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Kyrgyzstan - Government

Geography - People - Economy - Government - Communications - Transportation - Military - Transnational Issues


Kyrgyzstan is located Central Asia, west of China. The climate is dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone. The terrain is peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass entire nation.

Country name

This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example)
Country name - conventional long form : Kyrgyz Republic
Country name - conventional short form : Kyrgyzstan
Country name - local long form : Kyrgyz Respublikasy
Country name - local short form : Kyrgyzstan
Country name - former : Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type

This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.)
Government type : republic

Capital

This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
Capital - name : Bishkek
Capital - geographic coordinates : 42 52 N, 74 36 E
Capital - time difference : UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted.
Administrative divisions - note : administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence

For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. Also see the Terminology note.
Independence : 31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday

This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.
National holiday : Independence Day, 31 August (1991)

Constitution

This entry includes the dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments.
Constitution : adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by President Askar AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 2 February 2003 significantly expanded the powers of the president at the expense of the legislature; during large-scale demonstrations in November 2006, President BAKIEV and the opposition negotiated a new constitution granting greater powers to the parliament and the government; amendments added on 30 December 2006 redistributed some power back to the president, but both November and December 2006 versions were annulled in September 2007, and a new version was approved by referendum on 21 October 2007; the BAKIEV-initiated referendum was criticized by Western observers for voting irregularities, particularly ballot stuffing

Legal system

This entry contains a brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.
Legal system : based on French and Russian laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.
Suffrage : 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

This entry includes several subfields. Chief of state includes the name and title of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government. Cabinet includes the official name for this body of high-ranking advisers and the method for selection of members. Elections include the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election.
Executive branch - chief of state : President Kurmanbek BAKIEV (since 14 August 2005)
Executive branch - head of government : Prime Minister Igor CHUDINOV (since 24 December 2007)
Executive branch - cabinet : Cabinet of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president; ministers in charge of defense and security, appointed solely by the president
Executive branch - elections : Kurmanbek BAKIEV elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 10 July 2005 (next scheduled for 2010); prime minister nominated by the parliamentary party holding more than 50% of the seats; if no such party exists, the president selects the party that will nominate a prime minister
Executive branch - election results : Kurmanbek BAKIEV elected president; percent of vote - Kurmanbek BAKIEV 88.6%, Tursunbai BAKIR-UULU 3.9%, other candidates 7.5%

Legislative branch

This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
Legislative branch - elections : last held 16 December 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
Legislative branch - election results : Supreme Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Ak Jol 71, Social Democratic Party 11, KCP 8

Judicial branch

This entry contains the name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.
Judicial branch : Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (judges of both the Supreme and Constitutional Courts are appointed for 10-year terms by the Jorgorku Kengesh on the recommendation of the president; their mandatory retirement age is 70 years); Higher Court of Arbitration; Local Courts (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council on Legal Affairs for a probationary period of five years, then 10 years)

Political parties and leaders

This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations and their leaders.
Political parties and leaders : Ak Jol [Avtandil ARABAYEV, Elmira IBRAIMOVA, Vladimir NIFADYEV, co-chairs]; Ar-Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIYEV]; Asaba (Banner National Revival Party) [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV]; Ata-Meken (Fatherland) [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Viktor TCHETRNOMORETS]; Erkindik (Freedom) Party [Topchubek TURGUNALIYEV]; Moya Strana (My Country Party of Action) [Medet SADYRKULOV]; Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Ishak MASALIYEV]; Party of Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV]; Party of Peasants [Esengul ISAKOV]; Republican Party of Labor and Unity [Tabaldy OROZALIYEV]; Sanjira (Tree of Life) [Ednan KARABAYEV]; Social Democratic Party [Almaz ATAMBAYEV]; Union of Democratic Forces [Kubatbek BAIBOLOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders

This entry includes a listing of a country's political, social, labor, or religious organizations that are involved in politics, or that exert political pressure, but whose leaders do not stand for legislative election. International movements or organizations are generally not listed.
Political pressure groups and leaders : Adilet Legal Clinic [Cholpon JAKUPOVA]; Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society [Dinara OSHURAKHUNOVA]; Interbilim [Asiya SASYKBAYEVA]

International organization participation

This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.
International organization participation : ADB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Diplomatic representation in the US - chief of mission : Ambassador Zamira SYDYKOVA
Diplomatic representation in the US - chancery : 2360 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation in the US - telephone : [1] (202) 449-9822
Diplomatic representation in the US - FAX : [1] (202) 386-7550
Diplomatic representation in the US - consulate(s) : New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Diplomatic representation from the US - chief of mission : Ambassador Tatiana C. GFOELLER
Diplomatic representation from the US - embassy : 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016
Diplomatic representation from the US - mailing address : use embassy street address
Diplomatic representation from the US - telephone : [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217
Diplomatic representation from the US - FAX : [996] (312) 551-264

Flag description

This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
Flag description : 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



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