Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2006) | Kyrgyzstan (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | 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: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.) |
0-14 years: 31.6% (male 827,751/female 796,029)
15-64 years: 62.3% (male 1,571,476/female 1,632,506) 65 years and over: 6.2% (male 123,992/female 194,527) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts | tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool |
Airports | 1 (2006) | 52 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
total: 16
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 31 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 14 sq km
land: 14 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island |
total: 198,500 sq km
land: 191,300 sq km water: 7,200 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | slightly smaller than South Dakota |
Background | There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in 1857, they were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island. | 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. Nation-wide demonstrations in the spring of 2005 resulted in the ouster of President Askar AKAYEV, who had run the country since 1990. Subsequent presidential elections in July of 2005 were won overwhelmingly by former prime minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV. Current concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises, expansion of democracy and political freedoms, interethnic relations, and combating terrorism. |
Birth rate | NA | 22.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
revenues: $431.3 million
expenditures: $445.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
Capital | name: West Island
geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 55 E time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Bishkek |
Climate | tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year | dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone |
Coastline | 26 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 | 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: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic
conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy local short form: none former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | 7.13 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $1.97 billion (2004 est.) |
Dependency status | non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | 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 (territory of Australia) | chief of mission: Ambassador Zamira SYDYKOVA
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 | delimitation with Kazakhstan is complete; 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 | Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry. | 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, 4% in 2003, and 3.2% in 2004. 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 and 2004. The government has made steady strides in controlling its substantial fiscal deficit and aims to reduce the deficit to 3% 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 | - | 10.21 billion kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | - | 1.062 billion kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | - | 375 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | - | 11.72 billion kWh (2002) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m
highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m |
Environment - current issues | fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs | 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 | Europeans, Cocos Malays | Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek 13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%, Ukrainian 1%, Uygur 1%, other 5.7% (1999 census) |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001) | soms per US dollar - 42.65 (2004), 43.648 (2003), 46.937 (2002), 48.378 (2001), 47.704 (2000) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006) cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
chief of state: President Kurmanbek BAKIYEV (since 14 August 2005); note - former President Askar AKAYEV resigned effective 11 April 2005 following widespread protests that forced him to flee the country on 24 March 2005
head of government: Prime Minister Feliks KULOV (since 1 September 2005) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 10 July 2005 (next scheduled for NA 2010); prime minister nominated by the president for approval by Parliament election results: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected president; percent of vote - Kurmanbek BAKIYEV 88.6%, Tursunbai BAKIR-UULU 3.9%, other candidates 7.5%; Feliks KULOV approved as prime minister 55-8 |
Exports | $NA | NA |
Exports - commodities | copra | cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, hydropower; machinery; shoes |
Exports - partners | Australia (2004) | UAE 28.2%, Russia 19.1%, China 12%, Kazakhstan 11.1%, Switzerland 6.3% (2004) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of Australia is used | 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 - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 38.5%
industry: 22.8% services: 38.7% (2004 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2004 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 6% (2004 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 12 30 S, 96 50 E | 41 00 N, 75 00 E |
Geography - note | islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation | landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes |
Highways | - | 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%: 3.9%
highest 10%: 23.3% (2001) |
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 |
Imports | $NA | NA |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs | oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | Australia (2004) | China 26.3%, Russia 22.3%, Kazakhstan 17.1%, Turkey 5.4% (2004) |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | 31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | 6% (2000 est.) |
Industries | copra products and tourism | small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total: 35.64 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 40.97 deaths/1,000 live births female: 30.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 3.2% (2004 est.) |
International organization participation | none | 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 |
Irrigated land | NA | 10,740 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court | 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 | NA | 2.7 million (2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others | 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: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
arable land: 7.3%
permanent crops: 0.35% other: 92.35% note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut forest (2001) |
Languages | Malay (Cocos dialect), English | Kyrgyz (official), Russian (official) |
Legal system | based upon the laws of Australia and local laws | based on civil law system |
Legislative branch | unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007) |
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; Legislative Assembly - last held 20 February and 12 March 2000; elections for the new unicameral body or Jorgorku Kenesh were held 27 February 2005, but the vast majority of positions remained undecided and were to be contested in a runoff election scheduled for 13 March 2005; election irregularities caused widespread protests that resulted in the president being forced to flee the country; new legislative elections have not yet been rescheduled 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: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total population: 68.16 years
male: 64.16 years female: 72.38 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.7% male: 99.3% female: 98.1% (1999 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka | Central Asia, west of China |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Asia |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
none (landlocked) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force | - |
Military branches | - | Army, Air Force, National Guard (2004) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $19.2 million (FY01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1.4% (FY01) |
National holiday | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) | Independence Day, 31 August (1991) |
Nationality | noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander |
noun: Kyrgyzstani(s)
adjective: Kyrgyzstani |
Natural hazards | cyclone season is October to April | NA |
Natural resources | fish | 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 | NA | -2.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 367 km; oil 13 km (2004) |
Political parties and leaders | none | 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 | none | Council of Free Trade Unions; Kyrgyz Committee on Human Rights [Ramazan DYRYLDAYEV]; National Unity Democratic Movement; Union of Entrepreneurs |
Population | 574 (July 2006 est.) | 5,146,281 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | 40% (2004 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0% (2006 est.) | 1.29% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM 12 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Railways | - | total: 470 km
broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2004) |
Religions | Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.) | Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5% |
Sex ratio | - | 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: 0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | NA | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system
domestic: NA international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 INTELSAT satellite earth station |
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 | 287 (1992) | 394,800 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | note - analog cellular service available | 53,100 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | NA (repeater stations throughout the country relay programs from Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey) (1997) |
Terrain | flat, low-lying coral atolls | peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation |
Total fertility rate | NA | 2.7 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 60% (2000 est.) | 18% (2004 est.) |
Waterways | - | 600 km (2004) |