Development of Information and Communication Technologies in the Kyrgyz Republic from 2008 to 2012.

The monitoring of the state and use of information and communication technologies for 2012 included 9,224 business entities (enterprises and organizations) using computer technology and information technologies. The number of such enterprises in the republic has increased by 1.6 times compared to 2008.

Statistical data shows that the IT sector is becoming increasingly attractive to the population. The position of a manager at http://top.rabota.ua/ in software development is considered the highest-paid job in Kyrgyzstan. The salary of a web developer in the Kyrgyz Republic corresponds to similar professions in neighboring countries and CIS countries. To compare salary levels and job responsibilities, the portal top.rabota.ua can be used.

In 2012, the share of business entities using ICT in urban settlements was 76.5 percent, while in rural areas it was 23.5 percent.

The share of business entities with state ownership using ICT in 2012 was 37 percent of the total, while those with private ownership accounted for 63 percent, of which 1.5 percent were enterprises with foreign investments. Of the total number of business entities with state ownership (3,413), only 2.8 percent were connected to the State Computer Network, and 459 had their own website, of which 111, or 24.2 percent, had content in the Kyrgyz language.

The largest share of enterprises and organizations using ICT is in Bishkek (about 48 percent of the total), while the smallest is in the Batken region (3.5 percent).



Use of information and communication technologies

In 2012, compared to 2008, the number of employees in enterprises and organizations using ICT in their activities increased by almost 1.5 times. The largest share of such employees is in Bishkek (57.5 percent), while the smallest is in the Osh (3.9 percent) and Batken (2.9 percent) regions.

On average, in 2012, there were 11 employees using ICT per enterprise in the republic. Their number varies by region, ranging from 6 to 11 people. Among the employees using ICT, women made up 57 percent, and their number increased by 8.3 percent compared to 2011.

The majority of employees using ICT in their activities are employed in state enterprises (59 percent), which is 1.4 times more than in private enterprises.

The number of specialists in enterprises and organizations engaged in information and communication technologies in the republic in 2012 amounted to 11,800 people. The largest share was in Bishkek - 35 percent, while the smallest was in the Naryn region - 1.9 percent.

Expenditures on the use and development of ICT

Expenditures of enterprises and organizations on the development of ICT are quite insignificant. In 2012, the average expenditure on ICT development per surveyed enterprise was 508.9 thousand soms, in Bishkek - 780.5 thousand soms, in Osh - 191.2 thousand soms, and on average across regions - 186.7 thousand soms.
The main source of funding for ICT development work is the enterprises' own funds, which accounted for about 76 percent of the total.

ICT Equipment

Data on the availability of computers in enterprises and organizations in the republic as of January 1, 2013, is presented in the following table:



In enterprises and organizations in the republic (excluding small enterprises), the number of Pentium III computers and above in 2012 constituted 71.9 percent of the total available.

In 2012, more than 13,000 licensed software products (LSP) were used in enterprises and organizations, of which only 6 percent were in rural areas.

In the total number of office equipment, printers accounted for more than 70 percent, copying machines - 15 percent, and scanners - 13 percent. More than half of the office equipment available in the republic is located in Bishkek.

Availability of office equipment in enterprises and organizations by types of economic activity in 2012



Computer service

Computer service is characterized by the presence of local area networks (LAN), access to the Internet, availability of email and websites, and connection to the State Computer Network (SCN).

About 60 percent of the LANs available in the republic functioned in state enterprises.

In Bishkek, there are an average of 8 email accounts per enterprise, in Osh - 5, and in the Issyk-Kul region - three accounts.
Half of the Internet access points are in state enterprises, of which 41 percent operate in ADSL mode or via dedicated channels.

Indicators of computer service in 2012



The largest share of websites operates in business entities located in urban settlements (94 percent), with 66 percent of them in Bishkek. In 2012, 72 percent of the own websites belonged to private enterprises, of which 10 percent use the Kyrgyz language.

In 2012, 125 enterprises in the republic were connected to the State Computer Network (SCN). More than a third of them (35 percent) are located in Bishkek. A significant portion of the enterprises included in the SCN (76 percent) are state enterprises, more than half of which are in the public administration sector.

There has been significant growth in the use of information and communication technologies in the financial services sector. According to the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic, in 2012, in 21 credit organizations-issuers, the total number of payment (plastic) cards increased 3.8 times over the last 5 years (from 109,000 in 2008 to 409,000 units in 2012), and the number of peripheral devices servicing payment cards - ATMs (automated teller machines) amounted to 3,000, with 2,400 POS terminals.