2021 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, Turkmen territories later figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik resistance 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 2021, Turkmenistan exported the majority of its gas to China and smaller levels of gas 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

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% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 4.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 67.8% (2018 est.)

forest

8.8% (2018 est.)

other

19.2% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Major lakes (area sq km)

Salt water lake(s)

Caspian Sea (shared with Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Amu Darya (shared with Tajikistan [s], Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan [m]) - 2,620 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km)

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

25.44% (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.)

Birth rate

17.85 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.1% (2019)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

49.7% (2019)

Current Health Expenditure

6.6% (2018)

Death rate

5.95 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

7.4

potential support ratio

13.5 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

55.2

youth dependency ratio

47.8

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

3.1% of GDP (2019)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Hospital bed density

4 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant mortality rate

female

29.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

46.87 deaths/1,000 live births

total

38.54 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

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

major-language sample(s)

Dünýä Facebooky, esasy maglumat üçin aýrylmaz bir çeşme dir. (Turkmen)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

74.73 years (2021 est.)

male

68.5 years

total population

71.54 years

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

865,000 ASHGABAT (capital) (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Median age

female

29.7 years (2020 est.)

male

28.7 years

total

29.2 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

24.2 years (2019)

Nationality

adjective

Turkmenistani

noun

Turkmenistani(s)

Net migration rate

-1.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

18.6% (2016)

Physicians density

2.23 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

5,579,889 (July 2021 est.)

note

note: 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

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

Population growth rate

1.02% (2021 est.)

Religions

Muslim 93%, Christian 6.4%, Buddhist <1%, folk religion <1%, Jewish <1%, other <1%, unspecified <1% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

13 years (2020)

male

13 years

total

13 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

0.88 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 (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.04 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

53% of total population (2021)

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

note

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Capital

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"

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 Mejlisi; passage requires two-thirds majority vote or absolute majority approval in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2020 (changed legislature to bicameral)

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)

email address and website

ConsularAshgab@state.govhttps://tm.usembassy.gov/

embassy

9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat 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)

email address and website

turkmenembassyus@verizon.nethttps://usa.tmembassy.gov.tm/en

FAX

[1] (202) 588-1500

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

2017: Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (DPT) 97.7%, other 2.3%2012: Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW reelected president; percent of vote - Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW 97.1%, Annageldi YAZMYRADOW 1.1%, other candidates 1.8%

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

note

note: the flag of Turkmenistan is the most intricate of all national flags

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

bicameral National Council or Milli Genesi consists of:People's Council or Halk Maslahaty (56 seats; 48 members indirectly elected by provincial councils and 8 members appointed by the president)Assembly or Mejlisi (125 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 5-year terms)note: in September 2020, the Turkmenistani legislature (Milli Genesi) adopted a constitutional amendment creating an upper chamber, making the legislature bicameral; the chairperson of the Halk Maslahaty is now designated as the constitutional successor to the presidency; as of April 2021, Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW serves in this position in addition to being president

election results

People's Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPT 3, independent 45; composition - men 42, women 14, percent of women 32.3%Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPT 55, APT 11, PIE 11, independent 48 (individuals nominated by citizen groups); composition (as of March 2018) - men 94, women 31, percent of women 24.8%; note - total percent of National Council percent of women 24.9%

elections

People's Council - first held on 28 March 2021 for 48 indirectly elected members (next to be held in 2026); first held on 14 April 2021 for 8 presidentially appointed members (next to be held NA)Assembly - last held on 25 March 2018 (next to be held NA)

National anthem

lyrics/music

collective/Veli MUKHATOV

name

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

note

note: adopted 1997, lyrics revised in 2008, to eliminate references to deceased President Saparmurat NYYAZOW

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]

note

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, wheat, cotton, tomatoes, potatoes, watermelons, grapes, sugar beet, beef, rice

Budget

expenditures

6.714 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

5.657 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

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

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$7.207 billion (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$4.359 billion (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$425.3 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$539.4 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic 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

currency

Turkmenistani manat (TMM) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

2.85 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

3.5 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

3.5 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

3.5 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

4.125 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2016

$6.987 billion (2016 est.)

Exports 2017

$7.458 billion (2017 est.)

Exports - commodities

natural gas, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cotton fibers, fertilizers (2019)

Exports - partners

China 82% (2019)

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)

$40.819 billion (2018 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 1998

40.8 (1998)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

31.7% (1998)

lowest 10%

2.6%

Imports

Imports 2016

$5.215 billion (2016 est.)

Imports 2017

$4.571 billion (2017 est.)

Imports - commodities

iron products, harvesting machinery, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment, tractors (2019)

Imports - partners

Turkey 25%, Russia 18%, China 14%, Germany 6% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

1% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

3.6% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

8% (2017 est.)

