Kyrgyzstan vs. Uzbekistan
Introduction
| Kyrgyzstan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions, most of the territory of the present-day Kyrgyz Republic was formally annexed to the Russian Empire in 1876. The Kyrgyz staged a major revolt against the Tsarist Empire in 1916 in which almost one-sixth of the Kyrgyz population was killed. The Kyrgyz Republic became a Soviet republic in 1936 and achieved independence in 1991 when the USSR dissolved. Nationwide demonstrations in 2005 and 2010 resulted in the ouster of the country's first two presidents, Askar AKAEV and Kurmanbek BAKIEV. Interim President Roza OTUNBAEVA led a transitional government and following a nation-wide election, President Almazbek ATAMBAEV was sworn in as president in 2011. In 2017, ATAMBAEV became the first Kyrgyzstani president to step down after serving one full six-year term as required in the country's constitution. Former prime minister and ruling Social-Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan member Sooronbay JEENBEKOV replaced him after winning an October 2017 presidential election that was the most competitive in the country's history, although international and local election observers noted cases of vote buying and abuse of public resources. The president holds substantial powers as head of state even though the prime minister oversees the Kyrgyzstani Government and selects most cabinet members. The president represents the country internationally and can sign or veto laws, call for new elections, and nominate Supreme Court judges, cabinet members for posts related to security or defense, and numerous other high-level positions. Continuing concerns for the Kyrgyz Republic include the trajectory of democratization, endemic corruption, a history of tense, and at times violent, interethnic relations, border security vulnerabilities, and potential terrorist threats. | Uzbekistan is the geographic and population center of Central Asia. The country has a diverse economy and a relatively young population. Russia conquered and united the disparate territories of present-day Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after the Bolshevik Revolution was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic established in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to the overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, leaving the land degraded and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half-dry. Independent since the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, the country has diversified agricultural production while developing its mineral and petroleum export capacity and increasing its manufacturing base, although cotton remains a major part of its economy. Uzbekistan's first president, Islam KARIMOV, led Uzbekistan for 25 years until his death in September 2016. His successor, former Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV, has improved relations with Uzbekistan's neighbors and introduced wide-ranging economic, judicial, and social reforms. |
Geography
| Kyrgyzstan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Central Asia, west of China, south of Kazakhstan | Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan, south of Kazakhstan |
| Geographic coordinates | 41 00 N, 75 00 E | 41 00 N, 64 00 E |
| Map references | Asia | Asia |
| Area | total: 199,951 sq km land: 191,801 sq km water: 8,150 sq km | total: 447,400 sq km land: 425,400 sq km water: 22,000 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly smaller than South Dakota | about four times the size of Virginia; slightly larger than California |
| Land boundaries | total: 4,573 km border countries (4): China 1063 km, Kazakhstan 1212 km, Tajikistan 984 km, Uzbekistan 1314 km | total: 6,893 km border countries (5): Afghanistan 144 km, Kazakhstan 2330 km, Kyrgyzstan 1314 km, Tajikistan 1312 km, Turkmenistan 1793 km |
| Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline |
| Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | none (doubly landlocked) |
| Climate | dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan Mountains; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone | mostly mid-latitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east |
| Terrain | peaks of the Tien Shan mountain range and associated valleys and basins encompass the entire country | mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m mean elevation: 2,988 m | highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m lowest point: Sariqamish Kuli -12 m |
| Natural resources | abundant hydropower; gold, rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc | natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum |
| Land use | agricultural land: 55.4% (2018 est.) arable land: 6.7% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 48.3% (2018 est.) forest: 5.1% (2018 est.) other: 39.5% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 62.6% (2018 est.) arable land: 10.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 51.7% (2018 est.) forest: 7.7% (2018 est.) other: 29.7% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 10,233 sq km (2012) | 42,150 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | major flooding during snow melt; prone to earthquakes | earthquakes; floods; landslides or mudslides; avalanches; droughts |
| 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; air pollution due to rapid increase of traffic | shrinkage of the Aral Sea has resulted in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification and respiratory health problems; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including DDT |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note | landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; 94% of the country is 1,000 m above sea level with an average elevation of 2,750 m; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes | along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world |
| Total renewable water resources | 23.618 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 48.87 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | the vast majority of Kyrgyzstanis live in rural areas; densest population settlement is to the north in and around the capital, Bishkek, followed by Osh in the west; the least densely populated area is the east, southeast in the Tien Shan mountains | most of the population is concentrated in the fertile Fergana Valley in the easternmost arm of the country; the south has significant clusters of people, while the central and western deserts are sparsely populated |
Demographics
| Kyrgyzstan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,018,789 (July 2021 est.) | 30,842,796 (July 2021 est.) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 30.39% (male 930,455/female 882,137) 15-24 years: 15.7% (male 475,915/female 460,604) 25-54 years: 40.02% (male 1,172,719/female 1,214,624) 55-64 years: 8.09% (male 210,994/female 271,480) 65 years and over: 5.8% (male 132,134/female 213,835) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 23.19% (male 3,631,693/female 3,456,750) 15-24 years: 16.63% (male 2,601,803/female 2,481,826) 25-54 years: 45.68% (male 6,955,260/female 7,006,172) 55-64 years: 8.63% (male 1,245,035/female 1,392,263) 65 years and over: 5.87% (male 768,769/female 1,025,840) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 27.3 years male: 26.1 years female: 28.5 years (2020 est.) | total: 30.1 years male: 29.4 years female: 30.7 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 0.9% (2021 est.) | 0.86% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 20.06 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 15.85 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 6.18 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 5.4 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -4.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | -1.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.78 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 26.26 deaths/1,000 live births male: 30.49 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 19.42 deaths/1,000 live births male: 23.13 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 72.07 years male: 67.97 years female: 76.45 years (2021 est.) | total population: 75.03 years male: 71.98 years female: 78.25 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 2.52 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 1.73 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.2% (2020 est.) | 0.2% (2020 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Kyrgyzstani(s) adjective: Kyrgyzstani | noun: Uzbekistani adjective: Uzbekistani |
| Ethnic groups | Kyrgyz 73.5%, Uzbek 14.7%, Russian 5.5%, Dungan 1.1%, other 5.2% (includes Uyghur, Tajik, Turk, Kazakh, Tatar, Ukrainian, Korean, German) (2019 est.) | Uzbek 83.8%, Tajik 4.8%, Kazakh 2.5%, Russian 2.3%, Karakalpak 2.2%, Tatar 1.5%, other 4.4% (2017 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 9,200 (2020 est.) | 58,000 (2020 est.) |
| Religions | Muslim 90% (majority Sunni), Christian 7% (Russian Orthodox 3%), other 3% (includes Jewish, Buddhist, Baha'i) (2017 est.) | Muslim 88% (mostly Sunni), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3% |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | <100 (2020 est.) | <1,000 (2020 est.) |
| Languages | Kyrgyz (official) 71.4%, Uzbek 14.4%, Russian (official) 9%, other 5.2% (2009 est.) | Uzbek (official) 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1% major-language sample(s): Jahon faktlari kitobi, asosiy ma'lumotlar uchun zaruriy manba. (Uzbek) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: in the autonomous Karakalpakstan Republic, both the Karakalpak language and Uzbek have official status |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.7% female: 99.5% (2018) | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2016) |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2019) | total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 12 years (2019) |
| Education expenditures | 6% of GDP (2017) | 5.3% of GDP (2017) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 37.1% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 2.05% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 50.4% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 1.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 97.1% of population rural: 84.4% of population total: 89.3% of population unimproved: urban: 2.9% of population rural: 15.6% of population total: 10.7% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 96.1% of population total: 97.8% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 3.9% of population total: 2.2% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 99.6% of population rural: 100% of population total: 99.3% of population unimproved: urban: 0.4% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0.1% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 1.060 million BISHKEK (capital) (2021) | 2.545 million TASHKENT (capital) (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 60 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 29 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 1.8% (2018) | 2.9% (2017) |
| Health expenditures | 6.5% (2018) | 5.3% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 2.21 physicians/1,000 population (2014) | 2.37 physicians/1,000 population (2014) |
| Hospital bed density | 4.4 beds/1,000 population (2014) | 4 beds/1,000 population (2014) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 16.6% (2016) | 16.6% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 22.6 years (2019 est.) | 23.7 years (2019 est.) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 59.7 youth dependency ratio: 52.1 elderly dependency ratio: 7.5 potential support ratio: 13.2 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 50.6 youth dependency ratio: 43.4 elderly dependency ratio: 7.2 potential support ratio: 13.9 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Kyrgyzstan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy local short form: Kyrgyzstan former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: a combination of the Turkic words "kyrg" (forty) and "-yz" (tribes) with the Persian suffix "-stan" (country) creating the meaning "Land of the Forty Tribes"; the name refers to the 40 clans united by the legendary Kyrgyz hero, MANAS | conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan conventional short form: Uzbekistan local long form: O'zbekiston Respublikasi local short form: O'zbekiston former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: a combination of the Turkic words "uz" (self) and "bek" (master) with the Persian suffix "-stan" (country) to give the meaning "Land of the Free" |
| Government type | parliamentary republic | presidential republic; highly authoritarian |
