Kyrgyz Republic (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised July 17, 2024 |
| Report Number |
IF10304 |
| Report Type |
In Focus |
| Authors |
Jennifer M. Roscoe, Wil Mackey, Edward Y. Gracia |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
The Kyrgyz Republic (commonly known as Kyrgyzstan) is
a mountainous, landlocked country that borders the
People’s Republic of China (PRC, or China), Kazakhstan,
Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan (see Figure 1), and maintains
close ties with Russia. Formerly part of the Soviet Union,
Kyrgyzstan became independent in 1991. Kyrgyzstan was
long considered the most democratic country in Central
Asia, and has a vibrant civil society and a higher degree of
press freedom than found elsewhere in the region.
Corruption is pervasive, however, and political institutions
remain weak. In recent years, international observers have
voiced concerns about democratic backsliding in
Kyrgyzstan, particularly in light of the political upheaval
that followed the country’s contested 2020 parliamentary
elections. In 2021, the NGO Freedom House classified
Kyrgyzstan as “Not Free” for the first time in 11 years; it
has since maintained that designation. Some Members of
Congress have expressed concerns about democratic
backsliding in Kyrgyzstan and about government pressure
on independent media, including the U.S.-funded Radio
Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
