cratic Party or
PSD

Political pressure groups and leaders: Council of Free Trade Unions;
Kyrgyz Committee on Human Rights ; National Unity
Democratic Movement; Union of Entrepreneurs

International organization participation: AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE,
ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent),
ITU, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, WTrO
(applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bakyt ABDRISAYEV
chancery: 1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: (202) 338-5141
FAX: (202) 338-5139

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Anne M. SIGMUND
embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, 720016 Bishkek
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: (3312) 22-29-20, 22-27-77
FAX: (3312) 22-35-51

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

@Kyrgyzstan: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 electricity. 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 had 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 such severe problems as
excessive external debt, inflation, inadequate revenue collection, and
the spillover from Russia's economic disorde