Kyrgyzstan - Facts & Stats
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Location:
Central Asia, west of China
Country Name:
Conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic
Conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan
Local short form: none
Former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
Local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy
Nationality:
N
noun: Kyrgyzstani(s)
Adjective: Kyrgyzstani
Capital:
Bishek
Flag Description:
The Kyrgyzstan flag is red with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes. Tradition has it that the national hero Manas, who used the color red on his banner, united the 40 tribes into the Kyrgyz nation. The center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized representation of the roof of the yurt, the traditional circular tent of skins used by the nomads of Central Asia and Mongolia. http://www.1uptravel.com/flag/flags/kg.html
Government Type:
Republic
Administrative Divisions:
7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city* (shaar);
Batken Oblasty, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty, Ysyk-Kol Oblasty (Karakol)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Independence:
August 31, 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Language:
Kyrgyz - official language, Russian - official language
note: in December 2001, the Kyrgyzstani legislature made Russian an official language, equal in status to Kyrgyz
Ethnic Groups:
Kyrgyz 52.4%, Russian 18%, Uzbek 12.9%, Ukrainian 2.5%, German 2.4%, other 11.8%
Religion:
Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%
Population:
4,822,166 (July 2002 est.)
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Population Growth Rate:
1.45% (2002 est.)
Age Structure:
0-14 years: 34.4% (male 838,224; female 821,230)
15-64 years: 59.4% (male 1,403,328; female 1,459,914)
65 years and over: 6.2% (male 113,861; female 185,609) (2002 est.)
Life Expectancy:
Male: 59 years; female: 68 years (2002 est.)
Literacy rate:
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 99%
female: 96% (1989 est.)
Gross Domestic Product (GDP):
$13.5 billion (2001 est.)
Currency:
Kyrgyzstani som (KGS; 47.972KGS=1USD)
Area:
76,641 sq. miles (slightly smaller than South Dakota)
Climate:
Dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in southwest
(Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone
Terrain:
Peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation
Natural Resources:
Abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc
