14
   August. However, initial public support for the new administration
   substantially declined in subsequent months as a result of its apparent
   inability to solve the corruption problems that have plagued the
   country since its independence from the Soviet Union, along with the
   murders of three members of parliament. Largescale protests against
   president Bakyiev took place in Bishkek in April and November of 2006,
   with opposition leaders accusing the president of failing to live up to
   his election promises to reform the country's constitution and transfer
   many of his presidential powers to parliament.

Administrative divisions

   Kyrgyzstan is divided into seven provinces (sing. oblast (область), pl.
   oblasttar (областтар)) administered by appointed governors. The
   capital, Bishkek, is administratively an independent city (shaar).
   Map of the administrative divisions of Kyrgyzstan.
   Enlarge
   Map of the administrative divisions of Kyrgyzstan.

   The provinces, and capital city, are as follows:
    1. Bishkek
    2. Batken Province
    3. Chui Province
    4. Jalal-Abad Province
    5. Naryn Province
    6. Osh Province
    7. Talas Province
    8. Issyk Kul Province

   Each province comprises a number of districts ( rayon), administered by
   government-appointed officials (akim). Rural communities (ayıl ökmötü)
   consisting of up to twenty small settlements, have their own elected
   mayors and councils.

Geography

   Map of Kyrgyzstan
   Enlarge
   Map of Kyrgyzstan

   Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, bordering
   Kazakhstan, People's Republic of China, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The
   mountainous region of the Tian Shan covers the majority of the nation,
   with the remainder made up of its valleys and basins. Issyk-Kul in the
   north-western Tian Shan is the largest lake in Kyrgyzstan and the
   second largest mountain lake in the world after Titicaca. The highest
   peaks are in the Kakshaal-Too range, forming the Chinese border. Peak
   Jengish Chokusu, at 24,400 feet (7,439 m), is the highest point and is
   considered by geologists (though not mountaineers) to be the
   northernmost 23,000 foot (7,000 m) peak in the world. Heavy snowfall in
   winter leads to heavy spring floods which often cause serious damage
   downstream. The runoff from the mountains is also used for
   hydro-electricity.

   The climate varies regionally. The south-western Fergana Valley is
   subtropical and extremely hot in summer, with temperatures reaching
   40°C (104°F.) The northern foothills are temperate and the Tian Shan
   varies from dry continental to polar climate, depending on elevation.
   In the coldest areas temperatures are sub-zero for around 40 days in
   winter, and even some desert areas experience constant snowfall in this
   period.

   Kyrgyzstan has significant deposits of rare metals including gold and
   also some coal, petroleum and natural gas. Less than 8% of the land is
   cultivated, and this is concentrated in the northern lowlands and the
   fringes of the Fergana Valley.

   Bishkek in the north is the capital and largest city, with
   approximately 900,000 inhabitants in 2005. The second city is the
   ancient town of Osh, located in the Fergana Valley near the border with
   Uzbekistan. The principal river is the Naryn, flowing west through the
   Fergana Valley into Uzbekistan, where it meets another of Kyrgyzstan's
   major rivers, the Kara Darya and forms the Syr Darya which eventually
   flows into the Aral Sea — although the massive extraction of water for
   irrigating Uzbekistan's cotton fields now causes the river to dry up
   long before reaching the Aral Sea. The Chui river also briefly flows
   through Kyrgyzstan before entering Kazakhstan.

Enclaves and exclaves

   There is one exclave, the tiny village of Barak, Kyrgyzstan ,
   (population 627) in the Fergana valley. The village is surrounded by
   Uzbek territory and located between the towns of Margilan and Fergana.

   There are four Uzbek enclaves within Kyrgyzstan. Two of them are the
   towns of Sokh (area 125 sq. mi/325 km² and a population of 42,800 in
   1993, although some estimates go as high as 70,000; 99% are Tajiks, the
   remainder Uzbeks), and Shakhrimardan (also known as Shakirmardon or
   Shah-i-Mardan, area 35 sq. mi/90 km² and a population of 5,100 in 1993;
   91% are Uzbeks, the remainder Kyrgyz); the other two are the tiny
   territories of Chuy-Kara (or Kalacha, roughly 3 km long by 1 km wide or
   2 mi by 0.6 mi) and Dzhangail (a dot of land barely 2 or 3 km across).
   Chuy-Kara is on the Sokh river, between the Uzbek border and the Sokh
   enclave.

   There also are two enclaves belonging to Tajikistan: Vorukh (exclave
   area between 95 and 130 km² [37–50 sq. mi], population estimated
   between 23,000 and 29,000, 95% Tajiks and 5% Kyrgyz, distributed among
   17 villages), located 45 kilometres (28 mi) south of Isfara on the
   right bank of the Karafshin river, and a small settlement near the
   Kyrgyz railway station of Kairagach.

Economy

   Despite the backing of major Western donors, including the
   International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the Asian
   Development Bank, the Kyrgyz Republic has had economic difficulties
   following independence. Initially, these were a result of the breakup
   of the Soviet trading bloc and resulting loss of markets, which impeded
   the republic's transition to a free market economy. The government has
   reduced expenditures, ended most price subsidies, and introduced a
   value-added tax. Overall, the government appears committed to the
   transition to a market economy. Through economic stabilization and
   reform, the government seeks to establish a pattern of long-term
   consistent growth. Reforms led to the Kyrgyz Republic's accession to
   the World Trade Organization (WTO) on December 20, 1998.

