2019 Edition

Background

Present-day Turkmenistan covers territory that has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. The area was ruled in antiquity by various Persian empires, and was conquered by Alexander the Great, Muslim armies, the Mongols, Turkic warriors, and eventually the Russians. In medieval times, Merv (located in present-day Mary province) was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by Russia in the late 1800s, Turkmenistan later figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik movement in Central Asia. In 1924, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic; it achieved independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President for Life Saparmyrat NYYAZOW died in December 2006, and Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW, a deputy chairman under NYYAZOW, emerged as the country's new president. BERDIMUHAMEDOW won Turkmenistan's first multi-candidate presidential election in February 2007, and again in 2012 and in 2017 with over 97% of the vote in both instances, in elections widely regarded as undemocratic. Turkmenistan has sought new export markets for its extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves, which have yet to be fully exploited. As of late 2019, Turkmenistan exported the majority of its gas to China and small levels of gas were also being sent to Russia. Turkmenistan's reliance on gas exports has made the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in the global energy market, and economic hardships since the drop in energy prices in 2014 have led many Turkmenistanis to emigrate, mostly to Turkey.

Area

Land

469,930 sq km

Total

488,100 sq km

Water

18,170 sq km

Area Comparative

slightly more than three times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than California

Climate

subtropical desert

Coastline

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

Elevation

Highest Point

Gora Ayribaba 3,139 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

Mean Elevation

230 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; soil erosion; 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

19,950 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

Border Countries

Afghanistan 804 km, Iran 1148 km, Kazakhstan 413 km, Uzbekistan 1793 km

Total

4,158 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

72% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

4.1% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

0.1% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

67.8% (2011 est.)

Forest

8.8% (2011 est.)

Other

19.2% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map References

Asia

Maritime Claims

none (landlocked)

Natural Hazards

earthquakes; mudslides; droughts; dust storms; floods

Natural Resources

petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt

Population Distribution

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

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

Age Structure

0 14 Years

25.66% (male 704,067 /female 684,581)

15 24 Years

17.71% (male 482,094 /female 476,080)

25 54 Years

43.52% (male 1,169,965 /female 1,185,159)

55 64 Years

8.17% (male 208,328 /female 233,902)

65 Years And Over

4.93% (male 116,218 /female 150,618) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

18.9 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

3.2% (2015)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

50.2% (2015/16)

Current Health Expenditure

6.6% (2016)

Death Rate

6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

6.2 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

16.1 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

52.7 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

46.5 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

53.7% of population

Improved Total

71.1% of population

Improved Urban

89.1% of population

Unimproved Rural

46.3% of population

Unimproved Total

28.9% of population (2012 est.)

Unimproved Urban

10.9% of population

Education Expenditures

3.1% of GDP (2012)

Ethnic Groups

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

Hospital Bed Density

7.4 beds/1,000 population (2013)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

26 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

39.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

33.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Turkmen (official) 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

73.9 years

Male

67.6 years

Total Population

70.7 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Female

99.6% (2015)

Male

99.8%

Total Population

99.7%

Major Urban Areas Population

828,000 ASHGABAT (capital) (2019)

Maternal Mortality Rate

7 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

28.8 years

Male

27.8 years

Total

28.3 years (2018 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Turkmenistani

Noun

Turkmenistani(s)

Net Migration Rate

-1.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

18.6% (2016)

Physicians Density

2.22 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

5,411,012 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.1% (2018 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural

98.2% of population (2012 est.)

Improved Total

99.1% of population (2012 est.)

Improved Urban

100% of population (2012 est.)

Unimproved Rural

1.8% of population (2012 est.)

Unimproved Total

0.9% of population (2012 est.)

Unimproved Urban

0% of population (2012 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female

11 years (2014)

Male

11 years

Total

11 years

Sex Ratio

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

0.89 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.77 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total Population

0.98 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2.06 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

2.46% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

52% of total population (2019)

Administrative Divisions

5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat) and 1 independent city*: Ahal Welayaty (Anew), Ashgabat*, Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dasoguz Welayaty, Lebap Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty

Capital

Geographic Coordinates

37 57 N, 58 23 E

Name

Ashgabat (Ashkhabad)

Time Difference

UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

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

Constitution

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 (2019)

History

several previous; latest adopted 14 September 2016

Country Name

Conventional Long Form

none

Conventional Short Form

Turkmenistan

Etymology

the suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so Turkmenistan literally means the "Land of the Turkmen [people]"

Former

Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic

Local Long Form

none

Local Short Form

Turkmenistan

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Matthew S. KLIMOW (since 26 June 2019)

Embassy

No. 9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 744000

Fax

[993] (12) 94-26-14

Mailing Address

7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, DC 20521-7070

Telephone

[993] (12) 94-00-45

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

Chancery

2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Meret ORAZOW (since 14 February 2001)

Fax

[1] (202) 588-0697

Telephone

[1] (202) 588-1500

Executive Branch

Cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

Chief Of State

President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 14 February 2007); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

Election Results

Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (DPT) 97.7%, other 2.3%

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)

Head Of Government

President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 14 February 2007)

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; 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

Government Type

presidential republic; authoritarian

Independence

27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International Organization Participation

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

Judicial Branch

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

Legal System

civil law system with Islamic (sharia) law influences

Legislative Branch

Description

unicameral National Assembly or Mejlis (125 seats; members directly elected from single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)

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%

Elections

last held on 25 March 2018, although interim elections are held on an ad hoc basis to fill vacant sets

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

collective/Veli MUKHATOV

Name

"Garassyz, Bitarap Turkmenistanyn" (Independent, Neutral, Turkmenistan State Anthem)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

National Symbol S

Akhal-Teke horse; national colors: green, white

Political Parties And Leaders

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]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

cotton, grain, melons; livestock

Budget

Expenditures

6.714 billion (2017 est.)

Revenues

5.657 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-2.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

31 December 2013

5%

31 December 2014

5%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016

16%

31 December 2017

19%

Current Account Balance

2016

-$7.207 billion

2017

-$4.359 billion

Debt External

31 December 2016

$425.3 million

31 December 2017

$539.4 million

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

1998

40.8

Economy Overview

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.

Exchange Rates

2013

2.85

2014

3.5

2015

3.5

2016

3.5

2017

4.125

Currency

Turkmenistani manat (TMM) per US dollar -

Exports

2016

$6.987 billion

2017

$7.458 billion

Exports Commodities

gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, textiles, cotton fiber

Exports Partners

China 83.7%, Turkey 5.1% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

26.2% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

10% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

50% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-14.3% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

28.2% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

0% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

7.5% (2017 est.)

Industry

44.9% (2017 est.)

Services

47.7% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$37.93 billion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$16,500

2016

$17,300

2017

$18,200

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$91.72 billion

2016

$97.41 billion

2017

$103.7 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

6.5%

2016

6.2%

2017

6.5%

Gross National Saving

2015

18.9% of GDP

2016

24.3% of GDP

2017

23.9% of GDP

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

Highest 10

31.7% (1998)

Lowest 10

2.6%

Imports

2016

$5.215 billion

2017

$4.571 billion

Imports Commodities

machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports Partners

Turkey 24.2%, Algeria 14.4%, Germany 9.8%, China 8.9%, Russia 8%, US 6.6% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

1% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

3.6%

2017

8%

Labor Force

2.305 million (2013 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

48.2%

Industry

14%

Services

37.8% (2004 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

NA

Population Below Poverty Line

0.2% (2012 est.)

Public Debt

2016

24.1% of GDP

2017

28.8% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016

$25.05 billion

31 December 2017

$24.91 billion

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2014

$5.632 billion

31 December 2015

$12.23 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

2012

$3.117 billion

2013

$3.061 billion

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2014

$13.09 billion

31 December 2015

$28.4 billion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2014

$1.255 billion

31 December 2015

$1.326 billion

Taxes And Other Revenues

14.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2013

10.6%

2014

11%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

100.5 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

67,790 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

244,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

600 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

100% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

15.09 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

3.201 billion kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

4.001 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

21.18 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

39.31 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

38.14 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

77.45 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

7.504 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

160,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

53,780 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

191,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

less than 1 (2017 est.)

Total

4,000

Broadcast Media

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

Internet Country Code

.tm

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

24% (July 2016 est.)

Total

951,925 (2019 est.)

Telephone System

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; fixed-line 13 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 160 per 100 persons; Russia's Mobile TeleSystems (MTS), the only foreign mobile-cellular service provider in Turkmenistan, suspended operations in September 2017 due to the state-owned telecom company cutting MTS' access to international and long-distance communication services and Internet; Turkmenistan's first telecommunication satellite was launched in 2015 and is expected to greatly improve connectivity in the country (2018)

General Assessment

telecommunications network is gradually improving for the former Soviet republic; state control over most economic activities has not helped growth; mobile market will see slow growth; some rural areas are still without telephones; mobile broadband is in the early stages of development (2018)

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)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

132 (January 2019 est.)

Total Subscriptions

5.315 million

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

160 (July 2016 est.)

Total Subscriptions

8.575 million

Airports

26 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

9 (2013)

2 438 To 3 047 M

9 (2013)

914 To 1 523 M

2 (2013)

Over 3 047 M

1 (2013)

Total

21 (2013)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

1 (2013)

Total

5 (2013)

Under 914 M

4 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

EZ (2016)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant Marine

By Type

general cargo 9, oil tanker 8, other 55 (2018)

Total

72

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

0 mt-km (2015)

Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

2,138,389 (2015)

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

23 (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

1 (2015)

Pipelines

7500 km gas, 1501 km oil (2013)

Ports And Terminals

Caspian Sea - Turkmenbasy

Railways

Broad Gauge

5,113 km 1.520-m gauge (2017)

Total

5,113 km (2017)

Roadways

Paved

47,577 km (2002)

Total

58,592 km (2002)

Unpaved

11,015 km (2002)

Waterways

1,300 km (Amu Darya River and Kara Kum Canal are important inland waterways) (2011)

Military And Security Forces

Armed Forces of Turkmenistan: National Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (2019)

Military Service Age And Obligation

18-27 years of age for compulsory male military service; 2-year conscript service obligation; 20 years of age for voluntary service; males may enroll in military schools from age 15 (2013)

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; bilateral talks continue with Azerbaijan on dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian

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

4,714 (2018)

Trafficking In Persons

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)