Turkmenistan

Internet country code

.tm

Internet hosts

755 (2009) country comparison to the world: 164

Internet users

75,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 161

Radio broadcast stations

AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)

Telephone system

general assessment: telecommunications network remains underdeveloped and progress toward improvement is slow; strict government control and censorship inhibits liberalization and modernization domestic: Turkmentelekom, in cooperation with foreign partners, has installed high speed fiber-optic lines and has upgraded most of the country's telephone exchanges and switching centers with new digital technology; mobile telephone usage is expanding with Russia's Mobile Telesystems (MTS) the primary service provider international: country code - 993; linked by fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; an exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat (2008)

Telephones - main lines in use

495,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 98

Telephones - mobile cellular

810,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 146

Television broadcast stations

4 (government-owned and programmed) (2004)

Agriculture - products

cotton, grain; livestock

Budget

revenues: $1.667 billion expenditures: $1.407 billion (2008 est.)

Current account balance

$4.669 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 $3.285 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$1.4 billion (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 147 note: some estimates put this figure as high as $5 billion

Distribution of family income - Gini index

40.8 (1998) country comparison to the world: 59

Economy - overview

Turkmenistan is largely a desert country with intensive agriculture in irrigated oases and sizeable gas and oil resources. One-half of its irrigated land is planted in cotton; formerly it was the world's 10th-largest producer. Poor harvests in recent years have led to an almost 50% decline in cotton exports. With an authoritarian ex-Communist regime in power and a tribally based social structure, Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to economic reform, hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its inefficient economy. Privatization goals remain limited. From 1998-2005, Turkmenistan suffered from the continued lack of adequate export routes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive short-term external debt. At the same time, however, total exports rose by an average of roughly 15% per year from 2003-08, largely because of higher international oil and gas prices. A new pipeline to China, set to come online in late 2009 or early 2010, will give Turkmenistan an additional export route for its gas. Overall prospects in the near future are discouraging because of widespread internal poverty, a poor educational system, government misuse of oil and gas revenues, and Ashgabat's reluctance to adopt market-oriented reforms. In the past, Turkmenistan's economic statistics were state secrets. The new government has established a State Agency for Statistics, but GDP numbers and other figures are subject to wide margins of error. In particular, the rate of GDP growth is uncertain. Since his election, President BERDIMUHAMEDOW has sought to improve the health and education systems, unified the country's dual currency exchange rate, ordered the redenomination of the manat, reduced state subsidies for gasoline, increased Internet access both in schools and Internet cafes, ordered an independent audit of Turkmenistan's gas resources, and created a special tourism zone on the Caspian Sea. Although foreign investment is encouraged, numerous bureaucratic obstacles from the NYYZOW-era remain.

Electricity - consumption

10.45 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Electricity - exports

1.46 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

13.99 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Exchange rates

Turkmen manat (TMM) per US dollar - 14,250 (as of 1 May 2008 est.)

Exports

$11.92 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 $7.919 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, textiles, cotton fiber

Exports - partners

Ukraine 51.7%, Poland 10%, Hungary 8.1% (2008)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$29.16 billion (2008 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$31.28 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 $28.49 billion (2007 est.) $25.53 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 9.1% industry: 39% services: 51.9% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$6,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128 $6,000 (2007 est.) $5,400 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

9.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 11.6% (2007 est.) 11.4% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)

Imports

$5.654 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 $3.615 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

China 16.9%, Russia 15.9%, Turkey 14%, UAE 10.3%, Ukraine 7.9%, Germany 5.6%, Iran 5.1% (2008)

Industrial production growth rate

-1.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Industries

natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

13% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 181 11.3% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

1.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Labor force

13.51 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 48.2% industry: 14% services: 37.8% (2004 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

21 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Natural gas - exports

48.5 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 7

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Natural gas - production

70.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Natural gas - proved reserves

2.662 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Oil - consumption

112,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Oil - exports

84,770 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Oil - imports

2,542 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Oil - production

189,400 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Oil - proved reserves

600 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Population below poverty line

30% (2004 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$13.88 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 $13.19 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Unemployment rate

60% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Area

total: 488,100 sq km country comparison to the world: 52 land: 469,930 sq km water: 18,170 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than California

Climate

subtropical desert

Coastline

0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note - Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of Vpadina Akchanaya (the lake has dropped as low as -110 m) highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m

Environment - current issues

contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals, pesticides; salination, water logging of soil due to poor irrigation methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large share of the flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to that river's inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 24.65 cu km/yr (2%/1%/98%) per capita: 5,104 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

40 00 N, 60 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; the western and central low-lying desolate portions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert, which occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau

Irrigated land

18,000 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 3,736 km border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379 km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km