Labor force

2.305 million (2013 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

48.2%

industry

14%

services

37.8% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line

0.2% (2012 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

24.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

28.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017

$81.787 billion (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$86.86 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$92.33 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

6.5% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

6.2% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

6.5% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2017

$14,205 (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2018

$14,800 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$15,500 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$25.05 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$24.91 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

14.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2013

10.6% (2013)

Unemployment rate 2014

11% (2014 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 - 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.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

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 (2019 est.)

total

5,000 (2017 est.)

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

21.25% (2019 est.)

total

2.01 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line 12 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 163 per 100 persons; first telecommunication satellite was launched in 2015 (2019)

general assessment

stagnant economy, rural geography, and authoritarian rule limit development of the telecom sector; in cooperation with Russian-based partners, operators have installed high-speed fiber-optic lines and upgraded most of the country's telephone switch centers with digital technology; some rural areas lack fixed-line coverage; mobile broadband is in the early stages of development; services are extremely slow, though Trans-Caspian cable will provide international Internet capacity and improvement in services; freedom of press and expression restricted through monitoring, media interruption, and removal of receivers from households; importer of broadcasting equipment from UAE (2020)

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

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

11.85 (2018 est.)

total subscriptions

682,000 (2018)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

162.9 (2019 est.)

total subscriptions

9.377 million (2018)

Airports

total

26 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

9

2,438 to 3,047 m

9

914 to 1,523 m

2 (2013)

over 3,047 m

1

total

21

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

total

5

under 914 m

4 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

EZ

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 6, oil tanker 8, other 59 (2021)

total

73

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

16.92 million mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

2,457,474 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

27

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Pipelines

7500 km gas, 1501 km oil (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

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 - note

as of 2021, Turkmenistan continued to pursue a nationalist and isolationist security policy and has declined to participate in post-Soviet military groupings such as the Collective Security Treaty Organization military alliance (CSTO) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO); however, in September 2020, it participated in a Russian-led multinational military exercise held in southern Russia’s Astrakhan region alongside Russian, Chinese, Pakistani, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Uzbek, Mongolian, Syrian, Iranian, Egyptian, Belarusian, Turkish, Armenian, and Azerbaijani contingents as of 2021, Turkmenistan was trying to improve its naval capabilities on the Caspian Sea by expanding ship building capabilities and adding larger vessels to the Navy’s inventory; in 2018, it opened its first naval shipyard and in August 2021, the Navy commissioned its largest warship, a corvette that was jointly constructed with Turkey

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of Turkmenistan: Land Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces; Federal Border Guard Service (2021)

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; estimated 30,000 active troops (est. 25,000 National Army; 1,000 Navy; 4,000 Air and Air Defense Forces) (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the inventory for Turkmenistan's military is comprised almost entirely of older Russian and Soviet-era weapons systems, although in recent years, Turkmenistan has purchased some equipment, including aircraft and air defense systems, from other countries; since 2010, China, Russia, and Turkey are the leading arms suppliers to Turkmenistan (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

1.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Military Expenditures 2017

1.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Military Expenditures 2018

1% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

0.9% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

0.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for compulsory male military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2.5 years for the Navy); 20 years of age for voluntary service; males may enroll in military schools from age 15 (2021)

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 opiates to Turkish, Russian, and European markets, either directly from Afghanistan or through Iran; not a major producer or source country for illegal drugs or precursor chemicals  

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons

3,924 (2020)

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Turkmenistan is a source, and to a much lesser degree, destination country for men, women, and children who are subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Turkmen in search of work in other countries are forced to work in textile sweatshops, construction, and domestic service; some Turkmen women and girls are sex trafficked abroad; Turkey is the primary trafficking destination, followed by Russia, India, and other countries in the Middle East, South and Central Asia, and Europe; labor trafficking occurs within Turkmenistan, particularly in the construction industry; government officials require employees in private sector institutions, soldiers, and public sector workers to pick cotton without payment under the threat of penalty, such as dismissal, reduced work hours, or salary deductions to meet government-imposed quotas for the cotton harvest

tier rating

Tier 3 — Turkmenistan does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government approved the 2020-2022 national action plan, continued anti-trafficking awareness campaigns, worked with international organizations on combating trafficking, provided training to its diplomatic corps on human trafficking, and identified potential trafficking victims at the international airport; however, the  government used forced labor in the cotton harvest and public works projects; no officials were held accountable for their role in trafficking crimes; authorities did not prosecute or convict any traffickers; no victims were identified and offered protection or assistance programs (2020)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

70.63 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

52.09 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

19.02 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

subtropical desert

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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

72% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 4.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 67.8% (2018 est.)

forest

8.8% (2018 est.)

other

19.2% (2018 est.)

Major lakes (area sq km)

Salt water lake(s)

Caspian Sea (shared with Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Amu Darya (shared with Tajikistan [s], Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan [m]) - 2,620 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

24.765 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

26.36 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

839 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

755 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

53% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

500,000 tons (2013 est.)