| Capital | name: Bishkek geographic coordinates: 42 52 N, 74 36 E time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: founded in 1868 as a Russian settlement on the site of a previously destroyed fortress named "Pishpek"; the name was retained and overtime became "Bishkek" | name: Tashkent (Toshkent) geographic coordinates: 41 19 N, 69 15 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: "tash" means "stone" and "kent" means "city" in Turkic languages, so the name simply denotes "stone city" |
| Administrative divisions | 7 provinces (oblustar, singular - oblus) and 2 cities* (shaarlar, singular - shaar); Batken Oblusu, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblusu (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad Oblusu, Naryn Oblusu, Osh Oblusu, Osh Shaary*, Talas Oblusu, Ysyk-Kol Oblusu (Karakol) note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) | 12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (avtonom respublikasi), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati [Bukhara Province], Farg'ona Viloyati [Fergana Province], Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi), Qoraqalpog'iston Respublikasi [Karakalpakstan Republic]* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati [Samarkand Province], Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri [Tashkent City]**, Toshkent Viloyati [Tashkent Province], Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch) note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) |
| Independence | 31 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union) | 1 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union) |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 31 August (1991) | Independence Day, 1 September (1991) |
| Constitution | history: previous 1993; latest adopted by referendum 27 June 2010, effective 2 July 2010; note - constitutional amendments that bolstered some presidential powers and transferred others from the president to the prime minister were passed in late 2017 amendments: proposed as a draft law by the majority of the Supreme Council membership or by petition of 300,000 voters; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Council membership in each of at least three readings of the draft two months apart; the draft may be submitted to a referendum if approved by two thirds of the Council membership; adoption requires the signature of the president; amended 2017, 2021; note - among the changes included in the 2021 amendment are the reduction of the Supreme Council membership to 90 seats from 120 and the establishment of the People's Kurultai (Assembly), described as "a consultative and coordinating organ" | history: several previous; latest adopted 8 December 1992 amendments: proposed by the Supreme Assembly or by referendum; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of both houses of the Assembly or passage in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2017 |
| Legal system | civil law system, which includes features of French civil law and Russian Federation laws | civil law system; note - in early 2020, the president signed an amendment to the criminal code, criminal procedure code, and code of administrative responsibility |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Sadyr JAPAROV (since 28 January 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Ulukbek MARIPOV (since 3 February 2021) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president upon approval by the Supreme Council; defense and security committee chairs appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 6-year term; election last held on 10 January 2021 (next to be held in 2027); prime minister nominated by the majority party or majority coalition in the Supreme Council, appointed by the president upon approval by the Supreme Council election results: Sadyr JAPAROV elected president in first round; percent of vote - Sadyr JAPAROV 79.5%, Adakhan MADUMAROV 6.5%, other 14% | chief of state: President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (interim president from 8 September 2016; formally elected president on 4 December 2016 to succeed longtime President Islom KARIMOV, who died on 2 September 2016) head of government: Prime Minister Abdulla ARIPOV (since 14 December 2016); First Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Transport Achilbay RAMATOV (since 15 December 2016) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with most requiring approval of the Senate chamber of the Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis) elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term; previously a 5-year term, extended by a 2002 constitutional amendment to 7 years, and reverted to 5 years in 2011); election last held on 4 December 2016 (next to be held in 2021); prime minister nominated by majority party in legislature since 2011, but appointed along with the ministers and deputy ministers by the president election results: Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV elected president in first round; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 88.6%, Hotamjon KETMONOV (NDP) 3.7%, Narimon UMAROV (Adolat) 3.5%, Sarvar OTAMURODOV (Milliy Tiklanish/National Revival) 2.4%, other 1.8% |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral Supreme Council or Jogorku Kengesh (120 seats; parties directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed party-list proportional representation vote; members selected from party lists; winning parties limited to no more than 65 seats; members serve 5-year terms) elections: last held on 4 October 2020 (next to be held NA); note - the results of the 2020 election were annulled on 6 October 2020 following mass protests election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA | description: bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of: Senate or Senat (100 seats; 84 members indirectly elected by regional governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) Legislative Chamber or Qonunchilik Palatasi (150 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 5-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 16-17 January 2020 (next to be held in 2025) Legislative Chamber - last held on 22 December 2019 and 5 January 2020 (next to be held in December 2024) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 77, women 23, percent of women 23% Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDPU 53, National Revival Democratic Party 36, Adolat 24, PDP 22, Ecological Movement 15; composition - men 83, women, 17, percent of women 