Turkmenistan

cotton, grain; livestock

revenues: $521 million expenditures: $548 million, including capital expenditures of $83 million (1996 est.)

1 Tukmen manat (TMM) = 100 tenesi; Turkmenistan introduced its national currency on 1 November 1993

$400 million (of which $275 million to Russia) (1995 est.)

recipient: ODA, $10 million (1993) note: commitments, $1,830 million ($375 million drawn), 1992-95

Turkmenistan is largely desert country with nomadic cattle raising, intensive agriculture in irrigated oases, and huge gas and oil resources. One-half of its irrigated land is planted in cotton, making it the world's tenth largest producer. It also possesses the world's fifth largest reserves of natural gas and substantial oil resources. 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. The economy bottomed out in 1996, but high inflation continued. Furthermore, 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. In 1996, the government set in place a stabilization program aimed at a unified and market-based exchange rate, allocation of government credits by auction, and strict limits on budget deficits. Privatization goals remain limited. Turkmenistan is working hard to open new gas export channels through Iran and Turkey to Europe, but these will take many years to realize.

3.95 million kW (1995)

2,013 kWh (1995)

9.204 billion kWh (1995)

manats per US$1-4,070 (January 1997), 2,400 (January 1996) note: government established a unified rate in mid-January 1996

total value: $1.7 billion to states outside the FSU (1996) commodities: natural gas, cotton, petroleum products, textiles, electricity, carpets partners: FSU, Hong Kong, Switzerland, US, Germany, Turkey (1996)

calendar year Communications

purchasing power parity-$12.5 billion (1996 est.)

agriculture: 18% industry: 50% services: 32% (1996 est.)

purchasing power parity-$3,000 (1996 est.)

-0.3% (1996)

total value: $1.5 billion from states outside the FSU (1996) commodities: machinery and parts, grain and food, plastics and rubber, consumer durables, textiles partners: FSU, US, Turkey, Germany, Cyprus (1996)

NA%

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

992% (1996 est.)

total: 2.34 million (1996) by occupation: agriculture and forestry 44%, industry and construction 19%, other 37% (1996)

1 state-owned radio broadcast station of NA type

NA

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

NA

1 state-run

NA

NA%

total: 488,100 sq km land: 488,100 sq km water: 0 sq km

slightly larger than California

subtropical desert

0 km note: Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)

lowest point: Sarygamysh Koli -110 m highest point: Ayrybaba 3,139 m

contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals, pesticides; salinization, 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

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

40 00 N, 60 00 E

landlocked

13,000 sq km (1993 est.)

total: 3,736 km border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379 km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km

arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 63% forests and woodland: 8% other: 26% (1993 est.)

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

Commonwealth of Independent States

none (landlocked)

NA

petroleum, natural gas, coal, sulfur, salt

flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west

5 welayatlar (singular-welayat): Ahal Welayaty (Ashgabat), Balkan Welayaty (Nebitdag), Dashhowuz Welayaty (formerly Tashauz), Lebap Welayaty (Charjew), Mary Welayaty note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

adopted 18 May 1992

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turkmenistan local long form: none local short form: Turkmenistan former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic

TX

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael W. COTTER embassy: 9 Pushkin Street, Ashgabat mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45, 35-00-46, 35-00-42, 51-13-06, Tie Line [8] 962-0000

chief of mission: Ambassador Halil UGUR chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500

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; note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government; Deputy Chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers Mukhamed ABALAKOV (since NA), Orazgeldy AYDOGDIYEV (since NA 1992), Hudaayguly HALYKOV (since NA 1996), Rejep SAPAROV (since NA 1992), Boris SHIKHMURADOV (since NA 1993), Batyr SARJAYEV (since NA 1993), Ilaman SHIKHIYEV (since NA 1995), Yolly GURBANMURADOV (since NA 1997), Saparmurat NURIYEV (since NA 1997) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president note: NIYAZOV has been asked by various local groups, most recently on 26 October 1995 at the annual elders meeting, to be "president for life," but he has declined, saying the status would require an amendment to the constitution elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 21 June 1992 (next to be held NA 2002; note-extension of President NIYAZOV's term for an additional five years overwhelmingly approved-99.9% of total vote in favor-by national referendum held 15 January 1994); deputy chairmen of the cabinet of ministers are appointed by the president election results: Saparmurat NIYAZOV elected president without opposition; percent of vote-Saparmurad NIYAZOV 99.5%

[1] (202) 588-0697

[9] (9312) 51-13-05

green field, including a vertical stripe on the hoist side, with a claret vertical stripe in between containing five white, black, and orange carpet guls (an asymmetrical design used in producing rugs associated with five different tribes); a white crescent and five white stars in the upper left corner to the right of the carpet guls note: a new flag has been reported

republic

27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president

based on civil law system

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 popularly elected and some are appointed; meets infrequently) and a unicameral Assembly or Majlis (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: People's Council-no elections; Assembly-last held 11 December 1994 (next to be held NA 1999) election results: Assembly-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-Democratic Party 45, other 5; note-all 50 preapproved by President NIYAZOV

Ashgabat

Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Saparmurat NIYAZOV] note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries

18 years of age; universal

Ministry of Defense (Army, Air and Air Defense, Navy, Border Troops, and Internal Troops), National Guard

4.5 billion manats (1995); note-conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

3% (1995)

males age 15-49: 1,080,486 (1998 est.)

males: 878,274 (1998 est.)

18 years of age

males: 43,901 (1998 est.)

0-14 years: 39% (male 843,839; female 813,837) 15-64 years: 57% (male 1,211,477; female 1,249,085) 65 years and over: 4% (male 67,842; female 111,549) (July 1998 est.)

26.24 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

8.7 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Turkmen 77%, Uzbek 9.2%, Russian 6.7%, Kazakh 2%, other 5.1% (1995)

72.89 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

total population: 61.3 years male: 57.68 years female: 65.11 years (1998 est.)

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 97% (1989 est.)

noun: Turkmen(s) adjective: Turkmen

-1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

4,297,629 (July 1998 est.)

1.6% (1998 est.)

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

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

3.26 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan

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 TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS (dependent territory of the UK)

64 (1994 est.)

total: 22 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1994 est.)

total: 42 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 35 (1994 est.)

total: 24,000 km paved: 19,488 km (note-these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, meaning that some are paved and some are all-weather gravel surfaced unpaved: 4,512 km (1996 est.)

total: 1 oil tanker ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,896 GRT/3,389 DWT (1997 est.)

crude oil 250 km; natural gas 4,400 km

Turkmenbashi (formerly Krasnowodsk)

total: 2,187 km broad gauge: 2,187 km 1.520-m gauge (1996 est.)

the Amu Darya is an important inland waterway