By Ian MacWilliam BBC News, Bishkek

Mr Bakiev takes over a nation still reeling from Mr Akayev's departure

As Kyrgyzstan's new president-elect, Kurmanbek Bakiev will take the helm of a country that has been somewhat dazed by the political developments of the past few months.

Kyrgyzstan is the first country in Central Asia where the leadership has been changed so dramatically by something resembling "people power".

But opinions are divided as to whether March's chaotic overthrow of the long-serving former president Askar Akayev was a good move.

Street protests and other disturbances have continued to shake the country in the months since Mr Akayev was driven from power. Many people now say they simply long for a return to peace and stability.

Mr Bakiev spelt out some of his priorities at a news conference on the day after the vote.

"From the first day, I said that I would fight against corruption, and I intend to fight it until I stop being the head of government," he said.

"The measures I took are showing positive results already. There's much more money in the state budget now than there used to be."

My relations with Felix Kulov are very good. I've already promised, as I said earlier, that I'll recommend him for the position of prime minister Kurmanbek Bakiev

He went on to say that the most important quality for members of the new government would be their professionalism.

"When I was prime minister I sometimes had to work with unprofessional ministers who were appointed because they were someone's relative or friend," said Mr Bakiev. "That seriously damages the economy and it's a brake on development."

The economy will undoubtedly be the new president's toughest challenge.

Kyrgyzstan is a remote country with few natural resources. One of its main neighbours, Uzbekistan, is a closed authoritarian state which goes out its way to prevent cross-border trade.

Some 40% of Kyrgyz citizens live below the poverty line, and analysts say the country will have to develop industries such as tourism, hydro-electric power and mining if it is to create new jobs for its five million people.

North-South divide

Another basic concern, said Mr Bakiev, would be to create a government that reflects Kyrgyzstan's mixture of regional and ethnic groups.

The main divide is between north and south, two regions divided by a high mountain range.

Mr Bakiev himself is from the town of Jalalabad in southern Kyrgyzstan.

The man who was his main rival, the popular Felix Kulov - who comes from the north - was going to run against him for the presidency.

Kyrgyz voters overwhelmingly backed Mr Bakiev

Many people feared such a contest would exacerbate regional tensions. But the two men agreed to an electoral pact in which Mr Bakiev promised that if he became president, he would appoint Mr Kulov as prime minister.

This pact helped explain why Mr Bakiev won a massive 89% of the vote in Sunday's elections.

Now political observers are wondering how long the two men's alliance will last.

"My relations with Felix Kulov are very good," said Mr Bakiev. "I've already promised, as I said earlier, that I'll recommend him for the position of prime minister."

Initially there is no doubt the two men will try to get on. But their resolve may be tested in a few months, when constitutional changes are to be discussed.

During his 14 years in power, President Akayev grew increasingly autocratic, and most people say the powers of the president should be reduced and transferred to the prime minister and parliament.

Mr Bakiev has said he is in favour of such a change, but he may want to alter his stance once his main political rival becomes the prime minister.

Regional relations

One of the first challenges facing the new president is the fate of more than 400 Uzbek refugees who fled to Kyrgyzstan after the violent suppression of an anti-government protest in Uzbekistan.

At the moment Felix Kulov is working closely with Mr Bakiev

The hardline Uzbek authorities insist that most are criminals and Islamic extremists who should be returned to Uzbekistan.

The United Nations, however, has said they are political refugees and should be protected.

In the past Uzbekistan has cut off gas supplies to Kyrgyzstan when it was unhappy with its smaller neighbour.

With Uzbek pressure on one side and international condemnation looming on the other, it is unclear which way the new president will turn on this question.

But in a related regional question, Mr Bakiev is already showing his hand.

Kyrgyzstan currently hosts both an American and a Russian military base.

Russia and China are keen to limit America's military presence in Central Asia, and have called for discussions on a withdrawal date for American troops. Mr Bakiev has now echoed this call.

The situation in Afghanistan is stabilising, he said, "so the time has come to reconsider the question of why American forces are here. How and when, only time will tell, but I think this will happen."