China vs. Kyrgyzstan
Introduction
| China | Kyrgyzstan | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, MAO's successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight. Since the early 1990s, China has increased its global outreach and participation in international organizations. | A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions, most of the territory of present-day Kyrgyzstan was formally annexed to the Russian Empire in 1876. The Kyrgyz staged a major revolt against the Tsarist Empire in 1916 in which almost one-sixth of the Kyrgyz population was killed. Kyrgyzstan became a Soviet republic in 1936 and achieved independence in 1991 when the USSR dissolved. Nationwide demonstrations in the spring of 2005 resulted in the ouster of President Askar AKAEV, who had run the country since 1990. Former Prime Minister Kurmanbek BAKIEV overwhelmingly won the presidential election in the summer of 2005. Over the next few years, he manipulated the parliament to accrue new powers for the presidency. In July 2009, after months of harassment against his opponents and media critics, BAKIEV won reelection in a presidential campaign that the international community deemed flawed. In April 2010, violent protests in Bishkek led to the collapse of the BAKIEV regime and his eventual flight to Minsk, Belarus. His successor, Roza OTUNBAEVA, served as transitional president until Almazbek ATAMBAEV was inaugurated in December 2011, marking the first peaceful transfer of presidential power in independent Kyrgyzstan's history. Continuing concerns include: the trajectory of democratization, endemic corruption, poor interethnic relations, border security vulnerabilities, and potential terrorist threats. Under the 2010 Constitution, ATAMBAEV is limited to one term, which will end in 2017. Constitutional amendments passed in a referendum in December 2016 include language that transfers some presidential powers to the prime minister. Disagreement over the constitutional amendments compelled ATAMBAEV’s Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan to dissolve the ruling coalition and create a new majority coalition in the Jogorku Kenesh that excluded opposition parties critical of the amendments. |
Geography
| China | Kyrgyzstan | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam | Central Asia, west of China, south of Kazakhstan |
| Geographic coordinates | 35 00 N, 105 00 E | 41 00 N, 75 00 E |
| Map references | Asia | Asia |
| Area | total: 9,596,960 sq km land: 9,326,410 sq km water: 270,550 sq km | total: 199,951 sq km land: 191,801 sq km water: 8,150 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly smaller than the US | slightly smaller than South Dakota |
| Land boundaries | total: 22,457 km border countries (14): Afghanistan 91 km, Bhutan 477 km, Burma 2,129 km, India 2,659 km, Kazakhstan 1,765 km, North Korea 1,352 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,063 km, Laos 475 km, Mongolia 4,630 km, Nepal 1,389 km, Pakistan 438 km, Russia (northeast) 4,133 km, Russia (northwest) 46 km, Tajikistan 477 km, Vietnam 1,297 km regional border(s) (2): Hong Kong 33 km, Macau 3 km | total: 4,573 km border countries (4): China 1,063 km, Kazakhstan 1,212 km, Tajikistan 984 km, Uzbekistan 1,314 km |
| Coastline | 14,500 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin | none (landlocked) |
| Climate | extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north | dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan Mountains; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone |
| Terrain | mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east | peaks of the Tien Shan mountain range and associated valleys and basins encompass the entire country |
| Elevation extremes | mean elevation: 1,840 m elevation extremes: lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 m highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (highest peak in Asia and highest point on earth above sea level) | mean elevation: 2,988 m elevation extremes: lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m |
| Natural resources | coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, rare earth elements, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest), arable land | abundant hydropower; gold, rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc |
| Land use | agricultural land: 54.7% arable land 11.3%; permanent crops 1.6%; permanent pasture 41.8% forest: 22.3% other: 23% (2011 est.) | agricultural land: 55.4% arable land 6.7%; permanent crops 0.4%; permanent pasture 48.3% forest: 5.1% other: 39.5% (2011 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 690,070 sq km (2012) | 10,233 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence volcanism: China contains some historically active volcanoes including Changbaishan (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu, or P'aektu-san), Hainan Dao, and Kunlun although most have been relatively inactive in recent centuries | NA |
| Environment - current issues | air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) from reliance on coal produces acid rain; China is the world's largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water shortages, particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; deforestation; estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soil erosion and economic development; desertification; trade in endangered species | water pollution; many people get their water directly from contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne diseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty irrigation practices |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note | world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US) and largest country situated entirely in Asia; Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak above sea level | landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; 94% of the country is 1,000 m above sea level with an average elevation of 2,750 m; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes |
| Population distribution | overwhelming majority of the population is found in the eastern half of the country; the west, with its vast mountainous and desert areas, remains sparsely populated; though ranked first in the world in total population, overall density is less than that of many other countries in Asia and Europe; high population density is found along the Yangtze and Yellow River valleys, the Xi Jiang River delta, the Sichuan Basin (around Chengdu), in and around Beijing, and the industrial area around Shenyang | the vast majority of Kyrgyzstanis live in rural areas; densest population settlement is to the north in and around Bishkek, followed by Osh in the west; the least densely populated area is the east, southeast in the Tien Shan mountains |
