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. Following independence Kyrgyzstan was progressive in carrying out market reforms, such as an improved regulatory system and land reform. Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth of Independent States (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. The economy is heavily weighted toward gold export and a drop in output at the main Kumtor gold mine sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002 and a 0.6% decline in 2005. GDP grew more than 6% in 2007, partly due to higher gold prices internationally. The government made steady strides in controlling its substantial fiscal deficit, nearly closing the gap between revenues and expenditures in 2006, before boosting expenditures more than 20% in 2007. The government and international financial institutions have been engaged in a comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth strategy; in 2005, Bishkek agreed to pursue much-needed tax reform and, in 2006, became eligible for the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative. Progress fighting corruption, further restructuring of domestic industry, and success in attracting foreign investment are keys to future growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$10.38 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.458 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.5% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,000 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 31.7%
industry: 19.8%
services: 48.4% (2007 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%: 3.8%
highest 10%: 24.3% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30.3 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.4% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
17.2% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $684.4 million
expenditures: $764.1 million (2007 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:
5% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:
15.15 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - consumption:
8.206 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:
2.684 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2005)

Oil - production:
1,965 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - consumption:
12,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:
3,221 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:
13,770 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:
40 million bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

natural gas - production:
28.77 million cu m (2005 est.)

natural gas - consumption:
709.7 million cu m (2005 est.)

natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2005 est.)

natural gas - imports:
680.9 million cu m (2005)

natural gas - proved reserves:
5.432 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Current account balance:
-$677.3 million (2007 est.)

Exports:
$1.04 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
Switzerland 26.1%, Kazakhstan 20.4%, Russia 19.3%, Afghanistan 9.4%, China 4.8% (2006)

Imports:
$2.509 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - partners:
Russia 38.1%, China 14.4%, Kazakhstan 11.7%, US 5.7% (2006)

Economic aid - recipient:
$268.5 million from the US (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.293 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:
$2.966 billion (30 June 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA

Market value of publicly traded shares:
$41.99 million (2005)

Currency (code):
som (KGS)

Exchange rates:
soms per US dollar - 37.746 (2007), 40.149 (2006), 41.012 (2005), 42.65 (2004), 43.648 (2003)