3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi-controlled Government
Religions
Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%
Muslim 97% (Shia 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%
Languages
Kyrgyz 64.7% (official), Uzbek 13.6%, Russian 12.5% (official), Dungun 1%, other 8.2% (1999 census)
Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Turkoman (a Turkish dialect), Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic), Armenian
crude oil 84%, crude materials excluding fuels 8%, food and live animals 5%
External Debt
$3,601,000,000 $
$50,790,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
soms (KGS) per US dollar - 36.108 (2008 est.), 37.746 (2007), 40.149 (2006), 41.012 (2005), 42.65 (2004)
New Iraqi dinars (NID) per US dollar - 1,176 (2008), 1,255 (2007), 1,466 (2006), 1,475 (2005), 1,890 (second half, 2003)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.500%
8.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
2
0
Location
Central Asia, west of China
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Area
199,951 km sq
438,317 km sq
Coastline
0 km
58 km
Climate
dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone
mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq
