British Virgin Islands (2002) | Kyrgyzstan (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 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) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 22.4% (male 2,401; female 2,351)
15-64 years: 72.7% (male 7,962; female 7,509) 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 565; female 484) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 32.3% (male 835,599; female 804,384)
15-64 years: 61.6% (male 1,535,447; female 1,594,972) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 120,555; female 190,472) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish | tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool |
Airports | 3 (2001) | 61 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 17
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 44
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 37 (2003 est.) |
Area | total: 153 sq km
land: 153 sq km water: 0 sq km note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the island of Anegada |
total: 198,500 sq km
land: 191,300 sq km water: 7,200 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than South Dakota |
Background | First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were annexed in 1672 by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency. | A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1864; it achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Current concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises, expansion of democracy and political freedoms, interethnic relations, and combating terrorism. |
Birth rate | 15.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 22.13 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $121.5 million
expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
revenues: $371.5 million
expenditures: $387.1 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.) |
Capital | Road Town | Bishkek |
Climate | subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds | dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone |
Coastline | 80 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 1 June 1977 | adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by President AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 2 February 2003 significantly expands the powers of the president at the expense of the legislature |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI |
conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic
conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy local short form: none former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic |
Currency | US dollar (USD) | Kyrgyzstani som (KGS) |
Death rate | 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 7.19 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $36.1 million (1997) | $1.5 billion (2002 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen M. YOUNG
embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217 FAX: [996] (312) 551-264 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission: Ambassador Bakyt ABDRISAYEV
chancery: 1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 338-5141 FAX: [1] (202) 338-5139 consulate(s): New York |
Disputes - international | none | boundary with China is fully demarcated; delimitation with Kazakhstan is largely complete with only minor disputed areas; disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with Tajikistan; delimitation is underway with Uzbekistan but serious disputes around enclaves and elsewhere continue to mar progress for some 130 km of border |
Economic aid - recipient | NA | $50 million from the US (2001) |
Economy - overview | The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1998. In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, is expected to make the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as its currency since 1959. | Kyrgyzstan is a poor, mountainous country with a predominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton are exported in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold, mercury, uranium, and natural gas and electricity. Kyrgyzstan has been fairly progressive in carrying out market reforms, such as an improved regulatory system and land reform. Kyrgyzstan was the first CIS country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. With fits and starts, inflation has been lowered to an estimated 7% in 2001, 2.1% in 2002, and 4.0% in 2003. Much of the government's stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had been severe after the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but by mid-1995 production began to recover and exports began to increase. Kyrgyzstan has distinguished itself by adopting relatively liberal economic policies. The drop in output at the Kumtor gold mine sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002, but GDP growth bounced back to 6% in 2003. The government has made steady strides in controlling its substantial fiscal deficit and aims to reduce the deficit to 4.4 percent of GDP in 2004. The government and the international financial institutions have been engaged in a comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth strategy. Further restructuring of domestic industry and success in attracting foreign investment are keys to future growth. |
Electricity - consumption | 39.1 million kWh (1999) | 10.46 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 2.25 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 200 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 42 million kWh (1999) | 13.45 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Sage 521 m |
lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m
highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m |
Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments) | 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: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed | Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek 13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%, Ukrainian 1%, Uygur 1%, other 5.7% (1999 census) |
Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | soms per US dollar - 43.6484 (2003), 46.9371 (2002), 48.378 (2001), 47.7038 (2000), 39.0077 (1999) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October 2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 15 May 1995) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor |
chief of state: President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Nikolay TANAYEV (since 22 May 2002); note - Prime Minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV resigned on 22 May 2002 when five demonstrators were killed in a clash with police in March of 2002; First Deputy Prime Minister Kubanychbek JUMALIYEV (since 19 March 2004) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; elections last held 29 October 2000 (next to be 30 October 2005); prime minister appointed by the president; note - President AKAYEV has publicly stated that he will not seek reelection when his current term expires in 2005 election results: Askar AKAYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Askar AKAYEV 74%, Omurbek TEKEBAYEV 14%, other candidates 12%; note - election marred by serious irregularities |
Exports | $6.2 million | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand | cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, hydropower; machinery; shoes |
Exports - partners | Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US | UAE 24.7%, Switzerland 20.3%, Russia 16.7%, Kazakhstan 9.8%, Canada 5.3%, China 4% (2003) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful) | 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 the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $311 million (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $7.808 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2%
industry: 6% services: 92% (1996 est.) |
agriculture: 38.7%
industry: 22.9% services: 38.4% (2003 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.4% (2000 est.) | 6.7% (2003 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 18 30 N, 64 30 W | 41 00 N, 75 00 E |
Geography - note | strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico | landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes |
Highways | total: 177 km
paved: 177 km unpaved: 0 km (2000) |
total: 18,500 km
paved: 16,854 km (including 140 km of expressways) unpaved: 1,646 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 27.7% (1999) |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center | 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 |
Imports | $230 million (2000 est.) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery | oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US | Russia 24.7%, Kazakhstan 24%, China 10.3%, US 6.7%, Uzbekistan 5.5%, Germany 5.3% (2003) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
Industrial production growth rate | 4% (1985) | 6% (2000 est.) |
Industries | tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center | small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals |
Infant mortality rate | 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 36.81 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 42.23 deaths/1,000 live births female: 31.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.3% (2000) | 3.5% (2003 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate) | AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 16 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 10,740 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction | Supreme Court (judges are appointed for 10-year terms by the Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president); Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration |
Labor force | 4,911 (1980) | 2.7 million (2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% | agriculture 55%, industry 15%, services 30% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 3,878 km
border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km |
Land use | arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 7.3%
permanent crops: 0.35% other: 92.35% note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut forest (2001) |
Languages | English (official) | Kyrgyz - official language, Russian - official language
note: in December 2001, the Kyrgyzstani legislature made Russian an official language, equal in status to Kyrgyz |
Legal system | English law | based on civil law system |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - VIP 7, CCM 1, NDP 5 |
bicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku Kenesh consists of the Assembly of People's Representatives (70 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Legislative Assembly (35 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in accordance with a 2003 referendum, the Parliament is slated to become unicameral with 75 deputies after the 27 February 2005 elections
elections: Assembly of People's Representatives - last held 20 February and 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA February 2005); Legislative Assembly - last held 20 February and 12 March 2000; elections for the new unicameral body or Jorgorku Kenesh are to be held 27 February 2005) election results: Assembly of People's Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; and Legislative Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - total seats by party in the Supreme Council were as follows: Union of Democratic Forces 12, Communists 6, My Country Party of Action 4, independents 73, other 10 note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995 elections; the 2000 election results include both the Assembly of People's Representatives and the Legislative Assembly |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 75.85 years
male: 74.9 years female: 76.84 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 67.84 years
male: 63.84 years female: 72.05 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8% (1991 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% male: 99% female: 96% (1989 est.) |
Location | Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico | Central Asia, west of China |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Asia |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 70,285 GRT/6,946 DWT
ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.) |
- |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | - | Army, Air and Air Defense, Security Forces, Border Troops |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $19.2 million (FY01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1.4% (FY01) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 1,347,312 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 1,091,548 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 59,759 (2004 est.) |
National holiday | Territory Day, 1 July | Independence Day, 31 August (1991) |
Nationality | noun: British Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: British Virgin Islander |
noun: Kyrgyzstani(s)
adjective: Kyrgyzstani |
Natural hazards | hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) | NA |
Natural resources | NEGL | 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 |
Net migration rate | 10.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | -2.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 367 km; oil 13 km (2004) |
Political parties and leaders | Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL] | Adilet (Justice) Party [Toychubek KASYMOV]; Agrarian Labor Party of Kyrgyzstan [Uson SYDYKOV]; Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan [Erkin ALIYEV]; Alga, Kyrgyzstan (Forward, Kyrgyzstan) [Bolot BEGALIYEV]; Ar-Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIYEV]; Asaba (Banner National Revival Party) [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV]; Ata-Meken (Fatherland) [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV]; Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan [Klara ADZHIBEKOVA]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar JEKSHEYEV]; Erkin Kyrgyzstan Progressive and Democratic Party [Bektur ASANOV]; Erkindik (Freedom) Party [Topchubek TURGUNALIYEV]; Future of Kyrgyzstan [Balbak TULEBAYEV]; Jany Kyrgyzstan (New Kyrgyzstan) [Dosbol NUR UULU]; Kairan El [Dooronbek SADYKOV]; Kyrgyz National Party [Bakyt BESHIMOV]; Kyrgyzstan Kelechegi [Ruslan CHYNYBAYEV]; Manas El (Party of Spiritual Restoration) [Chingiz AITMATOV]; Moya Strana (My Country Party of Action) [Joomart OTORBAYEV]; Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Bakytbek BEKBOYEV]; Party of Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV]; Party of Peasants [Esengul ISAKOV] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Council of Free Trade Unions; Kyrgyz Committee on Human Rights [Ramazan DYRYLDAYEV]; National Unity Democratic Movement; Union of Entrepreneurs |
Population | 21,272 (July 2002 est.) | 5,081,429 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 50% (2003 est.) |
Population growth rate | 2.16% (2002 est.) | 1.25% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Road Town | Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 12 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | 9,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | total: 470 km
broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2003) |
Religions | Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 2%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991) | Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: worldwide telephone service
domestic: NA international: submarine cable to Bermuda |
general assessment: poorly developed; about 100,000 unsatisfied applications for household telephones
domestic: principally microwave radio relay; one cellular provider, probably limited to Bishkek region international: country code - 996; connections with other CIS 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 - 1 Intersputnik and 1 Intelsat; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line |
Telephones - main lines in use | 10,000 (1996) | 394,800 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 53,100 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus one cable company) (1997) | NA (repeater stations throughout the country relay programs from Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey) (1997) |
Terrain | coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly | peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation |
Total fertility rate | 1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 2.71 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 3% (1995) | 7.2% (1999 est.) |
Waterways | none | 600 km (2004) |