About the Kyrgyz Republic
Geography
The Kyrgyz Republic is a sovereign state in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country with mountainous terrain. It borders Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west and southwest, Tajikistan to the southwest, and China to the east. The capital and largest city is Bishkek. Administratively, Kyrgyzstan is divided into seven regions (Batken, Jalal-Abad, Issyk-Kul, Naryn, Osh, Talas, and Chui). The Tien Shan mountain range stretches from west to east and the Pamir-Alai from south to west. Among them are world-famous Peak Pobeda (7,439 m), Lenin (7,134 m), and the legendary Khan Tengri pyramid (6,995 m), made of white and pink marble and granite.
About 94 percent of Kyrgyzstan is mountainous, with roughly half the area above 1,500 meters above sea level. Of this, 41 percent is in the harsh highlands, located above 3,000 meters. Much of the mountainous region is permanently covered in ice and snow, and glaciers make up approximately 4 percent of the country’s territory. Lowland areas include the Chui-Talas Valley near the northern border with Kazakhstan and the Fergana Valley near the southwestern border with Uzbekistan. Issyk-Kul, the world’s second-largest crater lake, is located in the northeast, with a surface area of 6,236 square kilometers.
History
The population of the Kyrgyz Republic is over 6 million people and comprises over 90 ethnic groups. The population achieves spiritual richness, with Islam accounting for 75% of the population and Orthodox Christianity accounting for 20%. Other religions account for only 5% of the population. The currency is the som, and the official languages are Kyrgyz and Russian.
In 1876, the Kyrgyz Republic was officially incorporated into the Russian Empire. In 1924, after a brief period of independence following the Bolshevik Revolution (1917), the country was declared the Kara-Kyrgyz Autonomous Oblast and became part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). In 1936, the Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) formally became a constituent republic of the USSR.
On August 31, 1991, the Kyrgyz Republic declared its independence following the collapse of the USSR and joined the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). In 1991, Askar Akayev, a liberal member of the Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan, was elected president.
In 1992, the Kyrgyz Republic joined the UN and the OSCE and launched its first economic reform program. In 1993, the Kyrgyz som replaced the Russian ruble as the primary currency. In 1995, Akayev was elected to another term with a 70% majority, cementing his position. Soon after, he approved constitutional amendments via referendum to concentrate power in the president and reduce the powers of the legislature. In 1998, the Constitutional Court upheld Akayev’s appeal for a third term in 2000, and on November 6, he was re-elected for another five-year term.
On March 24, 2005, President Akayev was removed from office. Parliament appointed the incumbent prime minister and opposition leader, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, as president in 2005.
Kurmanbek Bakiyev was overthrown in April 2010, and the Kyrgyz Republic witnessed new political reform in June 2010. According to the provisions of the adopted reform, the Kyrgyz Republic became a parliamentary state. Roza Otunbayeva was appointed head of the interim government.
On March 24, 2005, President Akayev was removed from office. Parliament appointed the incumbent prime minister and opposition leader, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, as president in 2005.
New presidential elections were held in October 2011. Almazbek Atambayev has been president of the Kyrgyz Republic since December 1, 2011. In 2017, Atambayev became the first president of Kyrgyzstan to resign after serving one full six-year term, as required by the country’s constitution. Former Prime Minister and member of the ruling Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, succeeded him after winning the presidential election in October 2017. Sooronbay Jeenbekov became President of the Kyrgyz Republic in December 2017.
Political System
According to the Constitution, Kyrgyzstan is a sovereign, unitary democratic republic, built on the principles of a secular, legal state. One of the main principles of governance is the separation of state powers into the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
The President of the Kyrgyz Republic is the highest official, the head of state, elected for a six-year term.
Legislative power is vested in the parliament, the Zhogorku Kenesh, which consists of 120 members of parliament elected for five-year terms on a proportional basis.
The highest executive body is the government, headed by the prime minister and also including deputy prime ministers, ministers, and chairmen of state committees.
Judicial System
In accordance with the principle of separation of powers in the Kyrgyz Republic,
An autonomous and independent judicial branch exists, represented by a set of bodies—the Supreme Court and the courts that make up the judicial system. Judicial power is exercised through constitutional, civil, criminal, administrative, and other forms of legal proceedings.
According to the Constitution, judges at all levels are appointed by the President, subject to formal approval by parliament—the Zhogorku Kenesh—and serve for a term specified by the Constitution. Judges are subject to dismissal for violating the law by decision of the President and Parliament.
