assy street address

Flag description: red field with a yellow sun in the center
having 40 rays representing the 40 Kirghiz 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
Kirghiz yurt

Economy

Economy--overview: Kyrgyzstan is a small, poor, mountainous
country with a predominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, wool, and
meat are the main agricultural products and exports. Industrial
exports include gold, mercury, uranium, and hydropower. Kyrgyzstan
has been one of the most progressive countries of the former Soviet
Union in carrying out market reforms. Following a successful
stabilization program, which lowered inflation from 88% in 1994 to
15% for 1997, attention is turning toward stimulating growth. Much
of the government's stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in
production have been severe since the breakup of the Soviet Union in
December 1991, but by mid-1995 production began to recover and
exports began to increase. Pensioners, unemployed workers, and
government workers with salary arrears continue to suffer. Foreign
assistance played a substantial role in the country's economic
turnaround in 1996-97. The government has adopted a series of
measures to combat some of the severe economic problems such as
excessive debt and inadequate revenue collection, encountered in
1998.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$9.8 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 1.8% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,200 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 47%
industry: 12%
services: 41% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 26.2% (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 18.4% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 1.7 million

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

Unemployment rate: 6% 1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $225 million
expenditures: $308 million, including capital expenditures of $11
million (1996 est.)

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

Ind