Population and Demographics

Kyrgyzstan's largest ethnic group is the Kyrgyz, a Turkic people. The Kyrgyz comprise 64.9% of the population and have historically been semi-nomadic herders, living in round tents called yurts and tending sheep, horses and yaks. This nomadic tradition continues to function seasonally as herding families return to the high mountain pasture (or jailoo) in the summer. The retention of this nomadic heritage and the freedoms that it assumes continue to have an impact on the political atmosphere in the country.

Other ethnic groups include ethnic Russians (12.5%) concentrated in the North and Uzbeks (13.8%) living in the South. Small (1% or less) but noticeable minorities include Tatars, Uyghurs, Kazakhs and Ukrainians. Of the formerly sizable Volga German community, exiled here by Stalin from their earlier homes in the Volga German Republic, most have returned to Germany, and only a few small groups remain. A small percentage of the population are also Soviet Koreans, meaning descendents of the former Korean residents of Vladivostok, who Stalin had exiled to Central Asia (and the Caucauses) during the Second World War.

Facts and Figures

• Population: 5,284,149
• Age Structure:
  • 0-14 years: 30.3% (male 817,663/female 785,167)
  • 15-64 years: 63.5% (male 1,645,270/female 1,709,522)
  • 65 years and over: 6.2% (male 127,600/female 198,927)
• Median Age:
  • Total: 23.9 years
  • Male: 23.1 years
  • Female: 24.8 years
• Population Growth Rate: 1.354%
• Birth Rate: 23.08 births/1,000 population
• Death Rate: 7.02 deaths/1,000 population
• Net Migration Rate: -2.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population
• Sex Ratio:
  • At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  • Under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female
  • 15-64 years: 0.962 male(s)/female
  • 65 years and over: 0.641 male(s)/female
  • Total population: 0.962 male(s)/female
• Infant Mortality Rate:
  • Total: 33.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Male: 38.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Female: 27.97 deaths/1,000 live births
• Life Expectancy at Birth:
  • Total population: 68.81 years
  • Male: 64.8 years
  • Female: 73.02 years
• Total Fertility Rate: 2.68 children born/woman
• HIV/AIDS:
  • Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1%
  • People living with HIV/AIDS: 3,900
• Ethnic Groups:
  • Kyrgyz 64.9%
  • Uzbek 13.8%
  • Russian 12.5%
  • Dungan 1.1%
  • Ukrainian 1%
  • Uygur 1%
  • Other 5.7%
• Religions:
  • Muslim 75%
  • Russian Orthodox 20%
  • Other 5%
• Languages:
  • Kyrgyz 64.7% (official)
  • Uzbek 13.6%
  • Russian 12.5% (official)
  • Dungun 1%
  • Other 8.2%
• Literacy:
  • Total population: 98.7%
  • Male: 99.3%
  • Female: 98.1%