Demographics
| China | Kyrgyzstan | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,373,541,278 (July 2016 est.) | 5,727,553 (July 2016 est.) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 17.1% (male 126,732,020/female 108,172,771) 15-24 years: 13.27% (male 97,126,460/female 85,135,228) 25-54 years: 48.42% (male 339,183,101/female 325,836,319) 55-64 years: 10.87% (male 75,376,730/female 73,859,424) 65 years and over: 10.35% (male 67,914,015/female 74,205,210) (2016 est.) | 0-14 years: 30.12% (male 883,875/female 841,362) 15-24 years: 17.47% (male 508,656/female 492,046) 25-54 years: 39.68% (male 1,112,777/female 1,159,967) 55-64 years: 7.59% (male 189,684/female 245,202) 65 years and over: 5.13% (male 112,494/female 181,490) (2016 est.) |
| Median age | total: 37.1 years male: 36.2 years female: 38.1 years (2016 est.) | total: 26.2 years male: 25.2 years female: 27.3 years (2016 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 0.43% (2016 est.) | 1.09% (2016 est.) |
| Birth rate | 12.4 births/1,000 population (2016 est.) | 22.6 births/1,000 population (2016 est.) |
| Death rate | 7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.) | 6.6 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.) | -5.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.15 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.17 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2016 est.) | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.77 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2016 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.) | total: 26.8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 30.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 75.5 years male: 73.5 years female: 77.9 years (2016 est.) | total population: 70.7 years male: 66.5 years female: 75.1 years (2016 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 1.6 children born/woman (2016 est.) | 2.64 children born/woman (2016 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.1% (2012 est.) | 0.22% (2015 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Chinese (singular and plural) adjective: Chinese | noun: Kyrgyzstani(s) adjective: Kyrgyzstani |
| Ethnic groups | Han Chinese 91.6%, Zhuang 1.3%, other (includes Hui, Manchu, Uighur, Miao, Yi, Tujia, Tibetan, Mongol, Dong, Buyei, Yao, Bai, Korean, Hani, Li, Kazakh, Dai and other nationalities) 7.1% note: the Chinese Government officially recognizes 56 ethnic groups (2010 est.) | Kyrgyz 70.9%, Uzbek 14.3%, Russian 7.7%, Dungan 1.1%, other 5.9% (includes Uyghur, Tajik, Turk, Kazakh, Tatar, Ukrainian, Korean, German) (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 780,000 (2012 est.) | 8,100 (2015 est.) |
| Religions | Buddhist 18.2%, Christian 5.1%, Muslim 1.8%, folk religion 21.9%, Hindu < 0.1%, Jewish < 0.1%, other 0.7% (includes Daoist (Taoist)), unaffiliated 52.2% note: officially atheist (2010 est.) | Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5% |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | NA | 200 (2015 est.) |
| Languages | Standard Chinese or Mandarin (official; Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic groups entry) note: Zhuang is official in Guangxi Zhuang, Yue is official in Guangdong, Mongolian is official in Nei Mongol, Uighur is official in Xinjiang Uygur, Kyrgyz is official in Xinjiang Uygur, and Tibetan is official in Xizang (Tibet) | Kyrgyz (official) 71.4%, Uzbek 14.4%, Russian (official) 9%, other 5.2% (2009 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.4% male: 98.2% female: 94.5% (2015 est.) | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.5% male: 99.6% female: 99.4% (2015 est.) |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 14 years (2015) | total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2014) |
| Education expenditures | NA | 5.5% of GDP (2014) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 55.6% of total population (2015) rate of urbanization: 3.05% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.) | urban population: 35.7% of total population (2015) rate of urbanization: 1.58% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 97.5% of population rural: 93% of population total: 95.5% of population unimproved: urban: 2.5% of population rural: 7% of population total: 4.5% of population (2015 est.) | improved: urban: 96.7% of population rural: 86.2% of population total: 90% of population unimproved: urban: 3.3% of population rural: 13.8% of population total: 10% of population (2015 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 86.6% of population rural: 63.7% of population total: 76.5% of population unimproved: urban: 13.4% of population rural: 36.3% of population total: 23.5% of population (2015 est.) | improved: urban: 89.1% of population rural: 95.6% of population total: 93.3% of population unimproved: urban: 10.9% of population rural: 4.4% of population total: 6.7% of population (2015 est.) |
| Major cities - population | Shanghai 23.741 million; BEIJING (capital) 20.384 million; Chongqing 13.332 million; Guangdong 12.458 million; Tianjin 11.21 million; Shenzhen 10.749 million (2015) | BISHKEK (capital) 865,000 (2015) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 27 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | 76 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 3.4% (2010) | 2.8% (2014) |
| Health expenditures | 5.5% of GDP (2014) | 6.5% of GDP (2014) |
| Physicians density | 1.49 physicians/1,000 population (2011) | 1.85 physicians/1,000 population (2014) |
| Hospital bed density | 3.8 beds/1,000 population (2011) | 4.8 beds/1,000 population (2012) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 7.3% (2014) | 13.3% (2014) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 36.6 youth dependency ratio: 23.5 elderly dependency ratio: 13 potential support ratio: 7.7 (2015 est.) | total dependency ratio: 55.3 youth dependency ratio: 48.8 elderly dependency ratio: 6.6 potential support ratio: 15.2 (2015 est.) |
Government
| China | Kyrgyzstan | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | "conventional long form: People's Republic of China conventional short form: China local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo local short form: Zhongguo abbreviation: PRC etymology: English name derives from the Qin (Chin) rulers of the 3rd century B.C., who comprised the first imperial dynasty of ancient China; the Chinese name Zhongguo translates as ""Central Nation"" " | "conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy local short form: Kyrgyzstan former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: a combination of the Turkic words ""kyrg"" (forty) and ""-yz"" (tribes) with the Persian suffix ""-stan"" (country) creating the meaning ""Land of the Forty Tribes""; the name refers to the forty clans united by the legendary Kyrgyz hero, MANAS " |
