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2 definitions found
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
Turkmenistan
n : a republic in Asia east of the Caspian Sea and south of
Kazakhstan and north of Iran; an Asian soviet from 1925
to 1991 [syn: {Turkomen}, {Turkmen}, {Turkmenia}]
From CIA World Factbook 2002 [world02]:
Turkmenistan
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.
Geography Turkmenistan
----------------------
Location: Central Asia, bordering the Caspian
Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan
Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 60 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 488,100 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 488,100 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than California
Land boundaries: total: 3,736 km
border countries: Afghanistan 744
km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379 km,
Uzbekistan 1,621 km
Coastline: 0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders
the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: subtropical desert
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
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81
m; note - 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)
highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal,
sulfur, salt
Land use: arable land: 3.47%
permanent crops: 0.14%
other: 96.39% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 18,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
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; desertification
Environment - international party to: Biodiversity, Climate
agreements: Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous
Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of
the selected agreements
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
People Turkmenistan
-------------------
Population: 4,688,963 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.3% (male 895,536;
female 853,301)
15-64 years: 58.6% (male 1,350,142;
female 1,399,879)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male
72,784; female 117,321) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.84% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 28.27 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 8.92 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: -0.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 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 (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 73.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 61.1 years
female: 64.8 years (2002 est.)
male: 57.57 years
Total fertility rate: 3.54 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ less than 100 (1999 est.)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Turkmen(s)
adjective: Turkmen
Ethnic groups: Turkmen 77%, Uzbek 9.2%, Russian
6.7%, Kazakh 2%, other 5.1% (1995)
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, Labap 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 (more than 100 seats, some
of which are elected by popular vote
and some of which are appointed;
meets infrequently) 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
elections: People's Council - NA;
Assembly - last held 12 December
1999 (next to be held NA 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
Political pressure groups and NA
leaders:
International organization AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE,
participation: ECO, ESCAP, FAO, 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, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
(observer)
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 chief of mission: Ambassador Laura
US: E. KENNEDY
embassy: 9 Pushkin Street, Ashgabat,
Turkmenistan 774000
mailing address: use embassy street
address
telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45
FAX: [9] (9312) 51-13-05
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
Economy Turkmenistan
--------------------
Economy - overview: Turkmenistan is largely desert
country with intensive agriculture
in irrigated oases and huge gas
(fifth largest reserves in the
world) and oil resources. One-half
of its irrigated land is planted in
cotton, making it the world's tenth
largest producer. Until the end of
1993, Turkmenistan had experienced
less economic disruption than other
former Soviet states because its
economy received a boost from higher
prices for oil and gas and a sharp
increase in hard currency earnings.
In 1994, Russia's refusal to export
Turkmen gas to hard currency markets
and mounting debts of its major
customers in the former USSR for gas
deliveries contributed to a sharp
fall in industrial production and
caused the budget to shift from a
surplus to a slight deficit. With an
authoritarian ex-Communist regime in
power and a tribally based social
structure, Turkmenistan has taken a
cautious approach to economic
reform, hoping to use gas and cotton
sales to sustain its inefficient
economy. Privatization goals remain
limited. In 1998-2001, Turkmenistan
has suffered from the continued lack
of adequate export routes for
natural gas and from obligations on
extensive short-term external debt.
At the same time, however, total
exports have risen sharply because
of higher international oil and gas
prices. Prospects in the near future
are discouraging because of
widespread internal poverty, the
burden of foreign debt, and the
unwillingness of the government to
adopt market-oriented reforms.
However, Turkmenistan's cooperation
with the international community in
transporting humanitarian aid to
Afghanistan may foreshadow a change
in the atmosphere for foreign
investment, aid, and technological
support. Turkmenistan's economic
statistics are state secrets, and
GDP and other figures are subject to
wide margins of error.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $21.5
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 10% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,700
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 27%
industry: 45%
services: 28% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 34.4% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 2.6%
percentage share: highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini 40.8 (1998)
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 2.34 million (1996)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 48%, industry 15%,
services 37% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $588.6 million
expenditures: $658.2 million,
including capital expenditures of
$NA (1999 est.)
Industries: natural gas, oil, petroleum
products, textiles, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 9.256 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.94%
hydro: 0.06%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 7.708 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 900 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: cotton, grain; livestock
Exports: $2.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: gas 33%, oil 30%, cotton fiber 18%,
textiles 8% (1999)
Exports - partners: Ukraine 27%, Iran 14%, Turkey 11%,
Italy 9%, Switzerland 5% (1999)
Imports: $2.3 billion (c.i.f., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment 60%,
foodstuffs 15% (1999)
Imports - partners: Turkey 17%, Ukraine 12%, Russia 11%,
UAE 8%, France 6% (1999)
Debt - external: $2.3 billion to $5 billion (2001
est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $16 million from the US (2001)
Currency: Turkmen manat (TMM)
Currency code: TMM
Exchange rates: Turkmen manats per US dollar - 5,200
(January 2002-January 2000), 5,350
(January 1999), 4,070 (January 1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Turkmenistan
---------------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 363,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 4,300 (1998)
Telephone system: general assessment: poorly developed
domestic: NA
international: 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 Service Providers (ISPs): NA
Internet users: 2,000 (2000)
Transportation Turkmenistan
---------------------------
Railways: total: 2,440 km
broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge
(2001)
Highways: total: 22,000 km
paved: 18,000 km (includes some all-
weather gravel-surfaced roads)
unpaved: 4,000 km (these roads are
made of unstabilized earth and are
difficult to negotiate in wet
weather) (1996)
Waterways: the Amu Darya is an important inland
waterway for Turkmenistan
Pipelines: crude oil 250 km; natural gas 4,400
km
Ports and harbors: Turkmenbasy
Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 4,600 GRT/5,000 DWT
ships by type: petroleum tanker 1
(2002 est.)
Airports: 76 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 63
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 41 (2001)
Military Turkmenistan
---------------------
Military branches: Ministry of Defense (Army, Air and
Air Defense, Navy, Border Troops,
and Internal Troops), National Guard
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,206,920 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 979,282 (2002 est.)
service:
Military manpower - reaching males: 48,292 (2002 est.)
military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar $90 million (FY99)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 3.4% (FY99)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Turkmenistan
---------------------------------
Disputes - international: Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan,
Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan wrestle
with sharing limited water resources
and regional environmental
degradation caused by the shrinking
of the Aral Sea; multilaterally-
accepted Caspian Sea seabed and
maritime boundaries have not yet
been established in the Caspian -
Iran insists on division of Caspian
Sea into five equal sectors while
Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and
Turkmenistan have generally agreed
upon equidistant seabed boundaries;
Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan await
ICJ decision to resolve sovereignty
dispute over oil fields in the
Caspian Sea
Illicit drugs: limited illicit cultivator of opium
poppy, mostly for domestic
consumption; limited government
eradication program; increasingly
used as transshipment point for
illicit drugs from Southwest Asia to
Russia and Western Europe; also a
transshipment point for acetic
anhydride destined for Afghanistan
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