17% note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 25 judges); Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (consists of the chairperson, deputy chairperson, and 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president; Supreme Court judges serve for 10 years, Constitutional Court judges serve for 15 years; mandatory retirement at age 70 for judges of both courts subordinate courts: Higher Court of Arbitration; oblast (provincial) and city courts | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 67 judges organized into administrative, civil, criminal, and economic sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: judges of the highest courts nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate of the Oliy Majlis; judges appointed for initial 5-year term and can be reappointed for subsequent 10-year and lifetime terms subordinate courts: regional, district, city, and town courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Ata-Meken (Fatherland) [Almambet SHYKMAMATOV] Bir Bol (Stay United) [Altynbek SULAYMANOV] Kyrgyzstan Party [Almazbek BAATYRBEKOV] Onuguu-Progress (Development-Progress) [Bakyt TOROBAEV] Respublika-Ata-Jurt (Republic-Homeland) [Jyrgalbek TURUSKULOV] (parliamentary faction) Social-Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan or SDPK [Almazbek ATAMBAEV, Isa OMURKULOV] | Ecological Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Ekologik Partivasi) [Boriy ALIKHANOV] Justice (Adolat) Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan [Narimon UMAROV] Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Liberal-Demokratik Partiyasi) or LDPU [Aktam HAITOV] National Revival Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Milliy Tiklanish Demokratik Partiyasi) [Sarvar OTAMURATOV] People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (Xalq Demokratik Partiyas) or PDP [Hotamjon KETMONOV] (formerly Communist Party) |
| International organization participation | ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EITI (compliant country), FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | ADB, CICA, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Baktybek AMANBAYEV (since 7 July 2021) chancery: 2360 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 449-9822 FAX: [1] (202) 449-8275 email address and website: kgembassy.usa@mfa.gov.kg; kgconsulate.washington@mfa.gov.kg https://mfa.gov.kg/en/dm/-Embassy-of-the-Kyrgyz-Republic-in-the-USA-and-Canada honorary consulate(s): Maple Valley (WA) | chief of mission: Ambassador Javlon VAKHABOV (since 29 November 2017) chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300 FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804 email address and website: info.washington@mfa.uz https://www.uzbekistan.org/ consulate(s) general: New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Alan MELTZER (July 2021) embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016 mailing address: 7040 Bishkek Place, Washington DC 20521-7040 telephone: [996] (312) 597-000 FAX: [996] (312) 597-744 email address and website: ConsularBishkek@state.gov https://kg.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel ROSENBLUM (since 24 May 2019) embassy: 3 Moyqorghon, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, 100093 Tashkent mailing address: 7110 Tashkent Place, Washington DC 20521-7110 telephone: [998] 78-120-5450 FAX: [998] 78-120-6335 email address and website: ACSTashkent@state.gov https://uz.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40 Kyrgyz 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 a "tunduk" - the crown of a traditional Kyrgyz yurt; red symbolizes bravery and valor, the sun evinces peace and wealth | three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a vertical, white crescent moon (closed side to the hoist) and 12 white, five-pointed stars shifted to the hoist on the top band; blue is the color of the Turkic peoples and of the sky, white signifies peace and the striving for purity in thoughts and deeds, while green represents nature and is the color of Islam; the red stripes are the vital force of all living organisms that links good and pure ideas with the eternal sky and with deeds on earth; the crescent represents Islam and the 12 stars the months and constellations of the Uzbek calendar |
| National anthem | name: "Kyrgyz Respublikasynyn Mamlekettik Gimni" (National Anthem of the Kyrgyz Republic) lyrics/music: Djamil SADYKOV and Eshmambet KULUEV/Nasyr DAVLESOV and Kalyi MOLDOBASANOV note: adopted 1992 | name: "O'zbekiston Respublikasining Davlat Madhiyasi" (National Anthem of the Republic of Uzbekistan) lyrics/music: Abdulla ARIPOV/Mutal BURHANOV note: adopted 1992; after the fall of the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan kept the music of the anthem from its time as a Soviet Republic but adopted new lyrics |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| National symbol(s) | white falcon; national colors: red, yellow | khumo (mythical bird); national colors: blue, white, red, green |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kyrgyzstan dual citizenship recognized: yes, but only if a mutual treaty on dual citizenship is in force residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Uzbekistan dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
Economy
| Kyrgyzstan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked, mountainous, lower middle income country with an economy dominated by minerals extraction, agriculture, and reliance on remittances from citizens working abroad. Cotton, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products, although only cotton is exported in any quantity. Other exports include gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, and - in some years - electricity. The country has sought to attract foreign investment to expand its export base, including construction of hydroelectric dams, but a difficult investment climate and an ongoing legal battle with a Canadian firm over the joint ownership structure of the nation's largest gold mine deter potential investors. Remittances from Kyrgyz migrant workers, predominantly in Russia and Kazakhstan, are equivalent to more than one-quarter of Kyrgyzstan's GDP. Following independence, Kyrgyzstan rapidly implemented market reforms, such as improving the regulatory system and instituting land reform. In 1998, Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth of Independent States country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. The