Kyrgyzstan's natural resources
Kyrgyzstan is endowed with a variety of natural resources, including significant reserves of hydropower, coal, oil, natural gas, and uranium, alongside deposits of gold and rare earth metals. The country's electricity generation is predominantly hydroelectric, accounting for approximately 85.6% of total production, with the potential to harness even greater capacity. However, much of the hydropower infrastructure is outdated, requiring modernization to optimize production.
While oil production has notably increased in recent years, natural gas output has dramatically declined from historical levels. Kyrgyzstan also has a history of uranium mining, which has left behind serious environmental and health concerns due to contamination from past operations. Despite being a primary source of uranium, Kyrgyzstan currently lacks nuclear power and is exploring alternatives, including potential solar and wind energy development.
The country faces challenges such as political unrest and economic difficulties, with a considerable portion of the population living below the poverty line. Overall, Kyrgyzstan's natural resources present both opportunities for economic development and challenges related to environmental sustainability and infrastructure.
Subject Terms
Kyrgyzstan's natural resources
Official Name: Kyrgyz Republic
Summary: Kyrgyzstan has numerous natural resources, including hydropower, coal, oil, natural gas, and uranium. Potential renewables include wind and solar power, but these have not yet been developed.
Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country in central Asia that was annexed to Russia in 1876, became a Soviet Republic in 1936, and became independent in 1991 when the Soviet Union dissolved. It has an area of 77,201 square miles (199,951 square kilometers), 3,147 square miles (8,150 square kilometers) of which is covered by water, including Issyk Kul (or Ysyk Köl) in the northeastern Tian Shan mountains, the second-largest saline lake in the world. The country has numerous natural resources, including hydropower, coal, oil, and natural gas, as well as deposits of gold, rare earth metals, and other minerals.
The population was estimated at 6.172 million in 2022, and the country has a negative net migration of –4.8 per 1,000 population. Measures of well-being are moderate to high, with 99.8 percent literacy, life expectancy at birth of 72.9 years, and a moderate infant mortality rate of 24.5 deaths per 1,000 live births (sixty-seventh in the world). However, ethnic clashes and political unrest have damaged infrastructure and economic development. Gross domestic product in 2023 was estimated at 45.416 billion, a growth of 6.15 percent from 2022. About 33.2 percent of the population lived below the poverty line in 2022.
Oil and Gas Production
Total oil production in Kyrgyzstan was 6,000 barrels per day in 2023, a substantial increase from 1,000 barrels per day by 2015. Proven oil reserves in 2022 were 28.499 million barrels. In 2022, Kyrgyzstan produced about 31million cubic feet of natural gas, a substantial reduction from the more than 2.5 billion cubic feet produced in 1992. Natural gas consumption in 2022 was 438 million cubic feet, producing a negative balance of 407 million cubic feet. In 2022, natural gas proved reserves were 28.663 billion cubic meters. Primary coal production in 2022 was 3.637 million metric tons while consumption was 3.352 million metric tons. In 2022, Kyrgyzstan generated 4.408 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and consumed 13.465 kilowatt-hours. Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of fossil fuels were 10.197 million metric tons in 2022.
Hydroelectric Power
Most of Kyrgyzstan’s electricity (85.6 percent) is produced by hydroelectric power. The country has the potential to produce up to 142 billion kilowatt-hours. Kyrgyzstan has one of the highest levels of renewable energy generation in the world. However, the country's hydropower infrastructure is mostly Soviet-era equipment in dire need of updating. Fossil fuel production provides most of the remainder of energy, at about 14 percent. Despite being a primary source of uranium, Kyrgyzstan has no nuclear power, although in 2024 officials expressed an interest in developing a small modular reactor that could supply energy to about one million citizens. Kyrgyzstan has fair potential for the development of wind energy, but development of this resource is primarily in the planning stages. Kyrgyzstan has high potential for the development of solar power, particularly in Bishkek and Tien Shan, but this has not been developed; geothermal resources could also be used for heating and power generation.
Uranium Mining
During the years of the Soviet Union, the Mailuu-Suu district in southern Kyrgyzstan was a significant area for uranium mining, with more than 10,000 tons of uranium produced from this area in the years 1946–67; in fact, uranium from this area was used to create the Soviet Union’s first atomic bomb. In 1997, the Kara Balta Mining Combine, created in the 1930s to mine and treat this ore, became a joint stock company, and in 2007 the Renova Group purchased the state equity in this company. Several companies from China, Canada, and Australia hold exploration licenses allowing them to prospect for uranium in Kyrgyzstan. The Kara Balta mill near Bishkek resumed operations in 2007 and produced 800 tons of uranium, increasing production to 2,574 tons by 2009. These uranium-mining activities have left the area extremely contaminated, with more than 6.43 million cubic feet (1.96 million cubic meters) of unsecured radioactive waste in the area—a problem exacerbated by the area’s seismic activity, as earthquakes and landslides have already displaced some of the radioactive material into the Mailuu-Suu River. A 1999 study indicated that the cancer rate in this area was twice the national average. Because of this, in May 2019 the Kyrgyz Supreme Council voted to ban uranium mining and exploration. In December of that year, the president signed this request into law.
Bibliography
"Kyrgyzstan." US International Energy Agency (IEA), 2021, www.iea.org/countries/kyrgyzstan. Accessed 4 Aug. 2024.
"Kyrgyzstan." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 30 July 2024, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/kyrgyzstan/#people-and-society. Accessed 4 Aug. 2024.
"Kyrgyz Republic--Energy." International Trade Administration, 16 June 2024, www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/kyrgyz-republic-energy. Accessed 4 Aug. 2024.