Part 410

Constitution: adopted 5 May 1993 note: amendment proposed by President AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 10 February 1996 significantly expands the powers of the president at the expense of the legislature

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October 1990) was elected for a five-year term by popular vote; elections last held 24 December 1995 (next to be held NA); results - Askar AKAYEV won election with 75% of vote with 86% of electorate voting; note - elections were held early which gave the two opposition candidates little time to campaign; AKAYEV may have orchestrated the "deregistration" of two other candidates, one of whom was a major rival head of government: Prime Minister Apas JUMAGULOV (since NA December 1993) was appointed by the president and reappointed February 1996 cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers was appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Supreme Council (Zhogorku Kenesh) Assembly of People's Representatives: elections last held 5 February 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (70 total) seats by party NA; note - not all the 70 seats were filled at the 5 February elections; as a result, run-off elections were held at later dates; the assembly meets twice yearly Legislative Assembly: elections last held 5 February 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (35 total) seats by party NA; note - not all the 35 seats were filled at the 5 February elections; as a result, run-off elections were held note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995 elections

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed for a 10-year term by the Zhogorku Kenesh on recommendation of the president; Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration

Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party (SDP); Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan (DDK), Jypar JEKSHEYEV, chairman; National Unity; Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan (PCK), Absamat MASALIYEV, chairman; Democratic Movement of Free Kyrgyzstan (ErK), Tursunbay Bakir UULU, chairman; Republican Popular Party of Kyrgyzstan; Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan; Atu Meken Party, Omurbek TEKEBAYEV; ASABA

Other political or pressure groups: National Unity Democratic Movement; Peasant Party; Council of Free Trade Unions; Union of Entrepreneurs; Agrarian Party

International organization participation: AsDB, CIS, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Acting Ambassador Almas CHUKIN chancery: (temporary) Suite 706, 1511 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: (202) 347-3732 FAX: (202) 347-3718

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Eileen A. MALLOY embassy: Erkindik Prospekt #66, Bishkek 720002 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: (3312) 22-29-20, 22-27-77, 22-26-31, 22-24-73 FAX: (3312) 22-35-51

Flag: red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40 Kirghiz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized representation of the roof of the traditional Kirghiz yurt

Economy -------

Economic overview: Kyrgyzstan is a small, poor, mountainous country with a predominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products and exports. Industrial exports included gold, mercury, uranium, and hydropower. Kyrgyzstan has been one of the most progressive countries of the former Soviet Union in carrying out market reforms. Following a successful stabilization program, which has lowered inflation from 88% in 1994 to 32% for 1995, attention is turning toward stimulating growth. About half of government stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production have been severe since the break up of the Soviet Union, but by mid-1995 production began to level off as exports began to increase. The level of hardship for pensioners, unemployed workers, and government workers with salaries arrears continues to be very high. Foreign assistance plays a substantial role in the country's budget. In early 1996, the economy apparently is slowly beginning to restore previous levels of output.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $5.4 billion (1995 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP real growth rate: -6% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $1,140 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 32% (1995 est.)

Labor force: 1.836 million by occupation: agriculture and forestry 38%, industry and construction 21%, other 41% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 4.8% includes officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of unregistered unemployed and underemployed workers (December 1995)

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

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

Industrial production growth rate: -12.5% (1995)

Electricity: capacity: 3,660,000 kW production: 12.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,500 kWh (1995 est.)

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

Illicit drugs: illicit cultivator of cannabis and opium poppy; mostly for CIS consumption; government eradication program; used as transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe and North America from Southwest Asia

Exports: $380 million (1995) commodities: cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, hydropower; machinery; shoes partners: Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakstan, Turkey, Cuba, and Germany