Transport connectivity and aviation mobility of the population in developing countries with mountainous terrain: Experience of the Kyrgyz Republic

The article analyses the state of the transport system of the Kyrgyz Republic as an example of landlocked country with a developing economy located in a mountainous area with a large altitude range. The aim of the study is to identify the potential of air transport (AT) in countries with mountainous terrain to ensure connectivity in domestic and international traffic. The study is based on the method of analyzing the topology of the transport network, which allows identifying defects that hinder the provision of a sufficient level of spatial connectivity of the territory. The demand for passenger traffic was assessed by means of statistical analysis of passenger traffic by type of transport for the period from 1991 to 2023 and calculation of indicator of the number of flights per local resident per year. In order to identify the potential demand for passenger carrying operations, a survey of local residents was conducted. The results of the study showed that more than 80 percent of intercity passenger traffic in the republic is carried out by road transport, while 12 percent of settlements are not connected by buses. In many high-mountainous settlements, road traffic is interrupted during certain months due to icing, avalanches and landslides, resulting in transport isolation. Since 1985, there has been a change in the recurrence period of landslides and a shift in seasonal timing from March-May to January-June. It was found that air transport is a popular alternative for passenger traffic during these months. Over the period from 2013 to 2023, passenger traffic at the international airports of Manas and Osh increased more than doubled, and at the reconstructed airports of Issyk-Kul and Jalal-Abad – 27 and 7 times respectively. Insufficient domestic route network, low flight regularity, lack of direct flights to Europe and the USA were identified as the main factors constraining the growth of aviation mobility of the population. The opening of new international flights will make it possible to reach the tourism potential of the republic.