Natural resources, energy and environment
Kyrgyzstan has valuable mineral and ore
resources, but with hard-to-reach mountains, poor
infrastructure and remote markets, it is difficult to
make mining profitable. An exception is the gold mining.
The energy demand is covered by domestic hydropower and
imported natural gas.
In 1997, gold mining began in the Tien Shan Mountains
in northeastern Kyrgyzstan through a Canadian-Kyrgyz
joint venture at the Kumtor mine. New gold mines are
being projected in collaboration with foreign interests,
but the inability to protect investors from local
interests as well as dispute disputes have meant that
only a limited business has started alongside Kumtor,
which accounts for close to a tenth of the country's GDP
and about 40 percent of the country's GDP. Kyrgyzstan's
total export value.
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COUNTRYAAH:
Major exports by Kyrgyzstan with a full list of the top products exported by the country. Includes trade value in U.S. dollars and the percentage for each product category.
There are also uranium, mercury, the alloy metal
antimony and reserves of carbon, marble, zinc, arsenic
and lead. Gemstones such as topaz, tourmaline, amethyst,
jade and jasper are mined and exported.
The gold mining has led to a political conflict,
which has at least periodically affected production.
Protesters oppose that Kumtor is majority owned by a
Canadian company and demands that the mine be
nationalized. The political opposition wants the mine to
at least be majority owned by the state.
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Abbreviationfinder: A popular acronym site in the world covering abbreviation for each country. For example, KG stands for Kyrgyzstan.
Oil and natural gas are extracted in small
quantities, but almost all fuel has to be imported. Fuel
imports have previously consisted mainly of natural gas
from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Uzbekistan has sometimes
restricted gas exports to Kyrgyzstan due to a conflict
over how the water in the Naryn River should be
distributed.
In 2014, the state gas company Kyrgyzgaz was acquired
by Russian Gazprom. The purpose was to replace the gas
supply from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan with cheaper
Russian gas.
Electricity is mainly extracted from domestic
hydropower. The Kyrgyz mountains have enormous potential
for hydropower, but only a small part is utilized. The
country suffers from chronic electricity shortages which
become acute in winter. The wiring network from the
Soviet era is worn out and the privatization attempts by
the electricity company have gone bad. Electricity is
exported to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan from a power plant
at Naryn, but the Kyrgyz electricity export could be
significantly greater.
In August 2015, a Chinese-built power line was
inaugurated with a stretch entirely inland. Since the
Soviet era, about one-third of the electricity produced
in the country has been transported through Uzbekistan
and Kazakhstan to reach domestic customers, which has
cost Kyrgyzstan large sums in transit fees.
Kyrgyzstan has not had as extensive environmental
problems as most other former Soviet republics, partly
because there are few industries. However, radioactive
waste has been excavated in an old Soviet uranium mine.
FACTS - ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
Energy use per person
650 kilos of oil equivalent (2014)
Electricity consumption per person
1941 kilowatt hours, kWh (2014)
Carbon dioxide emissions in total
9 608 thousand tonnes (2014)
Carbon dioxide emissions per inhabitant
1.6 tonnes (2014)
The share of energy from renewable sources
23.3 percent (2015)
2014
December
Kyrgyzstan will join the EU
Kyrgyzstan signs an agreement to join the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union
(EEU) in May 2015.
Organizations are appealing for tolerance
The leaders of 43 NGOs are appealing to President Atambayev not to stamp
those who receive financial aid from abroad as "foreign agents". A law on this
is debated in Parliament following the Russian model. They point out that the
president of television said that some organizations pose a threat to society.
The organizations are urging the president not to make the same mistake as two
of his predecessors, who have said similar things but who themselves later
proved to be such a threat to the nation's security that they were thrown out of
the country.
October
New party formation
The Fatherland and the Republican Party
join forces to form a joint party called the Republican Party-Fatherland.
July
Another verdict against the ex-president
Ex-President Bakijev and his brother Janysh are both sentenced in their
absence to life imprisonment for the death of nearly 100 protesters in 2010.
Another 25 prosecutors are sentenced to prison for between 6 and 25 years. Among
them are several relatives and close associates of Bakijev.
June
Mining continues without agreement
At the last moment, the state continues to authorize the Canadian company
Centerra to operate the Kumtor gold mine (see February 2014). The company has
threatened to discontinue operations on June 13 unless the license is extended.
It is not immediately clear how the ownership shares between the state and
Centerra should be distributed.
US leaves air base
The United States, in a symbolic gesture, sends a big key to Kyrgyzstan to
mark the end of NATO's use of Mana's airfield outside Bishkek as a transit
center for military operations in Afghanistan (see May 2013).
May
Protests against EEU cooperation
Around 100 activists are demonstrating in Bishkek against Kyrgyzstan's
intention to join the planned Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU)
cooperative organization (see December 2013). According to the activists, this
means "a restriction on the country's political and economic independence".
According to the government, membership of the EEU is "practically" clear.
April
Gas companies are taken over by Russia
The Kyrgyz natural gas company KyrgyzGaz completely takes over Russian
ownership when it is purchased by Gazprom. The new Russian owners, who now have
control over the Kyrgyz energy supply, promise to lower the consumer price for
the gas.
Demonstration is turned down
At least 150 people are arrested when police disperse a demonstration
organized by the newly formed National Opposition Movement (see Political
system). The movement demands, among other things, that the president's power be
reduced.
New verdict against ex-president
Former President Bakijev is sentenced for the second time (see also February
2013) to prison in his absence. He is sentenced to 25 years for attempted murder
of a British businessman. His brother and one son are sentenced to life and
another son to 20 years in prison.
New Prime Minister
Dzjoomart Otorbajev is elected prime minister at the head of the same
government coalition that led the country to the departure of the Motherland in
March. The new tripartite government's program is aimed at improving the
investment climate, increasing security in the country and combating corruption
more effectively.
March
New government crisis
The government is cracking down when the Fatherland leaps
off the coalition. The Western-friendly party says Prime Minister Satybaldyev
lost his moral right to govern since an imprisoned criminal league leader who
was released early managed to flee the country. The motherland also criticizes
Satybaldyev's inability to increase the state's share of Kumtor mine revenues
and accuses him of embezzling aid money and state funds when he was responsible
for rebuilding southern Kyrgyzstan after the unrest in 2010. The motherland's
sacking forced Satybaldyev's entire inoculation. Deputy Prime Minister Dzjoomart
Otorbaiev is appointed to lead an expedition government.
February
Mining conflict must be resolved
Parliament appoints a "Reconciliation Commission" with the task of resolving
the conflict over the state's ownership interest in the Kumtor gold mine. The
Commission will negotiate with the Canadian firm Centerra to increase the
state's share, currently 33 percent, to 67 percent (see Natural Resources and
Energy). After just one day's work, the Commission recommends that the
government negotiate with the company that the state and Centerra should own 50
percent each.
January
Islamic leader condemns homosexuality
Acting Grand Mufti Maksat Hajji Toktomusev issues a fatwa, a religious
decree, condemning same-sex relationships. Homosexuality was decriminalized in
Kyrgyzstan in 1998.
The storm must leave after scandal
The Kyrgyzstan's grandmother Rachmatulla-Hajji Egemberdjev resigns after
being exposed in a video film in bed with a young woman. Muftin claims that
government officials liked a trap for him. It is the sixth time in four years
that the country's mufti has been replaced by scandals.
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