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Turkmenistan
2024 Edition — sovereign
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Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
[time series]
total: 10,000 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.2 (2020 est.)
Broadcast media
[time series]
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
[time series]
.tm
Internet users
[time series]
total: 1,563,023 (2022 est.) percent of population: 25.3% (2022 est.)
Telecommunication systems
[time series]
general assessment: the nation of Turkmenistan, which rivals only North Korea for its isolationism, continues to keep its telecom sector along with the broader populace under tight control; the country inched up just one point off the bottom of the world rankings for press and internet freedom in the most recent report from Reporters Without Borders; most social networks in the country are blocked, although locals do have access to the government-developed platform released in 2019; all internet users, however, need to identify themselves before logging on, and strict censorship over what can be viewed is in force; the end result is that Turkmenistan has one of the lowest usage rates for internet access in the world (2024) domestic: fixed-line is 13 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity is 99 per 100 persons (2022) 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
[time series]
total subscriptions: 802,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2021 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
[time series]
total subscriptions: 6.255 million (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 99 (2021 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products
[time series]
milk, cotton, wheat, potatoes, watermelons, tomatoes, grapes, beef, sugar beets, lamb/mutton (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Average household expenditures
[time series]
on food: 36.7% of household expenditures (2022 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 2.2% of household expenditures (2022 est.)
Budget
[time series]
revenues: $5.954 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $6.134 billion (2019 est.)
Current account balance
[time series]
-$4.359 billion (2017 est.) -$7.207 billion (2016 est.)
Debt - external
[time series]
$3.729 billion (2022 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Economic overview
[time series]
upper middle-income Central Asian economy; has 10% of global natural gas reserves, exporting to Russia and China; natural resource rich; authoritarian and dominated by state-owned enterprises; major central-south Asian pipeline development
Exchange rates
[time series]
Turkmenistani manat (TMM) per US dollar - 4.125 (2017 est.) 3.5 (2016 est.) 3.5 (2015 est.) 3.5 (2014 est.)
Exports
[time series]
$10.282 billion (2021 est.) $8.164 billion (2020 est.) $11.188 billion (2019 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities
[time series]
natural gas, refined petroleum, fertilizers, crude petroleum, electricity (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Exports - partners
[time series]
China 71%, Turkey 7%, Uzbekistan 5%, Azerbaijan 4%, Morocco 2% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
GDP (official exchange rate)
[time series]
$59.887 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
GDP - composition, by end use
[time series]
household consumption: 50% (2017 est.) government consumption: 9.8% (2022 est.) investment in fixed capital: 18.3% (2022 est.) exports of goods and services: 22.2% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -12.9% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
[time series]
agriculture: 11.6% (2022 est.) industry: 40.6% (2022 est.) services: 47.8% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Imports
[time series]
$6.25 billion (2021 est.) $8.301 billion (2020 est.) $8.844 billion (2019 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities
[time series]
broadcasting equipment, cars, wheat, computers, iron structures (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - partners
[time series]
UAE 27%, Turkey 24%, China 19%, Kazakhstan 7%, Germany 4% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Industrial production growth rate
[time series]
4.3% (2014 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries
[time series]
natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
8% (2017 est.) 3.6% (2016 est.)
Labor force
[time series]
2.163 million (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Public debt
[time series]
28.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
[time series]
$94.79 billion (2022 est.) $93.205 billion (2021 est.) $89.192 billion (2020 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
[time series]
6.3% (2023 est.) 6.2% (2022 est.) 6.2% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per capita
[time series]
$14,700 (2022 est.) $14,700 (2021 est.) $14,300 (2020 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars
Remittances
[time series]
0% of GDP (2022 est.) 0% of GDP (2021 est.) 0% of GDP (2020 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
[time series]
$24.91 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $25.05 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
[time series]
14.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate
[time series]
4.12% (2023 est.) 4.12% (2022 est.) 4.45% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
[time series]
total: 9.1% (2023 est.) male: 13.9% (2023 est.) female: 5.7% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions
[time series]
101.442 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 19.91 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from consumed natural gas: 81.532 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
Coal
[time series]
imports: 100 metric tons (2022 est.) proven reserves: 799.999 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Electricity
[time series]
installed generating capacity: 5.202 million kW (2022 est.) consumption: 16.977 billion kWh (2022 est.) exports: 3.201 billion kWh (2022 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 2.892 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Electricity access
[time series]
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity generation sources
[time series]
fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
[time series]
282.657 million Btu/person (2022 est.)
