648 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 37% (male 847,859; female 828,889)
15-64 years: 57% (male 1,263,044; female 1,312,040)
65 years and over: 6% (male 100,524; female 177,292) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.07% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 26.02 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 8.83 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -16.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 77.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.86 years
male: 59.18 years
female: 68.77 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.22 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Kyrgyz(s)
adjective: Kyrgyz

Ethnic divisions: Kirghiz 52.4%, Russian 21.5%, Uzbek 12.9%,
Ukrainian 2.5%, German 2.4%, other 8.3%

Religions: Muslim NA%, Russian Orthodox NA%

Languages: Kirghiz (Kyrgyz) - official language, Russian -
official language
note: in March 1996, the Kyrgyz legislature amended the constitution
to make Russian an official language, along with Kyrgyz, in
territories and work places where Russian-speaking citizens
predominate

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.)
total population: 97%
male: 99%
female: 96%

Government
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Name of country:
conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic
conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan
local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy
local short form: none
former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code: KG

Type of government: republic

Capital: Bishkek

Administrative divisions: 6 oblasttar (singular - oblast) and 1
city* (singular - shaar); Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek),
Jalal-Abad Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty,
Ysyk-Kol Oblasty (Karakol)
note: names in parentheses are administrative centers when name
differs from oblast name

Independence: 31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: National Day, 2 December; Independence Day, 31
August (1991)

Constitution: adopted 5 May 1993
note: amendment proposed by President AKAYEV and passed in a
national referendum on 10 February 1996 significantly expands the
powers of the president at th