Background

Factbook: SCO Member States

(sectsco.org)
Updated: 2010-06-09 15:20

The six member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) are China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The following are some basic facts about the SCO member states.

China

Founded on October 1, 1949, CHINA (THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, PRC) is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world with 1.3 billion people. Its land territory covers an area of 9.6 million square kilometers. According to its constitution, the People's Republic of China is a socialist republic.

The Chinese head of state is Hu Jintao, who is the Chairman of the People's Republic of China, the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Chairman of the Central Military Committee.

The highest legislative body in China is the National People's Congress. The highest executive body is the Central Government of the People's Republic of China. The highest judicial body is the Supreme People's Court of China.

The People's Republic of China has 23 provinces, five autonomous regions, four municipalities and two special administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macao.

China borders 14 nations: the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. It also borders the Republic of Korea, Japan, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia along the territorial waters.

Kazakhstan

KAZAKHSTAN (REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN) is a Central Asian country in the heartland of the Eurasian continent.

With an area of 2,724,900 sq. km, Kazakhstan is the ninth largest country in the world. It shares borders with China, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Russia. Its population is 15,074,200.

Islam is the largest religion in the country, followed by Russian Orthodox Church, Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches.

The country has 14 provinces and 84 municipalities.

The capital is Astana (as of December 10, 1997). The population of Astana is 528,000. The state language is Kazakh, meanwhile Russian is also officially used pari passu with Kazakh in state organizations and municipal self-governance bodies.

Starting from 1991 Kazakhstan is a unitary presidential republic. The current Constitution was adopted on August 30, 1995, amendments were made in 1998.

The head of state is the president (currently Nazarbaev Noursultan Abishevich). The President is also the Supreme Commander in Chief of the Republic of Kazakhstan Armed Forces.

The legislative body is made up of the Senate and the Majilis.

Its main political parties include the Republican party "Otan" ("Fatherland"), the Civil party, the Agrarian party, "Ak Zhol" ("Light Way"), and the Communist Party.

The Republic of Kazakhstan declared independence in October 1990.

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan (the Kyrgyz Republic) is a country in the southeastern part of Central Asia with 5.2 million people.

The 1993 constitution defines the form of government as a democratic republic. The executive branch includes a president and a prime minister. The parliament currently is unicameral. The judicial branch comprises a Supreme Court, a Constitutional Court, local courts and a Chief Prosecutor.

Kyrgyzstan's capital is Bishkek. Its official languages are Kirgiz and Russian. The monetary unit is Som.

Kyrgyzstan has significant deposits of metals including gold and rare earth metals.

It gained independence on August 31, 1991.

Russia

With an area of 17,075,400 sq.km, RUSSIA (THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, RF) is the largest country in the world. According to its constitution, Russia is a democratic federation. Its capital is Moscow and the monetary unit is Rouble.

The head of state is the President of the Russian Federation (currently D. A. Medvedev), and is elected every 6 years. The President is also the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

The Russian national legislature is the Federal Assembly (the Parliament of the Russian Federation) made up of two houses: the Federation Council and the State Duma. The executive power is exercised by the Government of the Russian Federation.

Russia's main political parties include United Russia, Fair Russia, Communist Party of the Russian Federation, and Liberal Democratic Party of Russia. The official language is Russian.

Russia (the Russian Federation) consists of 89 equal-right subjects (regions), including 21 autonomous republics, six territories, 49 regions, 10 autonomous areas, one autonomous region and two cities with a federal status (Moscow and St. Petersburg). In 2003, the national power system was reformed to reinforce the central power, to this end seven federal districts headed by the President's political representatives were established.

Russia shares land borders with Norway and Finland in the northwest, with Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Byelorussia in the west, with Ukraine in the southwest, and with Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the south.

The Russian Federation ranks No. 1 worldwide in natural gas reserves, No. 1 explored iron ore reserves, No. 2 in production, and No. 3 in coal reserves. Russian forest resources are the largest worldwide.

On June 12, 1990 the First Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) declared the state sovereignty of Russia.

Tajikistan

Tajikistan (The Republic of Tajikistan, RT) is a democratic republic in the southeast of Central Asia, with a population of 7 million and more than 80 ethnic groups, including Tajiks, Uzbeks, Russians, Tatars, and Kyrgyz. Its capital is Dushanbe. The monetary unit is Somoni. The official language is Tajik, while Russian is a language for inter-ethnic dialogue.

The head of state is the the President of Republic of Tadjikistan (currently Emomali Rahmon), who is elected every 7 years and cannot be re-elected after two successive terms. The President is also the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

The national legislature of the Republic is Majlisi Oli (the Parliament). The executive power is exercised by the Government.

With an area of 143,100 sq km, Tajikistan shares borders with Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, China and Afghanistan. The country has 3 provinces, 45 districts (including 8 districts of republican subordination), and 19 municipalities. The largest cities of the Republic are Dushanbe, Leninabad, Kurgan Tyube, Kulyab.

The country generates electricity mainly through hydroelectric power plants. The key industries include nonferrous metallurgy, light and food industries. Its agriculture fetures cotton growing, silk farming, fruit growing and grape growing.

In September 1991, Tajikistan adopted its official name - the Republic of Tajikistan.

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan (the Republic of Uzbekistan, RUz) is a country in Central Asia, with a population of more than 26.5 million and more than 100 nationalities, including Uzbeks, Russian, Tajiks, Kazakhs, Tatars and Karakalpaks. The capital is Tashkent. The monetary unit is Sum. Its official language is Uzbek while Russian is a language for inter-ethnic dialogue.

The head of state is the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (currently I. A. Karimov), elected every 7 years. The national legislature, the parliament of the Republic of Uzbekistan, exercises legislative power, which consists of two chambers - the Oliy Majlis(the lower house) and the Senate (the upper house).

With an area of 447,400 sq km, Uzbekistan shares borders with Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan. It has a coastline of the Aral Sea in the northwest.

The Republic of Uzbekistan consists of the Karakalpak Autonomous Republic and twelve other provinces.

Uzbekistan is rich in mineral resources, with approximately 100 types of mineral resources in its territory. The Republic is the world's eighth largest producer of gold. It is also one of the largest gas producers in the world. Other notable mineral resources include coal, uranium ore, nonferrous and rare-earth metals (silver, copper, lead, zinc, tungsten and molybdenum).

Uzbekistan is mainly an agricultural country, with cotton processing as the mainstay. The country's industry include metallurgy, motor industry, chemical industry, food-processing industry and manufacturing of construction materials.

The Republic of Uzbekistan declared its independence on September 1, 1991.