government has privatized much of its ownership shares in public enterprises. Despite these reforms, the country suffered a severe drop in production in the early 1990s and has again faced slow growth in recent years as the global financial crisis and declining oil prices have dampened economies across Central Asia. The Kyrgyz government remains dependent on foreign donor support to finance its annual budget deficit of approximately 3 to 5% of GDP. Kyrgyz leaders hope the country's August 2015 accession to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will bolster trade and investment, but slowing economies in Russia and China and low commodity prices continue to hamper economic growth. Large-scale trade and investment pledged by Kyrgyz leaders has been slow to develop. Many Kyrgyz entrepreneurs and politicians complain that non-tariff measures imposed by other EAEU member states are hurting certain sectors of the Kyrgyz economy, such as meat and dairy production, in which they have comparative advantage. Since acceding to the EAEU, the Kyrgyz Republic has continued harmonizing its laws and regulations to meet EAEU standards, though many local entrepreneurs believe this process as disjointed and incomplete. Kyrgyzstan's economic development continues to be hampered by corruption, lack of administrative transparency, lack of diversity in domestic industries, and difficulty attracting foreign aid and investment. | Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in which 51% of the population lives in urban settlements; the agriculture-rich Fergana Valley, in which Uzbekistan's eastern borders are situated, has been counted among the most densely populated parts of Central Asia. Since its independence in September 1991, the government has largely maintained its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production, prices, and access to foreign currency. Despite ongoing efforts to diversify crops, Uzbek agriculture remains largely centered on cotton; Uzbekistan is the world's fifth-largest cotton exporter and seventh-largest producer. Uzbekistan's growth has been driven primarily by state-led investments, and export of natural gas, gold, and cotton provides a significant share of foreign exchange earnings. Recently, lower global commodity prices and economic slowdowns in neighboring Russia and China have hurt Uzbekistan's trade and investment and worsened its foreign currency shortage. Aware of the need to improve the investment climate, the government is taking incremental steps to reform the business sector and address impediments to foreign investment in the country. Since the death of first President Islam KARIMOV and election of President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV, emphasis on such initiatives and government efforts to improve the private sector have increased. In the past, Uzbek authorities accused US and other foreign companies operating in Uzbekistan of violating Uzbek laws and have frozen and seized their assets. As a part of its economic reform efforts, the Uzbek Government is looking to expand opportunities for small and medium enterprises and prioritizes increasing foreign direct investment. In September 2017, the government devalued the official currency rate by almost 50% and announced the loosening of currency restrictions to eliminate the currency black market, increase access to hard currency, and boost investment. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $33.918 billion (2019 est.) $32.455 billion (2018 est.) $31.28 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $235.021 billion (2019 est.) $222.634 billion (2018 est.) $211.134 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 4.6% (2017 est.) 4.3% (2016 est.) 3.9% (2015 est.) | 5.3% (2017 est.) 7.8% (2016 est.) 7.9% (2015 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $5,253 (2019 est.) $5,133 (2018 est.) $5,047 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $6,999 (2019 est.) $6,755 (2018 est.) $6,519 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 14.6% (2017 est.) industry: 31.2% (2017 est.) services: 54.2% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 17.9% (2017 est.) industry: 33.7% (2017 est.) services: 48.5% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 20.1% (2019 est.) | 14.1% (2013 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 4.4% highest 10%: 22.9% (2014 est.) | lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 29.6% (2003) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.1% (2019 est.) 1.5% (2018 est.) 3.1% (2017 est.) | 12.5% (2017 est.) 8% (2016 est.) note: official data; based on independent analysis of consumer prices, inflation reached 22% in 2012 |
| Labor force | 2.841 million (2017 est.) | 13.273 million (2018 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 48% industry: 12.5% services: 39.5% (2005 est.) | agriculture: 25.9% industry: 13.2% services: 60.9% (2012 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 3.18% (2019 est.) 2.59% (2018 est.) | 5% (2017 est.) 5.1% (2016 est.) note: official data; another 20% are underemployed |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 27.7 (2018 est.) 29 (2001) | 36.8 (2003) 44.7 (1998) |
| Budget | revenues: 2.169 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 2.409 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 15.22 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 15.08 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, lumber, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals | textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, mining, hydrocarbon extraction, chemicals |
| Industrial production growth rate | 10.9% (2017 est.) | 4.5% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | milk, potatoes, sugar beet, maize, wheat, barley, tomatoes, watermelons, onions, carrots/turnips | milk, wheat, potatoes, carrots/turnips, cotton, tomatoes, vegetables, grapes, onions, watermelons |
| Exports | $2.742 billion (2019 est.) $2.288 billion (2018 est.) $2.352 billion (2017 est.) | $11.48 billion (2017 est.) $11.2 billion (2016 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | gold, precious metals, various beans, refined petroleum, scrap copper (2019) | gold, natural gas, cotton fibers, copper, ethylene polymers (2019) |
| Exports - partners | United Kingdom 56%, Kazakhstan 13%, Russia 13%, Uzbekistan 5% (2019) | Switzerland 19%, United Kingdom 17%, Russia 15%, China 14%, Kazakhstan 9%, Turkey 8%, Kyrgyzstan 5% (2019) |