| Government type | communist state | parliamentary republic |
| Capital | "name: Beijing geographic coordinates: 39 55 N, 116 23 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) note: despite its size, all of China falls within one time zone; many people in Xinjiang Province observe an unofficial ""Xinjiang time zone"" of UTC+6, two hours behind Beijing " | name: Bishkek geographic coordinates: 42 52 N, 74 36 E time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions | 23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities (shi, singular and plural) provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang; (see note on Taiwan) autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol (Inner Mongolia), Ningxia, Xinjiang Uygur, Xizang (Tibet) municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau | 7 provinces (oblustar, singular - oblus) and 2 cities* (shaarlar, singular - shaar); Batken Oblusu, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblusu (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad Oblusu, Naryn Oblusu, Osh Oblusu, Osh Shaary*, Talas Oblusu, Ysyk-Kol Oblusu (Karakol) note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) |
| Independence | 1 October 1949 (People's Republic of China established); notable earlier dates: 221 B.C. (unification under the Qin Dynasty); 1 January 1912 (Qing Dynasty replaced by the Republic of China) | 31 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union) |
| National holiday | National Day (anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949) | Independence Day, 31 August (1991) |
| Constitution | several previous; latest promulgated 4 December 1982; amended several times, last in 2004 (2016) | history: previous 1993; latest adopted by referendum 27 June 2010, effective 2 July 2010; note - the current constitution prohibits any change until 2020 amendments: proposed as a draft law by the majority of the Supreme Council membership or by petition of 300,000 voters; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Council membership in each of at least three readings of the draft two months apart; the draft may be submitted to a referendum if approved by two-thirds of the Council membership; adoption requires the signature of the president; amended 2017 (2017) |
| Legal system | civil law influenced by Soviet and continental European civil law systems; legislature retains power to interpret statutes; note - criminal procedure law revised in early 2012 | civil law system which includes features of French civil law and Russian Federation laws |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013); Vice President LI Yuanchao (since 14 March 2013) head of government: Premier LI Keqiang (since 16 March 2013); Executive Vice Premiers ZHANG Gaoli (since 16 March 2013), LIU Yandong (since 16 March 2013), MA Kai (since 16 March 2013), WANG Yang (since 16 March 2013) cabinet: State Council appointed by National People's Congress elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 5-17 March 2013 (next to be held in March 2018); premier nominated by president, confirmed by National People's Congress election results: XI Jinping elected president; National People's Congress vote - 2,952 ; LI Yuanchao elected vice president with 2,940 votes | chief of state: President Almazbek ATAMBAEV (since 1 December 2011) head of government: Prime Minister Sooronbay JEENBEKOV (since 13 April 2016) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president; defense and security committee chairs appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 6-year term; election last held on 30 October 2011 (next to be held in 2017); prime minister nominated by the majority party or majority coalition in the Supreme Council, appointed by the president election results: Almazbek ATAMBAEV elected president; percent of vote - Almazbek ATAMBAEV (SDPK) 63.2%, Adakhan MADUMAROV (All Kyrgyzstan) 14.7%, Kamchybek TASHIEV (Homeland) 14.3%, other 7.8%; Sooronbay JEENBEKOV elected prime minister; Supreme Council vote - 115 to 0 |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui (2,987 seats; members indirectly elected by municipal, regional, and provincial people's congresses, and the People's Liberation Army; members serve 5-year terms); note - in practice, only members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), its 8 allied parties, and CCP-approved independent candidates are elected elections: last held in December 2012-February 2013 (next to be held in late 2017 to early 2018) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - 2,987 | description: unicameral Supreme Council or Jogorku Kenesh (120 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms) elections: last held on 4 October 2015 (next to be held in 2020) election results: Supreme Council - percent of vote by party - SDPK 27.4%, Respublika-Ata-Jurt 20.1%, Kyrgyzstan Party 12.9%, Onuguu-Progress 9.3%, Bir Bol 8.5%, Ata-Meken 7.8%, other 14%; seats by party - SDPK 38, Respublika-Ata-Jurt 28, Kyrgyzstan Party 18, Onuguu-Progress 13, Bir Bol 12, Ata-Meken 11 |
| Judicial branch | highest court(s): Supreme People's Court (consists of over 340 judges including the chief justice, 13 grand justices organized into a civil committee and tribunals for civil, economic, administrative, complaint and appeal, and communication and transportation cases) judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the People's National Congress (NPC); term limited to 2 consecutive 5-year terms; other justices and judges nominated by the chief justice and appointed by the Standing Committee of the NPC; term of other justices and judges determined by the NPC subordinate courts: Higher People's Courts; Intermediate People's Courts; District and County People's Courts; Autonomous Region People's Courts; Special People's Courts for military, maritime, transportation, and forestry issues note: in late 2014, China unveiled planned judicial reforms | highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 25 judges); Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (consists of the chairperson, deputy chairperson, and 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president; Supreme Court judges serve for 10 years, Constitutional Court judges serve for 15 years; mandatory retirement at age 70 for judges of both courts subordinate courts: Higher Court of Arbitration; oblast (provincial) and city courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Chinese Communist Party or CCP [XI Jinping] note: China has eight nominally independent small parties ultimately controlled by the CCP | Respublika-Ata-Jurt (Republic-Homeland) [Omurbek BABANOV] Ata-Meken (Fatherland) [Omurbek TEKEBAEV] Bir Bol (Stay United) [Altynbek SULAIMANOV] Kyrgyzstan Party [Almazbek BATYRBEKOV] Onuguu-Progress [Bakyt TOROBAEV] Social-Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan or SDPK [Isa OMURKULOV] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | no substantial political opposition groups exist | Adilet (Justice) Legal Clinic [Cholpon JAKUPOVA] Bir Duino [Tolekan ISMAILOVA] Citizens Against Corruption [Tolekan ISMAILOVA] Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society [Dinara OSHURAKHUNOVA] Kylym Shamy (Torch of the Century) [Aziza ABDIRASULOVA] Precedent Partnership Group [Nurbek TOKTAKUNOV] Societal Analysis Public Association [Rita KARASARTOVA] |
| International organization participation | ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BRICS, CDB, CICA, EAS, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-24 (observer), G-5, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SCO, SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNSC (permanent), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC | ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EITI (compliant country), FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador CUI Tiankai (since 3 April 2013) chancery: 3505 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 495-2266 FAX: [1] (202) 495-2138 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco | chief of mission: Ambassador Kadyr TOKTOGULOV (since 23 February 2015) chancery: 2360 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 449-9822-23 FAX: [1] (202) 386-7550 consulate(s): New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David A. RANK (since 20 January 2017) embassy: 55 An Jia Lou Lu, 100600 Beijing mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [86] (10) 8531-3000 FAX: [86] (10) 8531-3300 consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang, Wuhan | chief of mission: Ambassador Sheila GWALTNEY (14 October 2015) embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [996] (312) 597-000 FAX: [996] (312) 597-744 |
| Flag description | red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner; the color red represents revolution, while the stars symbolize the four social classes - the working class, the peasantry, the urban petty bourgeoisie, and the national bourgeoisie (capitalists) - united under the Communist Party of China | "red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the 40 Kyrgyz 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 a ""tunduk"" - the crown of a traditional Kyrgyz yurt; red symbolizes bravery and valor, the sun evinces peace and wealth " |
| National anthem | "name: ""Yiyongjun Jinxingqu"" (The March of the Volunteers) lyrics/music: TIAN Han/NIE Er note: adopted 1949; the anthem, though banned during the Cultural Revolution, is more commonly known as ""Zhongguo Guoge"" (Chinese National Song); it was originally the theme song to the 1935 Chinese movie, ""Sons and Daughters in a Time of Storm"" " | "name: ""Kyrgyz Respublikasynyn Mamlekettik Gimni"" (National Anthem of the Kyrgyz Republic) lyrics/music: Djamil SADYKOV and Eshmambet KULUEV/Nasyr DAVLESOV and Kalyi MOLDOBASANOV note: adopted 1992 " |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| National symbol(s) | dragon; national colors: red, yellow | gyrfalcon; national colors: red, yellow |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: least one parent must be a citizen of China dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: while naturalization is theoretically possible, in practical terms it is extremely difficult; residency is required but not specified | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kyrgyzstan dual citizenship recognized: yes, but only if a mutual treaty on dual citizenship is in force residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
Economy
| China | Kyrgyzstan | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | "Since the late 1970s, China has moved from a closed, centrally planned system to a more market-oriented one that plays a major global role. China has implemented reforms in a gradualist fashion, resulting in efficiency gains that have contributed to a more than tenfold increase in GDP since 1978. Reforms began with the phase-out of collectivized agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, growth of the private sector, development of stock markets and a modern banking system, and opening to foreign trade and investment. China continues to pursue an industrial policy, state-support of key sectors, and a restrictive investment regime. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis that adjusts for price differences, China in 2016 stood as the largest economy in the world, surpassing the US in 2014 for the first time in modern history. China became the world's largest exporter in 2010, and the largest trading nation in 2013. Still, China's per capita income is below the world average. After keeping its currency tightly linked to the US dollar for years, China in July 2005 moved to an exchange rate system that references a basket of currencies. From mid-2005 to late 2008, the renminbi appreciated more than 20% against the US dollar, but the exchange rate remained virtually pegged to the dollar from the onset of the global financial crisis until June 2010, when Beijing allowed resumption of a gradual liberalization. In 2015, the People’s Bank of China announced it would continue to carefully push for full convertibility of the renminbi after the currency was accepted as part of the IMF’s special drawing rights basket. After engaging in one-way, large-scale intervention to resist appreciation of the RMB for a decade, China’s 2016 intervention in foreign exchange markets has sought to prevent a rapid RMB depreciation that would have negative consequences for the United States, China, and the global economy. China’s economic growth has slowed since 2011. The Chinese Government faces numerous economic challenges including: (a) reducing its high domestic savings rate and correspondingly low domestic household consumption; (b) servicing its high corporate debt burdens to maintain financial stability (c) facilitating higher-wage job opportunities for the aspiring middle class, including rural migrants and college graduates, while maintaining competitiveness; (d) dampening speculative investment in the real estate sector; (e) reducing industrial overcapacity; and (f) raising productivity growth rates through the more efficient allocation of capital. Economic development has progressed further in coastal provinces than in the interior, and by 2016 more than 169.3 million migrant workers and their dependents had relocated to urban areas to find work. One consequence of China’s population control policy known as the “one-child policy”—which was relaxed in 2016 to permit all families to have two children-- is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world. Deterioration in the environment - notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table, especially in the North - is another long-term problem. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and urbanization. The Chinese government is seeking to add energy production capacity from sources other than coal and oil, focusing on natural gas, nuclear, and clean energy development. In 2016, China ratified the Paris Agreement, a multilateral agreement to combat climate change, and committed to peak its carbon dioxide emissions between 2025 and 2030. The government's 13th Five-Year Plan, unveiled in March 2016, emphasizes the need to increase innovation and boost domestic consumption to make the economy less dependent on government investment, exports, and heavy industry. However, China has made only marginal progress toward these rebalancing goals. Under President XI Jinping, Beijing has signaled its understanding that China's long-term economic health depends on giving the market a more decisive role in allocating resources, but has moved slowly on market-oriented reforms because of potential negative consequences for stability and short-term economic growth. He has also increased state-control over key sectors and Party control over State Owned Enterprises. Chinese leaders in 2010 pledged to double China’s GDP by 2020, and the 13th Five Year Plan includes annual economic growth targets of at least 6.5% through 2020 to achieve that goal. In recent years, China has renewed its support for state-owned enterprises in sectors considered important to ""economic security,"" explicitly looking to foster globally competitive industries. Chinese leaders also have undermined some market-oriented reforms by reaffirming the “dominant” role of the state in the economy, a stance that threatens to discourage private initiative and make the economy less efficient over time. " | Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked, mountainous, lower middle income country with an economy dominated by minerals extraction, agriculture, and reliance on remittances from citizens working abroad. Cotton, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products, although only cotton is exported in any quantity. Other exports include gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, and - in some years - electricity. The country has sought to attract foreign investment to expand its export base, including construction of hydroelectric dams, but a difficult investment climate and an ongoing legal battle with a Canadian firm over the joint ownership structure of the nation’s largest gold mine deter potential investors. Remittances from Kyrgyz migrant workers, predominantly in Russia and Kazakhstan, are equivalent to over one-quarter of Kyrgyzstan’s GDP. Following independence, Kyrgyzstan rapidly implemented market reforms, such as improving the regulatory system and instituting land reform. In 1998, Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. The government has privatized much of its ownership shares in public enterprises. Despite these reforms, the country suffered a severe drop in production in the early 1990s and has again faced slow growth in recent years as the global financial crisis, declining oil prices, and regional economic headwinds have damaged economies across Central Asia. The Kyrgyz government remains dependent on foreign donor support to finance its annual budget deficit of approximately 4-5% of GDP. Kyrgyz leaders hope the country’s August 2015 accession to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will bolster trade and investment, but slowing economies in Russia and China and low commodity prices continue to hamper economic growth. While joining the EAEU has increased Kyrgyz labor mobility within member states, large scale trade and investment pledged by Kyrgyz leaders has been slow in developing since accession. Kyrgyz entrepreneurs and politicians alike often contend that non-tariff measures imposed by other EAEU member states, particularly Kazakhstan, are negatively impacting sectors of the Kyrgyz economy that enjoy a comparative advantage, such as meat and dairy production. Since acceding to the EAEU, the Kyrgyz Republic has continued harmonizing its laws and regulations to conform to Union standards, though many local entrepreneurs have criticized this process as disjointed and incomplete. The keys to future growth include progress in fighting corruption, improving administrative transparency, restructuring and diversifying domestic industries, and attracting foreign aid and investment. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $21.14 trillion (2016 est.) $19.82 trillion (2015 est.) $18.34 trillion (2014 est.) note: data are in 2016 dollars | $21.01 billion (2016 est.) $20.55 billion (2015 est.) $19.87 billion (2014 est.) note: data are in 2016 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 6.7% (2016 est.) 6.9% (2015 est.) 7.3% (2014 est.) | 2.2% (2016 est.) 3.5% (2015 est.) 4% (2014 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $14,600 (2016 est.) $14,500 (2015 est.) $13,400 (2014 est.) note: data are in 2016 dollars | $3,500 (2016 est.) $3,400 (2015 est.) $3,400 (2014 est.) note: data are in 2016 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 8.6% industry: 39.8% services: 51.6% (2016 est.) | agriculture: 17.9% industry: 25.9% services: 56.2% (2016 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 3.3% note: in 2011, China set a new poverty line at RMB 2300 (approximately US $400) (2016 est.) | 32.1% (2015 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 31.4% note: data are for urban households only (2012) | lowest 10%: 4.4% highest 10%: 22.9% (2014 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2% (2016 est.) 1.4% (2015 est.) | 2.9% (2016 est.) 6.5% (2015 est.) |
| Labor force | 907.5 million note: by the end of 2012, China's population at working age (15-64 years) was 1.004 billion (2016 est.) | 2.778 million (2016 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 28.3% industry: 29.3% services: 42.4% (2015 est.) | agriculture: 48% industry: 12.5% services: 39.5% (2005 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 4% (2016 est.) 4.1% (2015 est.) note: data are for registered urban unemployment, which excludes private enterprises and migrants | 8% (2013 est.) 8.1% (2014 est.) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 46.5 (2016 est.) 46.2 (2015 est.) | 33.4 (2007) 29 (2001) |
| Budget | revenues: $2.3 trillion expenditures: $2.708 trillion (2016 est.) | revenues: $2.04 billion expenditures: $2.354 billion (2016 est.) |
