Country Profile: Kyrgyzstan |
|
|
|
|
About Kyrgyzstan:
Type: Republic.
Constitution: May 5, 1993.
Branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.
Administrative subdivisions: Seven oblasts and the municipality of Bishkek; it is the current capital.
Border: Kazakhstan, China, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.
Economy: GDP (2002): $1.6 billion.
People:
Nationality: Kyrgyzstani.
Population (National Statistics Agency, Jan. 2003): 5,000,013.
Ethnic groups (National Statistics Agency, Jan. 2002): Kyrgyz, Russian, Uzbek, Dungan (ethnic Chinese Muslims), Uighurs, Tatars, German, and other.
Main religions: Muslim and Russian Orthodox.
Language: State--Kyrgyz; official (2001)--Russian.
History:
Turks are believed to be the earliest descendents of the Kyrgyz people, who lived in the northeastern part of current Mongolia. Some of them spread across Russia and remained there until the rise of the Mongol Empire. In the 12th century, Islam became the predominant religion. During the 15th-16th centuries, the Kyrgyz people started to settle down in Kyrgyz region. In the early 19th century, the southern territory of the Kyrgyz Republic came under the control of the Khanate of Kokand, and united with the Russian Empire in 1876. Soviet power was initially established in the region in 1918, and in 1924, the Kara-Kyrgyz Autonomous Oblast was created within the Russian Federal Socialist Republic. In 1926, it became the Kyrgyz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. On December 5, 1936, the Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) was established as a full Union Republic of the USSR. During the 1920s, Kyrgyzstan changed culturally, economically, educationally, and socially. A new publication, Literaturny Kirghizstan, was published. In 1990s, The Kyrgyzstan Democratic Movement (KDM) had developed into a political force. The same year, Askar Akayev was elected as a president. The following January, Akayev introduced new government structures and appointed a new government. In December 1990, the Supreme Soviet voted to change the republic's name to the Republic of Kyrgyzstan and in 1993, it became the Kyrgyz Republic. Also, the capital, Frunze, was changed back to Bishkek. In a referendum, 88.7% of the voters approved to retain the USSR as a "renewed federation." After the collapse of USSR, Akayev and his cabinet resigned from the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) and declared their independence. Mr. Akayev was elected president. Together with the representatives of seven other republics, he signed the Treaty of the New Economic Community that same month.
