Geography
Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan
slightly more than three times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than California
total:
4,158 km
border countries (4):
Afghanistan 804 km, Iran 1148 km, Kazakhstan 413 km, Uzbekistan 1793 km
0 km (landlocked); note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)
flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west
mean elevation:
230 m
lowest point:
Vpadina Akchanaya (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) -81 m
highest point:
Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m
petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt
agricultural land:
72% (2011 est.)
arable land: 4.1% (2011 est.)
permanent crops: 0.1% (2011 est.)
permanent pasture: 67.8% (2011 est.)
forest:
8.8% (2011 est.)
other:
19.2% (2011 est.)
the most densely populated areas are the southern, eastern, and northeastern oases; approximately 50% of the population lives in and around the capital of Ashgabat
earthquakes; mudslides; droughts; dust storms; floods
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; soil erosion; desertification
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
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
People and Society
5,528,627 (July 2020 est.)
some sources suggest Turkmenistan's population could be as much as 1 to 2 million people lower than available estimates because of large-scale emigration during the last 10 years
country comparison to the world:
117
noun:
Turkmenistani(s)
adjective:
Turkmenistani
Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003)
Turkmen (official) 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%
Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%
0-14 years:
25.44% (male 713,441/female 693,042)
15-24 years:
16.48% (male 458,566/female 452,469)
25-54 years:
44.14% (male 1,214,581/female 1,226,027)
55-64 years:
8.56% (male 221,935/female 251,238)
65 years and over:
5.38% (male 129,332/female 167,996) (2020 est.)
total dependency ratio:
55.2
youth dependency ratio:
47.8
elderly dependency ratio:
7.4
potential support ratio:
13.5 (2020 est.)
the most densely populated areas are the southern, eastern, and northeastern oases; approximately 50% of the population lives in and around the capital of Ashgabat
urban population:
52.5% of total population (2020)
rate of urbanization:
2.46% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
846,000 ASHGABAT (capital) (2020)
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years:
1.03 male(s)/female
15-24 years:
1.01 male(s)/female
25-54 years:
0.99 male(s)/female
55-64 years:
0.88 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.77 male(s)/female
total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
2.22 physicians/1,000 population (2014)
4 beds/1,000 population (2014)
improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
99.7%
male:
99.8%
female:
99.6% (2015)
total:
13 years
male:
13 years
female:
13 years (2019)
Government
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Turkmenistan
local long form:
none
local short form:
Turkmenistan
former:
Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic
etymology:
the suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so Turkmenistan literally means the "Land of the Turkmen [people]"
presidential republic; authoritarian
name:
Ashgabat (Ashkhabad)
geographic coordinates:
37 57 N, 58 23 E
time difference:
UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology:
derived from the Persian words "eshq" meaning "love" and "abad" meaning "inhabited place" or "city," and so loosely translates as "the city of love"
5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat) and 1 independent city*: Ahal Welayaty (Anew), Ashgabat*, Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dasoguz 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)
27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Independence Day, 27 October (1991)
history:
several previous; latest adopted 14 September 2016
amendments:
proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of the total Assembly membership or absolute majority approval in a referendum; amended 2017
civil law system with Islamic (sharia) law influences
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Turkmenistan
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years
18 years of age; universal
chief of state:
President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 14 February 2007); note - the president is both 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/appointments:
president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 7-year term (no term limits); election last held on 12 February 2017 (next to be held in February 2024)
election results:
Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (DPT) 97.7%, other 2.3%
description:
unicameral National Assembly or Mejlis (125 seats; members directly elected from single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)
elections:
last held on 25 March 2018, although interim elections are held on an ad hoc basis to fill vacant sets
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPT 55, APT 11, PIE 11, independent 48 (individuals nominated by citizen groups); composition - men 94, women 31, percent of women 24.8%
highest courts:
Supreme Court of Turkmenistan (consists of the court president and 21 associate judges and organized into civil, criminal, and military chambers)
judge selection and term of office:
judges appointed by the president for 5-year terms
subordinate courts:
High Commercial Court; appellate courts; provincial, district, and city courts; military courts
Agrarian Party of Turkmenistan or APT [Basim ANNAGURBANOW]
Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Ata SERDAROW]
Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs or PIE [Saparmyrat OWGANOW]
note:
all of these parties support President BERDIMUHAMEDOW; a law authorizing the registration of political parties went into effect in January 2012; unofficial, small opposition movements exist abroad
ADB, CIS (associate member, has not ratified the 1993 CIS charter although it participates in meetings and held the chairmanship of the CIS in 2012), 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, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO
chief of mission:
Ambassador Meret ORAZOW (since 14 February 2001)
chancery:
2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 588-1500
FAX:
[1] (202) 588-0697
chief of mission:
Ambassador Matthew S. KLIMOW (since 26 June 2019)
telephone:
[993] (12) 94-00-45
embassy:
No. 9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat 744000
mailing address:
7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, DC 20521-7070
FAX:
[993] (12) 94-26-14
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; five white, five-pointed stars and a white crescent moon appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe; the green color and crescent moon represent Islam; the five stars symbolize the regions or welayats of Turkmenistan; the guls reflect the national identity of Turkmenistan where carpet-making has long been a part of traditional nomadic life
note:
the flag of Turkmenistan is the most intricate of all national flags
Akhal-Teke horse; national colors: green, white
name:
"Garassyz, Bitarap Turkmenistanyn" (Independent, Neutral, Turkmenistan State Anthem)
lyrics/music:
collective/Veli MUKHATOV
note:
adopted 1997, lyrics revised in 2008, to eliminate references to deceased President Saparmurat NYYAZOW
Economy
Turkmenistan is largely a desert country with intensive agriculture in irrigated oases and significant natural gas and oil resources. The two largest crops are cotton, most of which is produced for export, and wheat, which is domestically consumed. Although agriculture accounts for almost 8% of GDP, it continues to employ nearly half of the country's workforce. Hydrocarbon exports, the bulk of which is natural gas going to China, make up 25% of Turkmenistan’s GDP. Ashgabat has explored two initiatives to bring gas to new markets: a trans-Caspian pipeline that would carry gas to Europe and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. Both face major financing, political, and security hurdles and are unlikely to be completed soon.