| Industries | world leader in gross value of industrial output; mining and ore processing, iron, steel, aluminum, and other metals, coal; machine building; armaments; textiles and apparel; petroleum; cement; chemicals; fertilizers; consumer products (including footwear, toys, and electronics); food processing; transportation equipment, including automobiles, rail cars and locomotives, ships, aircraft; telecommunications equipment, commercial space launch vehicles, satellites | small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals |
| Industrial production growth rate | 6% (2016 est.) | 0% (2016 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | world leader in gross value of agricultural output; rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, tobacco, peanuts, tea, apples, cotton, pork, mutton, eggs; fish, shrimp | cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool |
| Exports | $2.098 trillion (2016 est.) $2.143 trillion (2015 est.) | $1.453 billion (2016 est.) $1.61 billion (2015 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | electrical and other machinery, including data processing equipment, apparel, furniture, textiles, integrated circuits | gold, cotton, wool, garments, meat; mercury, uranium, electricity; machinery; shoes |
| Exports - partners | US 18%, Hong Kong 14.6%, Japan 6%, South Korea 4.5% (2015) | Switzerland 26.1%, Uzbekistan 22.6%, Kazakhstan 20.8%, UAE 4.9%, Turkey 4.5%, Afghanistan 4.5%, Russia 4.2% (2015) |
| Imports | $1.587 trillion (2016 est.) $1.576 trillion (2015 est.) | $3.146 billion (2016 est.) $3.648 billion (2015 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | electrical and other machinery, oil and mineral fuels; nuclear reactor, boiler, and machinery components; optical and medical equipment, metal ores, motor vehicles; soybeans | oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs |
| Imports - partners | South Korea 10.9%, US 9%, Japan 8.9%, Germany 5.5%, Australia 4.1% (2015) | China 56.6%, Russia 17.2%, Kazakhstan 10% (2015) |
| Debt - external | $1.421 trillion (31 December 2016 est.) $1.418 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) | $7.728 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $7.37 billion (31 December 2015 est.) |
| Exchange rates | Renminbi yuan (RMB) per US dollar - 6.626 (2016 est.) 6.2275 (2015 est.) 6.2275 (2014 est.) 6.1958 (2013 est.) 6.3123 (2012 est.) | soms (KGS) per US dollar - 69.08 (2016 est.) 64.462 (2015 est.) 64.462 (2014 est.) 53.654 (2013 est.) 47.01 (2012 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Public debt | 16.1% of GDP (2016 est.) 15.5% of GDP (2015 est.) note: official data; data cover both central government debt and local government debt, which China's National Audit Office estimated at RMB 10.72 trillion (approximately US$1.66 trillion) in 2011; data exclude policy bank bonds, Ministry of Railway debt, China Asset Management Company debt, and non-performing loans | 69.5% of GDP (2016 est.) 68.8% of GDP (2015 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $3.01 trillion (31 December 2016 est.) $3.405 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) | $1.838 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $1.778 billion (31 December 2015 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | $196.4 billion (2016 est.) $304.2 billion (2015 est.) | -$615 million (2016 est.) -$740 million (2015 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $10.73 trillion (2016 est.) note: because China's exchange rate is determined by fiat rather than by market forces, the official exchange rate measure of GDP is not an accurate measure of China's output; GDP at the official exchange rate substantially understates the actual level of China's output vis-a-vis the rest of the world; in China's situation, GDP at purchasing power parity provides the best measure for comparing output across countries | $5.794 billion (2016 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home | $1.458 trillion (31 December 2016 est.) $1.221 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) | $4.897 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $4.347 billion (31 December 2015 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad | $1.317 trillion (31 December 2016 est.) $1.096 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) | $331.4 million (31 December 2016 est.) $331.4 million (31 December 2015 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares | $7.321 trillion (31 December 2016 est.) $8.188 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) $6.005 trillion (31 December 2014 est.) | $165 million (31 December 2012 est.) $165 million (31 December 2011 est.) $79 million (31 December 2010 est.) |
| Central bank discount rate | 2.25% (31 December 2016 est.) 2.25% (31 December 2015 est.) | 5% (31 December 2016) 8% (31 December 2015) |
| Commercial bank prime lending rate | 4.35% (31 December 2016 est.) 4.35% (31 December 2015 est.) | 23.3% (31 December 2016 est.) 24.25% (31 December 2015 est.) |
| Stock of domestic credit | $15.37 trillion (31 December 2016 est.) $14.47 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) | $980.7 million (31 December 2016 est.) $831.4 million (31 December 2015 est.) |
| Stock of narrow money | $7.015 trillion (31 December 2016 est.) $6.175 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) | $1.179 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $928.2 million (31 December 2015 est.) |
| Stock of broad money | $22.35 trillion (31 December 2016 est.) $21.44 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) | $1.333 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $1.399 billion (31 December 2014 est.) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 21.4% of GDP (2016 est.) | 35.2% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -3% of GDP (2016 est.) | -5.4% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 37.1% government consumption: 14% investment in fixed capital: 43.7% investment in inventories: 1.6% exports of goods and services: 22% imports of goods and services: 18.5% (2015 est.) | household consumption: 77.9% government consumption: 18.8% investment in fixed capital: 25.2% investment in inventories: 2.5% exports of goods and services: 30.6% imports of goods and services: -55% (2016 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 46% of GDP (2016 est.) 47.9% of GDP (2015 est.) 49.7% of GDP (2014 est.) | 18.5% of GDP (2016 est.) 19.3% of GDP (2015 est.) 9.3% of GDP (2014 est.) |
Energy
| China | Kyrgyzstan | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 6.142 trillion kWh (2016 est.) | 14 billion kWh (2014 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 5.92 trillion kWh (2016 est.) | 11 billion kWh (2014 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 18.91 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 72 million kWh (2014 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 6.185 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 300 million kWh (2014 est.) |
| Oil - production | 3.983 million bbl/day (2016 est.) | 1,000 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 7.599 million bbl/day (2016 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2013 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 58,650 bbl/day (2016 est.) | 19.65 bbl/day (2013 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 25 billion bbl (1 January 2016 est.) | 40 million bbl (1 January 2016 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 6 billion cu m (31 December 2016 ) | 5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2016 es) |
| Natural gas - production | 150 billion cu m (2016 est.) | 34 million cu m (2014 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 224 billion cu m (2016 est.) | 429 million cu m (2014 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 3.918 billion cu m (2014 est.) | 0 cu m (2013 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 75.1 billion cu m (2016 est.) | 395 million cu m (2014 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 1.646 billion kW (2016 est.) | 3.9 million kW (2014 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 64% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 21.1% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 20.2% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 78.9% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 2% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 13.7% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 10.35 million bbl/day (2013 est.) | 1,571 bbl/day (2013 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 11.12 million bbl/day (2014 est.) | 37,000 bbl/day (2014 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 593,400 bbl/day (2014 est.) | 3,070 bbl/day (2013 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 600,000 bbl/day (2014 est.) | 35,710 bbl/day (2013 est.) |
| Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy | 9.135 billion Mt (2014 est.) | 9.4 million Mt (2013 est.) |
| Electricity access | population without electricity: 1,200,000 electrification - total population: 99.9% electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 99.8% (2016) | electrification - total population: 100% (2016) |
Telecommunications
| China | Kyrgyzstan | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 230.996 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (July 2015 est.) | total subscriptions: 408,037 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (July 2015 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total: 1,305.738 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 95 (July 2015 est.) | total: 7.579 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 134 (July 2015 est.) |
| Telephone system | general assessment: domestic and international services are available for private use; unevenly distributed domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and many towns; China continues to develop its telecommunications infrastructure; China in the summer of 2008 began a major restructuring of its telecommunications industry, resulting in the consolidation of its 6 telecom service operators to 3, China Telecom, China Mobile, and China Unicom, each providing both fixed-line and mobile services domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular telephone systems have been installed; mobile-cellular subscribership is increasing rapidly; the number of Internet users now over 50% of the population; a domestic satellite system with several earth stations is in place international: country code - 86; a number of submarine cables provide connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US; satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean; 1 Intersputnik - Indian Ocean region; and 1 Inmarsat - Pacific and Indian Ocean regions) (2012) | general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is being upgraded; loans from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) are being used to install a digital network, digital radio-relay stations, and fiber-optic links domestic: fixed-line penetration remains low and concentrated in urban areas; multiple mobile-cellular service providers with growing coverage; mobile-cellular subscribership up to about 130 per 100 persons in 2015 international: country code - 996; connections with other CIS countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intersputnik, 1 Intelsat); connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line (2015) |
| Internet country code | .cn | .kg |
| Internet users | total: 687.845 million percent of population: 50.3% (July 2015 est.) | total: 1.713 million percent of population: 30.2% (July 2015 est.) |
| Broadcast media | all broadcast media are owned by, or affiliated with, the Communist Party of China or a government agency; no privately owned TV or radio stations; state-run Chinese Central TV, provincial, and municipal stations offer more than 2,000 channels; the Central Propaganda Department lists subjects that are off limits to domestic broadcast media with the government maintaining authority to approve all programming; foreign-made TV programs must be approved prior to broadcast; increasingly, Chinese turn to online television to access Chinese and international films and television shows (2017) | state-run TV broadcaster operates 2 nationwide networks and 6 regional stations; roughly 20 private TV stations operating with most rebroadcasting other channels; state-run radio broadcaster operates 2 networks; about 20 private radio stations (2007) |
Transportation
| China | Kyrgyzstan | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 124,000 km standard gauge: 124,000 km 1.435-m gauge (80,000 km electrified); 102,000 traditional, 22,000 high-speed (2017) | total: 470 km broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2014) |
| Roadways | total: 4,577,300 km paved: 4,046,300 km (includes 123,500 km of expressways) unpaved: 531,000 km (2015) | total: 34,000 km (2007) |
| Waterways | 110,000 km (navigable waterways) (2011) | 600 km (2010) |
| Pipelines | gas 70,000 km; crude oil 22,900 km; refined petroleum products 25,500 km; water 710,206 km (2015) | gas 480 km; oil 16 km (2013) |
| Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Dalian, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tianjin river port(s): Guangzhou (Pearl) container port(s) (TEUs): Dalian (9,591,000), Guangzhou (17,097,000), Ningbo (20,636,000), Qingdao (17,323,000), Shanghai (36,516,000), Shenzhen (24,142,000), Tianjin (13,881,000)(2015) LNG terminal(s) (import): Fujian, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shandong, Shanghai, Tangshan, Zhejiang | lake port(s): Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)(Lake Ysyk-Kol) |
| Airports | 507 (2013) | 28 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 463 over 3,047 m: 71 2,438 to 3,047 m: 158 1,524 to 2,437 m: 123 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 86 (2013) | total: 18 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 under 914 m: 3 (2013) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 44 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 18 (2013) | total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 8 (2013) |
Military
| China | Kyrgyzstan | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | People's Liberation Army (PLA): Army, Navy (PLAN, includes marines and naval aviation), Air Force (Zhongguo Renmin Jiefangjun Kongjun, PLAAF, includes airborne forces), Rocket Force (strategic missile force), and Strategic Support Force (space and cyber forces); People's Armed Police (Renmin Wuzhuang Jingcha Budui, PAP); PLA Reserve Force (2016) | State Committee on Defense Affairs (GKDO): Ground Forces, Air Force (includes Air Defense Forces) (2015) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18-24 years of age for selective compulsory military service, with a 2-year service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service (all officers are volunteers); 18-19 years of age for women high school graduates who meet requirements for specific military jobs; a recent military decision allows women in combat roles; the first class of women warship commanders was in 2011 (2012) | 18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary male military service in the Armed Forces or Interior Ministry; 1-year service obligation, with optional fee-based 3-year service in the call-up mobilization reserve; women may volunteer at age 19; 16-17 years of age for military cadets, who cannot take part in military operations (2013) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.3% of GDP (2017 est) 1.28% of GDP (2016) 1.95% of GDP (2015) 1.9% of GDP (2014) 1.85% of GDP (2013) | 3.58% of GDP (2015) 3.38% of GDP (2014) 3.2% of GDP (2013) 3.21% of GDP (2012) 3.4% of GDP (2011) |
Transnational Issues
| China | Kyrgyzstan | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | continuing talks and confidence-building measures work toward reducing tensions over Kashmir that nonetheless remains militarized with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; China and India continue their security and foreign policy dialogue started in 2005 related to the dispute over most of their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear proliferation, and other matters; China claims most of India's Arunachal Pradesh to the base of the Himalayas; lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a common boundary alignment to resolve territorial disputes arising from substantial cartographic discrepancies, the largest of which lie in Bhutan's northwest and along the Chumbi salient; Burmese forces attempting to dig in to the largely autonomous Shan State to rout local militias tied to the drug trade, prompts local residents to periodically flee into neighboring Yunnan Province in China; Chinese maps show an international boundary symbol off the coasts of the littoral states of the South China Seas, where China has interrupted Vietnamese hydrocarbon exploration; China asserts sovereignty over Scarborough Reef along with the Philippines and Taiwan, and over the Spratly Islands together with Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Brunei; the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea eased tensions in the Spratlys but is not the legally binding code of conduct sought by some parties; Vietnam and China continue to expand construction of facilities in the Spratlys and in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord on marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; China occupies some of the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands are also claimed by China and Taiwan; certain islands in the Yalu and Tumen Rivers are in dispute with North Korea; North Korea and China seek to stem illegal migration to China by North Koreans, fleeing privations and oppression, by building a fence along portions of the border and imprisoning North Koreans deported by China; China and Russia have demarcated the once disputed islands at the Amur and Ussuri confluence and in the Argun River in accordance with their 2004 Agreement; China and Tajikistan have begun demarcating the revised boundary agreed to in the delimitation of 2002; the decade-long demarcation of the China-Vietnam land boundary was completed in 2009; citing environmental, cultural, and social concerns, China has reconsidered construction of 13 dams on the Salween River, but energy-starved Burma, with backing from Thailand, remains intent on building five hydro-electric dams downstream despite regional and international protests Chinese and Hong Kong authorities met in March 2008 to resolve ownership and use of lands recovered in Shenzhen River channelization, including 96-hectare Lok Ma Chau Loop | Kyrgyzstan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary delimitation with Kazakhstan; disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with Tajikistan; delimitation of 130 km of border with Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes over enclaves and other areas |
| Illicit drugs | major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden Triangle region of Southeast Asia; growing domestic consumption of synthetic drugs, and heroin from Southeast and Southwest Asia; source country for methamphetamine and heroin chemical precursors, despite new regulations on its large chemical industry; more people believed to be convicted and executed for drug offences than anywhere else in the world, according to NGOs (2008) | limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy for CIS markets; limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of Europe; major consumer of opiates |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | refugees (country of origin): 317,098 (Vietnam); undetermined (North Korea) (2016) IDPs: undetermined (2014) | stateless persons: 2,334 (2016); note - most stateless people were born in Kyrgyzstan, have lived there many years, or married Kyrgyz citizens; in 2009, Kyrgyzstan adopted a national action plan to speed up the exchange of old Soviet passports for Kyrgyz ones; between 2014 and 2016, Kyrgyzstan has resolved nearly 9,000 stateless cases; stateless people are unable to register marriages and births, to travel within the country or abroad, to own property, or to receive social benefits |
Source: CIA Factbook
