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| Introduction | Turkmenistan |
| Background: | Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1925. It achieved its independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President NIYAZOV retains absolute control over the country and opposition is not tolerated. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects can be worked out. |
| People | Turkmenistan |
| Population: | 4,863,169 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 36.2% (male 904,627; female 857,601) 15-64 years: 59.7% (male 1,423,836; female 1,477,224) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 76,670; female 123,211) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 21.3 years male: 20.4 years female: 22.2 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.81% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 27.82 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 8.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 73.13 deaths/1,000 live births female: 69.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 76.9 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 61.29 years male: 57.87 years female: 64.88 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 3.45 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | less than 0.1% (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | less than 100 (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 100 (2004 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Turkmen(s) adjective: Turkmen |
| Ethnic groups: | Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003) |
| Religions: | Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2% |
| Languages: | Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7% |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 97% (1989 est.) |
| Government | Turkmenistan |
| Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turkmenistan local long form: none former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic local short form: Turkmenistan |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: | Ashgabat |
| Administrative divisions: | 5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat): Ahal Welayaty (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) |
| Independence: | 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 27 October (1991) |
| Constitution: | adopted 18 May 1992 |
| Legal system: | based on civil law system |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first direct presidential election occurred); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first direct presidential election occurred); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 21 June 1992 (next to be held NA); note - President NIYAZOV was unanimously approved as president for life by the Assembly on 28 December 1999); deputy chairmen of the cabinet of ministers are appointed by the president election results: Saparmurat NIYAZOV elected president without opposition; percent of vote - Saparmurat NIYAZOV 99.5% note: NIYAZOV's term in office was extended indefinitely on 28 December 1999 by the Assembly (Majlis) during a session of the People's Council (Halk Maslahaty) |
| Legislative branch: | under the 1992 constitution, there are two parliamentary bodies, a unicameral People's Council or Halk Maslahaty (supreme legislative body of up to 2,500 delegates, some of which are elected by popular vote and some of which are appointed; meets at least yearly) and a unicameral Assembly or Majlis (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) election results: Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - all 50 elected officials preapproved by President NIYAZOV; most are from the DPT note: in late 2003, a new law was adopted, reducing the powers of the Majlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislative organ; the Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Majlis, and the president is now able to participate in the Majlis as its supreme leader; the Majlis 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 Majlis, the 2003 law has the effect of making the president the sole authority of both the executive and legislative branches of government elections: People's Council - NA; Majlis - last held 12 December 1999 (next to be held 19 December 2004) |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president) |
| Political parties and leaders: | Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Saparmurat NIYAZOV] 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 Gundogar and Erkin; Gundogar was led by former Foreign Minister Boris SHIKHUMRADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in the wake of the 25 November 2002 assassination attempt on President NIYAZOV; Erkin is led by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and is based out of Moscow; the Union of Democratic Forces, a coalition of opposition-in-exile groups, is based in Europe |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Mered Bairamovich ORAZOV FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697 telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500 chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey A. JACOBSON embassy: 9 1984 Street, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 774000 mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-7070 telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45 FAX: [9] (9312) 39-26-14 |
| Flag description: | green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side, containing five carpet guls (designs used in producing rugs) stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to the olive branches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon and five white stars appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe |
| Communications | Turkmenistan |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 374,000 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 8,200 (2002) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: poorly developed domestic: NA 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 |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998) |
| Radios: | 1.225 million (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 3 (much programming relayed from Russia and Turkey) (1997) |
| Televisions: | 820,000 (1997) |
| Internet country code: | .tm |
| Internet hosts: | 524 (2004) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 1 |
| Internet users: | 8,000 (2002) |
| Transportation | Turkmenistan |
| Railways: | total: 2,440 km broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2003) |
| Highways: | total: 24,000 km paved: 19,488 km unpaved: 4,512 km (1999 est.) |
| Waterways: | 1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland waterways) (2003) |
| Pipelines: | gas 6,549 km; oil 1,395 km (2004) |
| Ports and harbors: | Turkmenbasy |
| Merchant marine: | total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,873 GRT/8,345 DWT by type: combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 1 registered in other countries: 2 (2003 est.) |
| Airports: | 69 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 24 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 45 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 36 (2003 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 7 |
| Heliports: | 1 (2003 est.) |
| Military | Turkmenistan |
| Military branches: | Ministry of Defense (Army, Air and Air Defense, Navy, Border Troops, and Internal Troops), National Guard |
| Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004) |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 1,272,436 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 1,031,806 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 55,866 (2004 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $90 million (FY99) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 3.4% (FY99) |
| Transnational Issues | Turkmenistan |
| Disputes - international: | prolonged regional drought creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; talks resume with Kazakhstan on dividing the seabed in 2004 as both sides anticipate an ICJ decision on contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian; demarcation of land boundary with Kazakhstan to commence in 2004 |
| Illicit drugs: | transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption; small-scale government-run eradication of illicit crops; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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