Kyrgyzstan: TRANSPORTATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

TRANSPORTATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS



Overview: Land transportation is a critical element of national unity because the regions of Kyrgyzstan (particularly north and south) are separated by natural barriers. In the early 2000s, foreign investment has been instrumental in long-term improvement projects for rail, road, and air transportation lines.



Roads: In 1999 Kyrgyzstan had 18,500 kilometers of roads, of which 16,854 kilometers were paved. Of that total, 140 kilometers were classified as highways and 3,160 kilometers as main roads. Major expansion projects with international funding are a 650-kilometer, north-south highway linking Bishkek and Osh, a road connecting Issyk-Köl Lake with Aksu in China’s Xingjiang Province, and an east-west highway connecting Osh with the Chinese border. Those roads are to be completed by 2008.



Railroads: In 2004 Kyrgyzstan had only 470 kilometers of railroad track, all broad-gauge. Hence, Kyrgyzstan is largely dependent on the railroad systems of neighboring countries. Passenger service was reduced in 1999. Long-term government plans call for upgrading the railroad system to include Kyrgyzstan in the flow of rail traffic across Central Asia and the establishment of urban rail systems in Bishkek, Osh, and Jalalabad. Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan plan to build a 100-kilometer connector to bring Kazakh tourists from Almaty to Lake Issyk-Köl.



Ports: Kyrgyzstan’s only port is Balykchy, a fishing town on Lake Issyk-Köl.



Inland Waterways: None of Kyrgyzstan’s rivers is navigable, and the country has no canals.

Civil Aviation and Airports: In the early 2000s, international funding has upgraded the main airport, Manas, at Bishkek. In 2004 Manas was the only one of Kyrgyzstan’s 52 airports with a runway longer than 3,000 meters and the only airport supporting international flights. Smaller airports provide connections among domestic destinations.



Pipelines: The limitations of Kyrgyzstan’s pipeline system are a major impediment to fuel distribution. In 2004 the country had 367 kilometers of natural gas pipeline and 13 kilometers of oil pipeline, after adding 167 kilometers of natural gas pipeline in 2003.



Telecommunications: In the early 2000s, Kyrgyzstan used international investment support to restructure its telecommunications system, which in 2002 had 7.7 telephone lines per 100 inhabitants and 53,100 cellular phones in use. As part of the upgrading process, the government has attempted to sell a majority interest of the state-owned telecommunications company, Kyrgyztelecom, to foreign bidders. Companies from Russia, Sweden, and Turkey have been possible buyers. However, in 2005 an estimated 100,000 applicants were waiting for telephone line installation. In the early 2000s, Internet use has expanded rapidly. Between 1999 and 2002, the number of Internet subscribers increased from 3,000 to 152,000. In 2004 some 12,300 Internet hosts were in operation. The long-term goal of the government’s information and communications technology strategy is for the telecommunications sector to contribute 5 percent to gross domestic product by 2010.