Turkmenistan’s autocratic governments under presidents NIYAZOW (1991-2006) and BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 2007) have made little progress improving the business climate, privatizing state-owned industries, combatting corruption, and limiting economic development outside the energy sector. High energy prices in the mid-2000s allowed the government to undertake extensive development and social spending, including providing heavy utility subsidies.
Low energy prices since mid-2014 are hampering Turkmenistan’s economic growth and reducing government revenues. The government has cut subsidies in several areas, and wage arrears have increased. In January 2014, the Central Bank of Turkmenistan devalued the manat by 19%, and downward pressure on the currency continues. There is a widening spread between the official exchange rate (3.5 TMM per US dollar) and the black market exchange rate (approximately 14 TMM per US dollar). Currency depreciation and conversion restrictions, corruption, isolationist policies, and declining spending on public services have resulted in a stagnate economy that is nearing crisis. Turkmenistan claims substantial foreign currency reserves, but non-transparent data limit international institutions’ ability to verify this information.
$98.891 billion (2018 est.)
$103.7 billion (2017 est.)
$93.118 billion (2017 est.)
note:
data are in 2017 dollars
$40.819 billion (2018 est.)
agriculture:
7.5% (2017 est.)
industry:
44.9% (2017 est.)
services:
47.7% (2017 est.)
household consumption:
50% (2017 est.)
government consumption:
10% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital:
28.2% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories:
0% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services:
26.2% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services:
-14.3% (2017 est.)
cotton, grain, melons; livestock
natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing
agriculture:
48.2%
industry:
14%
services:
37.8% (2004 est.)
lowest 10%:
2.6%
highest 10%:
31.7% (1998)
revenues:
5.657 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures:
6.714 billion (2017 est.)
China 83.7%, Turkey 5.1% (2017)
gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, textiles, cotton fiber
machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs
Turkey 24.2%, Algeria 14.4%, Germany 9.8%, China 8.9%, Russia 8%, US 6.6% (2017)
Turkmenistani manat (TMM) per US dollar -
4.125 (2017 est.)
3.5 (2016 est.)
3.5 (2015 est.)
3.5 (2014 est.)
2.85 (2013 est.)
Communications
general assessment:
telecommunications network is gradually improving from the former Soviet republic; state control over most economic activities has not helped growth; in cooperation with foreign partners, the telecom sector has installed high-speed fiber-optic lines and has upgraded most of the country's telephone exchanges and switching centers with new digital technology; the mobile market will see slow growth; some rural areas are still without telephones; mobile broadband is in the early stages of development; in 2019 Russia-based operator said to be leaving the country and leaving only 1 public operator (2020)
domestic:
fixed-line 12 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 163 per 100 persons; first telecommunication satellite was launched in 2015 (2019)
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 (2018)
note:
the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
broadcast media is government controlled and censored; 7 state-owned TV and 4 state-owned radio networks; satellite dishes and programming provide an alternative to the state-run media; officials sometimes limit access to satellite TV by removing satellite dishes
Transportation
number of registered air carriers:
1 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers:
27
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:
2,457,474 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:
16.92 million mt-km (2018)
total:
21 (2013)
over 3,047 m:
1 (2013)
2,438 to 3,047 m:
9 (2013)
1,524 to 2,437 m:
9 (2013)
914 to 1,523 m:
2 (2013)
total:
5 (2013)
1,524 to 2,437 m:
1 (2013)
under 914 m:
4 (2013)
7500 km gas, 1501 km oil (2013)
major seaport(s):
Caspian Sea - Turkmenbasy
Transnational Issues
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; bilateral talks continue with Azerbaijan on dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian
stateless persons:
3,688 (2019)
current situation:
Turkmenistan is a source country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Turkmenistanis who migrate abroad are forced to work in the textile, agriculture, construction, and domestic service industries, while women and girls may also be sex trafficked; in 2014, men surpassed women as victims; Turkey and Russia are primary trafficking destinations, followed by the Middle East, South and Central Asia, and other parts of Europe; Turkmenistanis also experience forced labor domestically in the informal construction industry; participation in the cotton harvest is still mandatory for some public sector employees
tier rating:
Tier 2 Watch List – Turkmenistan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Turkmenistan was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; the government made some progress in its law enforcement efforts in 2014, convicting more offenders than in 2013; authorities did not make adequate efforts to identify and protect victims and did not fund international organizations or NGOs that offered protective services; some victims were punished for crimes as a result of being trafficked (2015)
transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and Western European markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan