LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR TBILISI ... - LED

Population: 5,213,898 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:
Age structure: 0-14 years: 30.9% (male 821,976/female 789,687)
15-64 years: 62.9% (male 1,607,396/female 1,669,612)
65 years and over: 6.2% (male 126,847/female 198,380) (2006 est.)
GDP
GDP - purchasing power parity - 9.97 billion USD
GDP - official exchange rate - 2.441 billion USD
GDP - per capita (PPP) - 1,870 USD
population below poverty line - 40 %
Budget – gov. (2005)
Revenues: 516.3 million USD
Expenditures: 539.9 million USD
Inflation rate 5,2 %
Unemployment rate 18% official rate (2005)
7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city* (shaar); Batken Oblasty, Bishkek
Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas
Oblasty, Ysyk-Kol Oblasty (Karakol) note: administrative divisions have the same names
as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following
in parentheses)
Kyrgyzstan is a poor, mountainous country with a predominantly agricultural economy.
Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products, although only tobacco
and cotton are exported in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold, mercury, uranium,
natural gas, and electricity. Kyrgyzstan has been progressive in carrying out market
reforms, such as an improved regulatory system and land reform. Kyrgyzstan was the
first CIS country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. Much of the
government's stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had been severe
after the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but by mid-1995, production
began to recover and exports began to increase. Kyrgyzstan has distinguished itself by
adopting relatively liberal economic policies. The drop in output at the Kumtor gold mine
sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002, but GDP growth bounced back in 2003-05. The
government has made steady strides in controlling its substantial fiscal deficit and
reduced the deficit to 1% of GDP in 2005. The government and international financial
institutions have been engaged in a comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction and
economic growth strategy, and in 2005 agreed to pursue much-needed tax reform.
Progress fighting corruption, further restructuring of domestic industry, and success in
attracting foreign investment are keys to future growth. Countrywide, official
unemployment is 3%, but the actual rate is closer to 40% . Women account for 62% of
those unemployed. Roughly 65% of Kyrgyz live in rural areas, and the majority of rural
residents are farmers. The lack of adequately paid work in rural areas is prompting an
out-migration to major cities like Bishkek, Osh and Jalal-Abad.