| Imports | $5.477 billion (2019 est.) $5.32 billion (2018 est.) $4.953 billion (2017 est.) | $11.42 billion (2017 est.) $10.92 billion (2016 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | refined petroleum, footwear, clothing and apparel, broadcasting equipment, walnuts (2019) | cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, refined petroleum, aircraft, construction vehicles (2019) |
| Imports - partners | China 53%, Russia 17%, Kazakhstan 7%, Uzbekistan 7%, Turkey 5% (2019) | China 23%, Russia 18%, South Korea 11%, Kazakhstan 9%, Turkey 6%, Germany 5% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $8.372 billion (2019 est.) $8.066 billion (2018 est.) | $16.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $16.76 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Exchange rates | soms (KGS) per US dollar - 68.35 (2017 est.) 69.914 (2016 est.) 69.914 (2015 est.) 64.462 (2014 est.) 53.654 (2013 est.) | Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar - 3,906.1 (2017 est.) 2,966.6 (2016 est.) 2,966.6 (2015 est.) 2,569.6 (2014 est.) 2,311.4 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Public debt | 56% of GDP (2017 est.) 55.9% of GDP (2016 est.) | 24.3% of GDP (2017 est.) 10.5% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $2.177 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $1.97 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $16 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $14 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | -$306 million (2017 est.) -$792 million (2016 est.) | $1.713 billion (2017 est.) $384 million (2016 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $8.442 billion (2019 est.) | $57.789 billion (2019 est.) |
| Credit ratings | Moody's rating: B2 (2015) Standard & Poors rating: NR (2016) | Fitch rating: BB- (2018) Moody's rating: B1 (2019) Standard & Poors rating: BB- (2018) |
| Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 67.8 (2020) Starting a Business score: 93 (2020) Trading score: 74.7 (2020) Enforcement score: 50.4 (2020) | Overall score: 69.9 (2020) Starting a Business score: 96.2 (2020) Trading score: 58.2 (2020) Enforcement score: 71.9 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 28.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 31.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -3.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 85.4% (2017 est.) government consumption: 18.9% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 33.2% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 1.8% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 39.7% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -79% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 59.5% (2017 est.) government consumption: 16.3% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 25.3% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 3% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 19% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -20% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 19.5% of GDP (2019 est.) 26.6% of GDP (2018 est.) 26.7% of GDP (2017 est.) | 40.1% of GDP (2019 est.) 41.3% of GDP (2018 est.) 36.3% of GDP (2017 est.) |
Energy
| Kyrgyzstan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 13.04 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 55.55 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 10.52 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 49.07 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 184 million kWh (2015 est.) | 13 billion kWh (2014 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 331 million kWh (2016 est.) | 10.84 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 1,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 41,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 4,480 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 420 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 27,000 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 40 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 594 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) | 1.841 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 28.32 million cu m (2017 est.) | 52.1 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 186.9 million cu m (2017 est.) | 43.07 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 9.401 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 169.9 million cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 4.046 million kW (2016 est.) | 12.96 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 24% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 86% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 76% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 6,996 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 61,740 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 37,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) | 60,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 2,290 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 3,977 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 34,280 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) |
Telecommunications
| Kyrgyzstan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 298,855 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5.06 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 3,553,310 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11.73 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 8,622,565 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 145.98 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 33.38 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110.15 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .kg | .uz |
| Internet users | total: 2,222,732 percent of population: 38% (July 2018 est.) | total: 15,705,402 percent of population: 52.31% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: fixed-line declining as 4G LTE mobile is universally available; brief interruptions of service with security as pretext; ICT sector rocked by allegation of corruption in 2020; digital radio-relay stations and fiber-optic links; 5G in development; importer of broadcasting equipment from UAE and computers from China; Chinese Economic Corridor investment into domestic backbone; World Bank investment into digital infrastructure with aims to provide broadband Internet to 60% of the population; social disparity evident in pandemic as many school children could not attend classes on-line (2021) (2020 )domestic: fixed-line penetration 5 per 100 persons remains low and concentrated in urban areas; mobile-cellular subscribership up to over 134 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 996; connections with other CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States, 9 members post-Soviet Republics in EU) countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intersputnik, 1 Intelsat) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: land-locked, authoritarian state with government grip on ICT technology and no integrated plan; government plans to develop infrastructure to improve geographical disparities in service; increased investment in infrastructure, with aims of expanding subscriber base and rising revenue; some villages have no connectivity, and 70% have 2G with development of 3G and 4G; free WiFi spots across country to boost tourism; Russian operator invested in joint venture on mobile services; government in discussion with Huawei on additional ventures; digital exchanges in large cities and some rural areas; fixed-line is underdeveloped due to preeminence of mobile market; introduction of prepaid Internet has contributed to home Internet usage; consumers largely reliant on terrestrial links and VSAT networks; media controlled by state; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2021) (2020) domestic: fixed-line 11 per 100 person and mobile-cellular 101 per 100; the state-owned telecommunications company, Uzbek Telecom, owner of the fixed-line telecommunications system, has used loans from the Japanese government and the China Development Bank to upgrade fixed-line services including conversion to digital exchanges; mobile-cellular services are provided by 2 private and 3 state-owned operators with a total subscriber base of 22.8 million as of January 2018 (2019) international: country code - 998; linked by fiber-optic cable or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; the country also has a link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; Uzbekistan has supported the national fiber-optic backbone project of Afghanistan since 2008 note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 269,091 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4.56 (2019 est.) | total: 4,597,265 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15.17 (2019 est.) |
| Broadcast media | state-funded public TV broadcaster KTRK has nationwide coverage; also operates Ala-Too 24 news channel which broadcasts 24/7 and 4 other educational, cultural, and sports channels; ELTR and Channel 5 are state-owned stations with national reach; the switchover to digital TV in 2017 resulted in private TV station growth; approximately 20 stations are struggling to increase their own content up to 50% of airtime, as required by law, instead of rebroadcasting primarily programs from Russian channels or airing unlicensed movies and music; 3 Russian TV stations also broadcast; state-funded radio stations and about 10 significant private radio stations also exist (2019) | the government controls media; 17 state-owned broadcasters - 13 TV and 4 radio - provide service to virtually the entire country; about 20 privately owned TV stations, overseen by local officials, broadcast to local markets; privately owned TV stations are required to lease transmitters from the government-owned Republic TV and Radio Industry Corporation; in 2019, the Uzbek Agency for Press and Information was reorganized into the Agency of Information and Mass Communications and became part of the Uzbek Presidential Administration with recent appointment of the Uzbek President's elder daughter as it deputy director (2019) |
Transportation
| Kyrgyzstan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 424 km (2018) broad gauge: 424 km 1.520-m gauge (2018) | total: 4,642 km (2018) broad gauge: 4,642 km 1.520-m gauge (1,684 km electrified) (2018) |
| Roadways | total: 34,000 km (2018) | total: 86,496 km (2000) paved: 75,511 km (2000) unpaved: 10,985 km (2000) |
| Waterways | 600 km (2010) | 1,100 km (2012) |
| Pipelines | 3566 km gas (2018), 16 km oil (2013) | 13,700 km gas, 944 km oil (2016) |
| Ports and terminals | lake port(s): Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)(Lake Ysyk-Kol) | river port(s): Termiz (Amu Darya) |
| Airports | total: 28 (2013) | total: 53 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 18 (2017) over 3,047 m: 1 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 (2017) under 914 m: 3 (2017) | total: 33 (2013) over 3,047 m: 6 (2013) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2013) under 914 m: 4 (2013) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 10 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013) under 914 m: 8 (2013) | total: 20 (2013) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2013) under 914 m: 18 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 5 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 17 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 709,198 (2018) | number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 34 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 3,056,558 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 89.43 million mt-km (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | EX | UK |
Military
| Kyrgyzstan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Kyrgyz Armed Forces: Land Forces, Air Defense Forces, National Guard; State Border Service; Internal Troops (2021) | Armed Forces of Uzbekistan: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces; National Guard; Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Security Troops (2021) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary male military service in the Armed Forces or Interior Ministry; 1-year service obligation (9 months for university graduates), with optional fee-based 3-year service in the call-up mobilization reserve; women may volunteer at age 19; 16-17 years of age for military cadets, who cannot take part in military operations (2019) | 18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; 1-year conscript service obligation for males (conscripts have the option of paying for a shorter service of one month while remaining in the reserves until the age of 27); Uzbek citizens who have completed their service terms in the armed forces have privileges in employment and admission to higher educational institutions (2019) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.5% of GDP (2019) 1.6% of GDP (2018) 1.6% of GDP (2017) 1.7% of GDP (2016) 1.8% of GDP (2015) | 4% of GDP (2018) 3.5% of GDP (2010) |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | the Kyrgyz Armed Forces have approximately 12,000 active duty troops (8,500 Land Forces; 2,500 Air Force/Air Defense; 1,000 National Guard) (2021) | information varies; approximately 50-60,000 total active troops (2021) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the Kyrgyz Armed Forces' inventory is comprised of older Russian and Soviet-era equipment; Kyrgyzstan relies on donations of military equipment, which come mostly from Russia under a 2013 agreement between Bishkek and Moscow (2020) | the Uzbek Armed Forces use mainly Soviet-era equipment, although since 2010 they have received weapons and aircraft from a variety of sources, including China, France, Russia, Spain, Turkey, and the US (2020) |
Transnational Issues
| Kyrgyzstan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with Tajikistan; delimitation of approximately 15% or 200 km of border with Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes over enclaves and other areas | prolonged drought and cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan created water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2004; border delimitation of 130 km of border with Kyrgyzstan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other areas |
| Illicit drugs | limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy for CIS markets; limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of Europe; major consumer of opiates | transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for domestic consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by government crop eradication program; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | stateless persons: 18 (2020) | stateless persons: 69,791 (2020) |
| Trafficking in persons | current situation: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Kyrgyzstan and Kyrgyzstanis abroad; Kyrgyz men, women, and children are exploited in forced labor in Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey and other European countries specifically in agriculture, construction, textiles, domestic service, and childcare; sex traffickers exploit Kyrgyz women and girls domestically and in India, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates; problems with police misconduct and corruption include allegations that police threaten and extort sex trafficking victims and accept bribes from alleged traffickers to drop cases; street children who beg or do domestic work are vulnerable to traffickers tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Kyrgyzstan does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the government adopted a National Referral Mechanism (NRM) that established formal policies on victim identification and the provision of social services; the government established an interagency focus group to accelerate implementation of the NRM and improve law enforcement investigations; authorities increased investigations but did not prosecute or convict any traffickers; the government conducted limited training on the NRM; some officials reportedly dropped charges or tipped off suspects and allowed victims to be pressured or paid to drop charges against alleged traffickers; the government's written plan, if implemented, would meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, Kyrgyzstan was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 (2020) | current situation: Uzbekistan is a source country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking; adults are victims of government-organized forced labor during Uzbekistan's annual cotton harvest; local officials in some instances force teachers, students (including children), private businesses employees, and others to work in construction and other forms of non-cotton agriculture and to clean parks, streets, and buildings; traffickers exploit Uzbek women and children in sex trafficking in the Middle East, Eurasia, and Asia, and internally in brothels, clubs, and private residences; traffickers subject Uzbek men, and to a lesser extent women, to forced labor in Kazakhstan, Russia, Moldova, Turkey, and in other Asian, Middle Eastern, and European countries in the construction, oil and gas, agricultural, retail, and food sectors tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Uzbekistan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; government efforts included addressing the use of forced adult labor during the cotton harvest by increasing pay to laborers and improving working conditions for voluntary workers and ceasing the forced use of students, teachers, and health care workers; third-party monitors were allowed access to the harvest to view changes; the government created a National Commission on Trafficking chaired by the regional governor in every area of the country; however, reports continued of corrupt officials requiring public sector employees to pick cotton or pay for a replacement worker with extorted penalties paid to them; fewer cases of traffickers were investigated and prosecuted, fewer victims of trafficking were identified, and fewer convictions carried a prison sentence; authorities conducted no investigations against corrupt officials extorting money during the cotton harvest (2020) |
Environment
| Kyrgyzstan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 18.12 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 9.79 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 4.47 megatons (2020 est.) | particulate matter emissions: 25.29 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 91.81 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 96.16 megatons (2020 est.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 224 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 336 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 7.1 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 2.41 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 2.13 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 54.36 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 0.01% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0.21% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0.06% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 1,113,300 tons (2015 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 4 million tons (2016 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
