Economy - overview:
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, natural gas, and electricity. Kyrgyzstan has been 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. 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 in 2003-05. The government has made steady strides in controlling its substantial fiscal deficit and reduced the deficit to 1% of GDP in 2005. The government and international financial institutions have been engaged in a comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth strategy, and in 2005 agreed to pursue much-needed tax reform. Progress fighting corruption, further restructuring of domestic industry, and success in attracting foreign investment are keys to future growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$9.033 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.041 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,800 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 37.1%
industry: 21.9%
services: 41% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
2.7 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 55%
industry: 15%
services: 30% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
18% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
40% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.9%
highest 10%: 23.3% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
29 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.2% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
15% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $516.3 million
expenditures: $539.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool

Industries:
small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals

Industrial production growth rate:
7.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
13.77 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
8.783 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
4.13 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
108 million kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
1,990 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption:
11,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
6 million cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
1.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
1.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:
-$77.02 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
$759 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, hydropower; machinery; shoes

Exports - partners:
UAE 28.2%, Russia 19.1%, China 12%, Kazakhstan 11.1%, Switzerland 6.3% (2004)

Imports:
$937.4 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
China 26.3%, Russia 22.3%, Kazakhstan 17.1%, Turkey 5.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$593.2 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
$2.428 billion (31 December 2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$50 million from the US (2001)

Currency (code):

Exchange rates:
soms per US dollar - 41.012 (2005), 42.65 (2004), 43.648 (2003), 46.937 (2002), 48.378 (2001)