Overview
Kyrgyzstan*
Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked, mountainous country in Central Asia, where the Tian Shan range covers more than 80% of the territory. Home to about 7.3 million people, it covers roughly 200,000 km² and borders Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. Bishkek is the capital. Issyk-Kul, in the northeast, is one of the world’s largest mountain lakes. The territory was incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1876 and became a Soviet republic in 1936, and Kyrgyzstan declared independence in 1991. Protests forced presidents from office in 2005, 2010, and 2020. A constitution approved by referendum in 2021 replaced the parliamentary system with a presidential one. Sadyr Japarov has been president since 2021, and the next presidential election is scheduled for January 2027. Kyrgyz is the state language, Russian is also an official language, and Islam is the predominant religion.
Kyrgyzstan is a lower-middle-income country. Gold is the main export, and remittances from migrant workers were equivalent to about 18% of GDP in 2024. Services are the largest contributor to GDP, and agriculture employs about 15% of the workforce. In 2025, Kyrgyzstan’s GDP per capita was approximately US$3,081, and real GDP grew by 11.1%.
Source: World Bank. (2026). World Development Indicators, from https://data.worldbank.org/country/kyrgyz-republic
Institutions
Institutions with at least one Faculty Member Registered with Ivey Publishing
- Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic
- American University of Central Asia
- Bishkek State University
- Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic
- Institute of Economics and Finance
- International University of Central Asia
- International University of Kyrgyzstan
- Kyrgyz Aviation Institute
- Kyrgyz Economic University
- Kyrgyz National Agrarian University
- Kyrgyz National University
- Kyrgyz State Technical University
- Kyrgyz State University of Culture and Arts
- Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University
- Osh State University
- University of Central Asia
Source: Ivey Publishing. 39C Accounts by Country. Provided by Adrianna Gleam-Fossaceca, Ivey Publishing, August 11, 2026.
Cases
Ivey-Copyrighted Cases in or involving Kyrgyzstan*
Ivey Publishing and the 39 Country Initiative welcome additional case submissions that deepen understanding of Kyrgyzstan’s businesses, institutions, industries, and broader economic and social context.
| Case | Authors | Published / Revised | Product Number | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameco in Kyrgyzstan: Corporate Social Responsibility Abroad | Pratima Bansal, John Scarfe, Richard Johnston | Nov 28, 2003; revised Oct 22, 2009 | 9B03M063 | 18 |
| Where Have You Been? An Exercise to Assess Your Exposure to the Rest of the World’s Peoples | Paul W. Beamish | Nov 27, 2025 | W48085 | 11 |
Source: Ivey Publishing. Retrieved October 8, 2026, from https://www.iveypublishing.ca/s/
Workshops
Workshops Provided to Institutions in Kyrgyzstan*
The 39 Country Initiative’s most substantial outreach to date has centered on faculty development through in-person case-teaching workshops. The first workshop series in Kyrgyzstan ran from November 18–21, 2025. Glenn Rowe of Ivey Business School led 3 in-person workshops in Bishkek at
− Kyrgyz National University
− Bishkek State University
− American University of Central Asia (AUCA).
Photos from the workshop series can be found at https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/39country/news/2025/11/kyrgyzstan-workshop-series/.
The workshops at Kyrgyz National University and Bishkek State University were attended by 35 and 73 faculty members, respectively. The 39 Country Initiative also supports online case-teaching activities as part of its broader outreach. Opportunities remain to extend this engagement beyond in-person workshops and reach a wider number of institutions in Kyrgyzstan.