Kyrgyzstan Economy 1997

Economy - overview Kyrgyzstan is a small, poor, mountainous country with a predominantlyagricultural economy. Cotton, wool, and meat are the main agricultural productsand exports. Industrial exports included gold, mercury, uranium, and hydropower.Kyrgyzstan has been one of the most progressive countries of the former SovietUnion in carrying out market reforms. Following a successful stabilizationprogram, which lowered inflation from 88% in 1994 to 32% for 1996, attentionis turning toward stimulating growth. Much of the government's stock in enterpriseshas been sold. Drops in production have been severe since the break up ofthe Soviet Union in December 1991, but by mid-1995 production began to recoverand exports began to increase. Pensioners, unemployed workers, and governmentworkers with salaries arrears continue to suffer. Foreign assistance playsa substantial role in the country's budget. In 1996 the economy showed strongsigns that recovery was underway.

GDP purchasing power parity - $5.8 billion (1996 estimate as extrapolatedfrom World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP - real growth rate 5.6% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,290 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 35%
industry : 28%
services: 37% (1994 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index 32% (1996 est.)

Labor force
total: 1.7 million
by occupation: agriculture and forestry 40%, industry and construction 19%, other 41%(1995 est.)

Unemployment rate 4.8% includes officially registered unemployed; 7.8% by ILO methodology(December 1996)

Budget
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

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

Industrial production growth rate 10.8% (1996 est.)

Electricity - capacity 3.63 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production 13.7 billion kWh (1996 est.)

Electricity - consumption per capita 1,912 kWh (1995 est.)

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

Exports
total value : $506 million (1996)
commodities: cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, hydropower; machinery;shoes
partners: China, UK, FSU

Imports
total value: $890 million (1996)
commodities: grain, lumber, industrial products, ferrous metals, fuel, machinery,textiles, footwear
partners: US, China, FSU

Debt - external $584 million (of which $115 million to Russia) (1995 est.)

Economic aid
recipient: ODA, $56 million (1993)
note: commitments, 1992-95, $1,695 million ($390 million disbursements)

Currency 1 Kyrgyzstani som (KGS) = 100 tyiyn

Exchange rates soms (KGS) per US$1 - 14.6 (January 1997), 11.2 (yearend 1995), 10.6(yearend 1994)

Fiscal year calendar year

NOTE: The information regarding Kyrgyzstan on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Kyrgyzstan Economy 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Kyrgyzstan Economy 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.