From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Wed Aug 02 2000 - 10:48:24 EDT
KYRGYZSTAN ECONOMY SHOWS SIGNS OF RECOVERY
National Statistical Board Director Zarylbek Kudabaev announced last
week that Kyrgyzstan's GDP grew by 7.4 percent during the
first six months of 2000 compared with the corresponding
period last year, RFE/RL's Bishkek bureau reported.
Industrial output rose by 3.3 percent and agricultural
production by 10.9 percent. Inflation during the first half
of the year was 7.1 percent, and the average monthly wage is
1,029 soms (about $22). Kudabaev said that unemployment
currently stands at 3.2 percent, but the Ministry of Trade
and Social Affairs last week estimated that the real
unemployment figure is 200,000 (of a total population of 4.8
million), rather than the 72,000 who are officially
registered as out of work LF
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