ersian Gulf

Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Kuwait is a destination country for men and
women who migrate legally from South and Southeast Asia for domestic
or low-skilled labor, but are subjected to conditions of involuntary
servitude by employers in Kuwait including conditions of physical
and sexual abuse, non-payment of wages, confinement to the home, and
withholding of passports to restrict their freedom of movement;
Kuwait is reportedly a transit point for South and East Asian
workers recruited for low-skilled work in Iraq; some of these
workers are deceived as to the true location and nature of this
work, and others are subjected to conditions of involuntary
servitude in Iraq; in past years, Kuwait was also a destination
country for children exploited as camel jockeys, but this form of
trafficking appears to have ceased
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Kuwait is placed on the Tier 2
Watch List because its efforts are based largely on pledges of
future actions

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@Kyrgyzstan

Introduction Kyrgyzstan

Background:
A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud
nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1864; it
achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Nationwide
demonstrations in the spring of 2005 resulted in the ouster of
President Askar AKAYEV, who had run the country since 1990.
Subsequent presidential elections in July 2005 were won
overwhelmingly by former prime minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV. The
political opposition organized demonstrations in Bishkek in in
April, May, and November 2006 resulting in the adoption of new
constitution that transfered some of the president's powers to
parliament and the government. Current concerns include:
privatization of state-owned enterprises, expansion of democracy and
political freedoms, reduction of corruption, improving interethnic
relations, and combating terrorism.

Geography Kyrgyzstan

Location:
Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates:
41 00 N, 75 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 198,500 sq km
land: 191,300 sq km
water: 7,200 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries:
total: 3,878 km
border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhst