Only 20% of the territory of the Republic can be classified as an area for comfortable
habitation. The majority of the population lives here and its economic activities takes place in
this area. About 50% of the territory is classified as uninhabitable. Only mining enterprises
run their activity here on a permanent basis, while other economic activites are only of
seasonal type.
The averaged readings of the total annual precipitation in all climatic regions are quite
similar: northwestern region - 456 mm, northeastern region – 421 mm and southwestern
region – 521 mm. The higher readings in the southwestern climatic region reflect the higher
moister transfer by western air streams. Low annual precipitation in the inner Tien-Shan area
(294 mm) is explained by the location of the region within the wind shadow of the
northwestern moisture-laden air flows (UNDP, Bishkek, 2009).