| Geographical Information |
| Map Location |
Asia |
| Geographical Location |
40° 00' North Latitude
60° 00' East Longitude |
| Surface Area |
488,100 sq km |
| Climate |
Subtropical desert |
| Natural Resources |
Petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt |
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| Political Information |
 |
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| Country Name |
Turkmenistan |
| Capital City |
Ashgabat |
| Government Type |
Republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch |
| Administrative Divisions |
5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat): Ahal Welayaty (Ashgabat), Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dashoguz Welayaty, Lebap Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty |
| Independence Day |
27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union) |
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| Demographical Information |
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| Population |
4,952,081 (July 2005 est.) |
| Nationality |
Turkmen |
| Ethnic Groups |
Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003) |
| Religion |
Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2% |
| Languages |
Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7% |
| Population Growth Rate |
1.81% (2005 est.) |
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| Economical Information |
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| Currency |
Turkmen manat (TMM) |
| Industries |
Natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing |
| Labor Force |
2.32 million (2003 est.) |
| Labor Force by Sectors |
Agriculture 48.2%, industry 13.8%, services 37% (2003 est.) |
| Agriculture Products |
Cotton, grain; livestock |
| Export Commodities |
Gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, cotton fiber, textiles |
| Export Partners |
Ukraine 49.8%, Iran 17.2%, Italy 5.3%, Turkey 4.7% (2004) |
| Import Commodities |
Machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs |
| Import Partners |
Russia 14%, Ukraine 13.8%, US 11.1%, UAE 8.1%, Turkey 8%, Germany 6.8%, France 4.6% (2004) |
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| Transportation |
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| Railways |
2,440 km |
| Highways |
24,000 km |
| Pipelines |
Gas 6,549 km; oil 1,395 km (2004) |
| Airports |
53 (2004 est.) |
| Ports and Harbors |
Turkmenbasy |
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| Communication |
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| Phone Code |
+993 |
| Internet Abbreviation |
.tm |
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| Other |
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| Short History |
Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1924. 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 were to be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government is actively seeking to develop alternative petroleum
transportation routes in order to break Russia's pipeline monopoly. |
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| www.kfrawy.com |