Land use

arable land: 4.51% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 95.35% (2005)

Location

Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt

Terrain

flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west

Total renewable water resources

60.9 cu km (1997)

Administrative divisions

5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat) and 1 independent city*: Ahal Welayaty (Anew), Ashgabat*, Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dashoguz Welayaty, Lebap Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Capital

name: Ashgabat (Ashkhabad) geographic coordinates: 37 57 N, 58 23 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

adopted 18 May 1992

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turkmenistan local long form: none local short form: Turkmenistan former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Richard M. MILES embassy: No. 9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 744000 mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, DC 20521-7070 telephone: [993] (12) 35-00-45 FAX: [993] (12) 39-26-14

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Meret Bairamovich ORAZOW chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500 FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697

Executive branch

chief of state: President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 14 February 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 14 February 2007) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held on 11 February 2007 (next to be held in February 2012) election results: Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW elected president; percent of vote - Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW 89.2%, Amanyaz ATAJYKOW 3.2%, other candidates 7.6%

Flag description

green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side, containing five tribal guls (designs used in producing carpets) stacked above two crossed olive branches; a white crescent moon representing Islam with five white stars representing the regions or welayats of Turkmenistan appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe

Government type

republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch

Independence

27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

International organization participation

ADB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO (guest), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Legal system

based on civil law system and Islamic law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral parliament known as the National Assembly (Mejlis) (125 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 14 December 2008 (next to be held December 2013) election results: 100% of elected officials are members of either the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or its pseudo-civil society parent organization, the Revival Movement, and are preapproved by the president note: in autumn 2008, the constitution of Turkmenistan was revised to abolish the 2,507-member legislative body known as the People's Council and to expand the number of deputies in the National Assembly from 65 to 125; the powers formerly held by the People's Council were divided up between the president and the National Assembly

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW] note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small opposition movements exist abroad; the three most prominent opposition groups-in-exile are the National Democratic Movement of Turkmenistan (NDMT), the Republican Party of Turkmenistan, and the Watan (Fatherland) Party; the NDMT was led by former Foreign Minister Boris SHIKHMURADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in the wake of the 25 November 2002 attack on President NYYAZOW's motorcade

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Eastern Turkmenistan for centuries formed part of the Persian province of Khurasan; in medieval times Merv (today known as Mary) was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1924. It achieved independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects were to be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government is actively seeking to develop alternative petroleum transportation routes to break Russia's pipeline monopoly. President for Life Saparmurat NYYAZOW died in December 2006, and Turkmenistan held its first multi-candidate presidential electoral process in February 2007. Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW, a vice premier under NYYAZOW, emerged as the country's new president.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,316,698 females age 16-49: 1,331,005 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,024,884 females age 16-49: 1,147,714 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 57,021 female: 56,064 (2009 est.)

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (2009)

Military expenditures

3.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)

Age structure

0-14 years: 28.9% (male 713,698/female 697,222) 15-64 years: 66.9% (male 1,618,678/female 1,646,992) 65 years and over: 4.3% (male 90,352/female 117,945) (2009 est.)

Birth rate

19.69 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Death rate

6.31 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Education expenditures

3.9% of GDP (1991) country comparison to the world: 108

Ethnic groups

Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 100 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Infant mortality rate

total: 45.36 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 56 male: 53.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 36.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages

Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 67.87 years country comparison to the world: 153 male: 64.94 years female: 70.95 years (2009 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.8% male: 99.3% female: 98.3% (1999 est.)

Median age

total: 24.4 years male: 24.1 years female: 24.8 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

noun: Turkmen(s) adjective: Turkmen

Net migration rate

-1.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Population

4,884,887 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Population growth rate

1.141% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Religions

Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.22 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Urbanization

urban population: 49% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Disputes - international

cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2005, but Caspian seabed delimitation remains stalled with Azerbaijan, Iran, and Kazakhstan due to Turkmenistan's indecision over how to allocate the sea's waters and seabed

Illicit drugs

transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and Western European markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 11,173 (Tajikistan); less than 1,000 (Afghanistan) (2007)

Airports

28 (2009) country comparison to the world: 120

Airports - with paved runways

total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Heliports

1 (2009)

Merchant marine

total: 7 country comparison to the world: 127 by type: cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2008)

Pipelines

gas 6,417 km; oil 1,457 km (2008)

Ports and terminals

Turkmenbasy

Railways

total: 2,980 km country comparison to the world: 56 broad gauge: 2,980 km 1.520-m gauge (2008)

Roadways

total: 58,592 km country comparison to the world: 75 paved: 47,577 km unpaved: 11,015 km (2002)

Waterways

1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal are important inland waterways) (2008) country comparison to the world: 56