Part 464

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

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Kara-Daryya 132 m highest point : Jengish Chokusu 7,439 m

Natural resources: abundant hydroelectric potential; significant deposits of gold and rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 44% forests and woodland : 4% other: 45% (1993 est.) note : Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut forest

Irrigated land: 9,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: water pollution; many people get their water directly from contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne diseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty irrigation practices

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Hazardous Wastes signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: landlocked

@Kyrgyzstan:People

Population: 4,512,809 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 36% (male 829,888; female 812,056) 15-64 years: 58% (male 1,271,390; female 1,321,774) 65 years and over: 6% (male 101,616; female 176,085) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.05% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 22.27 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 8.59 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -13.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 73.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63.97 years male : 59.65 years female: 68.49 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.73 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Kyrgyzstani(s) adjective: Kyrgyzstani

Ethnic groups: Kirghiz 52.4%, Russian 18%, Uzbek 12.9%, Ukrainian 2.5%, German 2.4%, other 11.8%

Religions: Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

Languages: Kirghiz (Kyrgyz) - official language, Russian - official language note: in March 1996, the Kyrgyzstani legislature amended the constitution to make Russian an official language, along with Kirghiz, in territories and work places where Russian-speaking citizens predominate

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male : 99% female: 96% (1989 est.)

@Kyrgyzstan:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy local short form: none former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic