Poverty and Global Warming: An Example of the Kyrgyz Republic

Abstract

This study examines the current status of poverty in Kyrgyz Republic (KR) of Central Asia. About 80% of the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic is mountainous, and 93% of the KR territory is situated on the altitude higher than 1000 m. In fact the present day Kyrgyz Republic has been so neglected and regarded as a poor marginal area even under the Soviet Union. The traditional economy of the Kyrgyz people was based on the pastoral activities and agriculture. Even after the creation of an independent country, the economy of the people has not improved much. The phenomenon of poverty and marginalization, depopulation, degradation of resources and environment, backwardness of transport and social infrastructure, unemployment is typical for mountain regions, which creates conditions for social insecurity and conflicts. According to the information of the National Statistic Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic (KR) the general level of the poverty was 31.7% in 2008, and the level of extreme poverty was 6.1%. It is therefore suggested that a long term governmental programme of the economic development of high mountainous and marginal areas should be worked out on the recommendation of a National Committee on Poverty Elimination and Climate Change Consequences.