   The Kyrgyz Republic's economy was severely affected by the collapse of
   the Soviet Union and the resulting loss of its vast market. 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, as factories and state farms collapsed with
   the disappearance of their traditional markets in the former Soviet
   Union. While economic performance has improved considerably in the last
   few years, and particularly since 1998, difficulties remain in securing
   adequate fiscal revenues and providing an adequate social safety net.

   Agriculture is an important sector of the economy in the Kyrgyz
   Republic. By the early 1990s, the private agricultural sector provided
   between one-third and one-half of some harvests. In 2002 agriculture
   accounted for 35.6% of GDP and about half of employment. The Kyrgyz
   Republic's terrain is mountainous, which accommodates livestock
   raising, the largest agricultural activity. Main crops include wheat,
   sugar beets, potatoes, cotton, tobacco, vegetables, and fruit. Wool,
   meat, and dairy products also are major commodities.

   Agricultural processing is a key component of the industrial economy,
   as well as one of the most attractive sectors for foreign investment.
   The Kyrgyz Republic is rich in mineral resources but has negligible
   petroleum and natural gas reserves; it imports petroleum and gas. Among
   its mineral reserves are substantial deposits of coal, gold, uranium,
   antimony, and other rare-earth metals. Metallurgy is an important
   industry, and the government hopes to attract foreign investment in
   this field. The government has actively encouraged foreign involvement
   in extracting and processing gold. The Kyrgyz Republic's plentiful
   water resources and mountainous terrain enable it to produce and export
   large quantities of hydroelectric energy.

   On a local level, the economy is primarily kiosk in nature. A large
   amount of local commerce occurs at bazaars and small village kiosks.
   Commodities such as gas are often sold road-side in gallon jugs. A
   significant amount of trade is unregulated. There is also a scarcity of
   common everyday consumer items in remote villages. Thus a large number
   of homes are quite self-sufficient with respect to food production.
   There is a distinct differentiation between urban and rural economies.

   The principal exports are nonferrous metals and minerals, woolen goods
   and other agricultural products, electric energy, and certain
   engineering goods. Imports include petroleum and natural gas, ferrous
   metals, chemicals, most machinery, wood and paper products, some foods,
   and some construction materials. Its leading trade partners include
   Germany, Russia, People's Republic of China, and neighboring Kazakhstan
   and Uzbekistan.

Demographics

   The World Almanac 2005 reported that Kyrgyzstan's population is
   slightly more than 5 million, estimating it at 5,081,429. Of those,
   34.4% are under the age of 15 and 6.2% are over the age of 65. The
   country is rural; only about one-third (33.9%) of Kyrgyzstan's
   population live in urban areas. The average population density is 69
   people per square mile (29 people per km²).
   Traditional graves
   Enlarge
   Traditional graves

   The nation's largest ethnic group is the Kyrgyz, a Turkic people. The
   Kyrgyz comprise 69.5% of the population and have historically been
   semi- nomadic herders, living in round tents called yurts and tending
   sheep, horses and yaks. This nomadic tradition continues to function
   seasonally as herding families return to the high mountain pasture (or
   jailoo) in the summer. The retention of this nomadic heritage and the
   freedoms that it assumes continue to have an impact on the political
   atmosphere in the country. The name Kyrgyz, both for the people and for
   the nation itself, is said to mean "forty girls", a reference to the
   Manas of folklore unifying forty tribes against the Mongols.

   Other ethnic groups include ethnic Russians (9.0%) concentrated in the
   North and Uzbeks (14.5%) living in the South. Small but noticeable
   minorities include Tatars (1.9), Uyghurs (1.1%), Kazakhs (0.7%) and
   Ukrainians (0.5%). Of the formerly sizable Volga German community,
   exiled here by Stalin from their earlier homes in the Volga German
   Republic, most have returned to Germany, and only a few small groups
   remain.

Culture

   A road near Bishkek
   Enlarge
   A road near Bishkek
   Al-Aksa gorge near Bishkek
   Enlarge
   Al-Aksa gorge near Bishkek
     * Manas, an epic poem
     * Komuz, a three-stringed lute
     * Tush kyiz, large, elaborately embroidered wall hangings
     * Shirdak, flat cushions made in shadow-pairs
     * other textiles, especially made from felt
     * Falconry

Traditions

   Illegal, but still practiced, is the tradition of Bride kidnapping.

Religion

     * About 75% of the population practices Islam.
     * The main Christian churches are Russian Orthodox and Ukrainian
       Orthodox. A small minority of Germans are Protestant Christians,
       mostly Lutherans or Baptists.

Flag

   There are about 40 Kyrgyz tribes. This is symbolized by the 40-rayed
   yellow sun in the centre of the flag of Kyrgyzstan. The lines inside
   the sun represent the crown or tunduk (Kyrgyz түндүк) of a yurt, a
   symbol replicated in many facets of Kyrgyz architecture.The red portion
   of the flag represents the banner of the Kyrgyz hero, Manas.

Education

   Eductional institutions in Kyrgyzstan include:
     * The American University of Central Asia.
     * KRSU - Kyrgyz Russian Slavonic University .

Horse riding

   The national sports reflect the importance of horse riding in Kyrgyz
   culture. Ulak Tartysh is a team game in which the two mounted teams
   attempt to deliver the carcass of a goat weighing 65 to 90 pounds over
   the opposition's goal line. Players are allowed to wrestle the goat
   from an opponent.
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