Turkmenistan

Internet country code

.tm

Internet hosts

97 (2007)

Internet users

64,800 (2006)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)

Telephone system

general assessment: poorly developed domestic: Turkmenistan's telecommunications network remains woefully underdeveloped; Turkmentelekom, in cooperation with foreign investors, is planning to upgrade the country's telephone exchanges and install a new digital switching system international: country code - 993; linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; a new telephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat (2006)

Telephones - main lines in use

495,000 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular

105,000 (2005)

Television broadcast stations

4 (government-owned and programmed) (2004)

Agriculture - products

cotton, grain; livestock

Budget

revenues: $1.434 billion expenditures: $1.386 billion (2006 est.)

Currency (code)

Turkmen manat (TMM)

Current account balance

$676 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

40.8 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$28.25 million from the US (2005)

Economy - overview

Turkmenistan is a largely desert country with intensive agriculture in irrigated oases and large 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 15% per year from 2003-06, largely because of higher international oil and gas prices. In 2006, Ashgabat raised its natural gas export prices to its main customer, Russia, from $66 per thousand cubic meters (tcm) to $100 per tcm. 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 unwillingness to adopt market-oriented reforms. Turkmenistan's economic statistics are state secrets, and GDP and other figures are subject to wide margins of error. In particular, the rate of GDP growth is uncertain. President BERDIMUHAMEDOW's election platform included plans to build a gas line to China, to complete the AmuDarya railroad bridge in Lebap province, and to create special border trade zones in southern Balkan province - a hint that the new post-NIYAZOV government will work to create a friendlier foreign investment environment.

Electricity - consumption

7.602 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports

2.918 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - production

12.05 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Exchange rates

Turkmen manat per US$ - 11,100 (2006) official rate note: in recent years the unofficial rate has hovered around 24,000 to 25,000 Turkmen manats to the dollar

Exports

$5.818 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, cotton fiber, textiles

Exports - partners

Ukraine 47.7%, Iran 16.4%, Azerbaijan 5.3% (2006)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$15.18 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$42.84 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 17.7% industry: 39.2% services: 43.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$8,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

IMF estimate: 6% note: official government statistics show 21.4% growth, but these estimates are widely regarded as unreliable (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$4.057 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

UAE 15.5%, Turkey 11.1%, Ukraine 9.1%, Russia 9%, Germany 7.8%, Iran 7.6%, China 6.4%, US 4.5% (2006)

Industrial production growth rate

22% (2003 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

11.5% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

34.2% of GDP (2006 est.)

Labor force

2.32 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 48.2% industry: 13.8% services: 37% (2003 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

17.07 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports

43.35 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2005)

Natural gas - production

60.42 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

1.928 trillion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

95,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

117,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

213,700 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

546 million bbl (1 January 2006)

Population below poverty line

27% (2002)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$3.601 billion (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

60% (2004 est.)

Area

total: 488,100 sq km land: 488,100 sq km water: NEGL

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

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

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 E. HOAGLAND 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 2012) election results: Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW elected president; percent of vote - Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW 89.2%

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 similar to the olive branches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon representing Islam with five white stars representing the regions or velayats 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

AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, 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

two parliamentary bodies, a People's Council or Halk Maslahaty (supreme legislative body of up to 2,500 delegates, some elected by popular vote and some appointed; meets at least yearly) and a National Assembly or Mejlis (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: People's Council - last held in April 2003 (next to be held in December 2008); Mejlis - last held 19 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2008) election results: Mejlis - DPT 100%; seats by party - DPT 50; note - all 50 elected officials are members of the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan and are preapproved by the president note: in late 2003, a law was adopted reducing the powers of the Mejlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislative organ; the Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Mejlis, and the president is now able to participate in the Mejlis as its supreme leader; the Mejlis can no longer adopt or amend the constitution or announce referendums or its elections; since the president is both the "Chairman for Life" of the Halk Maslahaty and the supreme leader of the Mejlis, the 2003 law has the effect of making him the sole authority of both the executive and legislative branches of government

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries; the two most prominent opposition groups-in-exile have been National Democratic Movement of Turkmenistan (NDMT) and the United Democratic Party of Turkmenistan (UDPT); NDMT was led by former Foreign Minister Boris SHIKHMURADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in the wake of the 25 November 2002 assassination attempt on President NIYAZOV; UDPT is led by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and is based in Moscow

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

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 NIYAZOV died in December 2006, and Turkmenistan held its first multi-candidate presidential electoral process in February 2007. Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW, a former NIYAZOV aide, emerged as the country's new president.

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 1,132,833 females age 18-49: 1,162,569 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 759,978 females age 18-49: 940,179 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49: 56,532 females age 18-49: 55,413 (2005 est.)

Military branches

Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (2007)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

3.4% (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2006)

Age structure

0-14 years: 34.7% (male 900,718/female 866,930) 15-64 years: 60.9% (male 1,537,638/female 1,567,049) 65 years and over: 4.4% (male 97,454/female 127,239) (2007 est.)

Birth rate

25.36 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate

6.17 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 53.49 deaths/1,000 live births male: 57.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 48.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 68.3 years male: 65.23 years female: 71.54 years (2007 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: 22.3 years male: 21.7 years female: 22.9 years (2007 est.)

Nationality

noun: Turkmen(s) adjective: Turkmenistani

Net migration rate

-3.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Population

5,097,028 (July 2007 est.)

Population growth rate

1.617% (2007 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.039 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.981 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.766 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.13 children born/woman (2007 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) (2006)

Airports

28 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2007)

Heliports

1 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 22,870 GRT/25,801 DWT by type: cargo 4, combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2007)

Pipelines

gas 6,441 km; oil 1,361 km (2006)

Ports and terminals

Turkmenbasy

Railways

total: 2,440 km broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2006)

Roadways

total: 24,000 km paved: 19,488 km unpaved: 4,512 km (1999)

Waterways

1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland waterways) (2006)