Natural gas
[time series]
production: 86.472 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) consumption: 41.561 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) exports: 44.567 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) proven reserves: 11.327 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Petroleum
[time series]
total petroleum production: 272,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 152,000 bbl/day (2022 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 600 million barrels (2021 est.)
Environment
Air pollutants
[time series]
particulate matter emissions: 26.41 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 70.63 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 52.09 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate
[time series]
subtropical desert
Environment - current issues
[time series]
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
International environmental agreements
(Environment - international agreements)
[time series]
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
[time series]
agricultural land: 72% (2018 est.) arable land: 4.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 67.8% (2018 est.) forest: 8.8% (2018 est.) other: 19.2% (2018 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km)
[time series]
salt water lake(s): Caspian Sea (shared with Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km)
[time series]
Amu Darya (shared with Tajikistan [s], Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan [m]) - 2,620 km note [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
[time series]
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km)
Revenue from coal
[time series]
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
[time series]
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Total renewable water resources
[time series]
24.77 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawal
[time series]
municipal: 450 million cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 810 million cubic meters (2020 est.) agricultural: 16.12 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 54% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
[time series]
municipal solid waste generated annually: 500,000 tons (2013 est.)
Geography
Area
[time series]
total : 488,100 sq km land: 469,930 sq km water: 18,170 sq km
Area - comparative
[time series]
slightly more than three times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than California
Climate
[time series]
subtropical desert
Coastline
[time series]
0 km (landlocked); note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)
Elevation
[time series]
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
[time series]
40 00 N, 60 00 E
Geography - note
[time series]
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
[time series]
19,950 sq km (2012)
Land boundaries
[time series]
total: 4,158 km border countries (4): Afghanistan 804 km; Iran 1,148 km; Kazakhstan 413 km; Uzbekistan 1,793 km
Land use
[time series]
agricultural land: 72% (2018 est.) arable land: 4.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 67.8% (2018 est.) forest: 8.8% (2018 est.) other: 19.2% (2018 est.)
Location
[time series]
Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan
Major lakes (area sq km)
[time series]
salt water lake(s): Caspian Sea (shared with Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km)
[time series]
Amu Darya (shared with Tajikistan [s], Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan [m]) - 2,620 km note [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
[time series]
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km)
Map references
[time series]
Asia
Maritime claims
[time series]
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
[time series]
earthquakes; mudslides; droughts; dust storms; floods
Natural resources
[time series]
petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt
Population distribution
[time series]
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
[time series]
flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
5 provinces (velayatlar, singular - velayat) and 1 independent city*: Ahal Velayat (Arkadag), Ashgabat*, Balkan Velayat (Balkanabat), Dashoguz Velayat, Lebap Velayat (Turkmenabat), Mary Velayat note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Capital
[time series]
name: Ashgabat (Ashkhabad) geographic coordinates: 37 57 N, 58 23 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: derived from the Persian words esh q meaning "love" and abad meaning "inhabited place" or "city," and so loosely translates as "the city of love"
Citizenship
[time series]
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
[time series]
history: several previous; latest adopted 14 September 2016 amendments: proposed by the Assembly or Mejlis; passage requires two-thirds majority vote or absolute majority approval in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2023 (changed legislature from bicameral to unicameral Assembly or Mejlis; reestablished People's Council or Halk Maslahaty and named former president Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV as National Leader of the Turkmen people
Country name
[time series]
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turkmenistan local long form: none local short form: Turkmenistan former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so Turkmenistan literally means the "Land of the Turkmen [people]"
Diplomatic representation from the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Matthew S. KLIMOW (since 26 June 2019) embassy: 9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat 744000 mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, DC 20521-7070 telephone: [993] (12) 94-00-45 FAX: [993] (12) 94-26-14 email address and website: ConsularAshgab@state.gov https://tm.usembassy.gov/
Diplomatic representation in the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Meret ORAZOV (since 14 February 2001) chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500 FAX: [1] (202) 588-1500 email address and website: turkmenembassyus@verizon.net https://usa.tmembassy.gov.tm/en
Executive branch
[time series]
chief of state: President Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV (since 19 March 2022) head of government: President Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV (since 19 March 2022) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president 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 March 2022 (next to be held in 2029); note - on 11 February 2022, President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV announced his intent to retire, setting up the early presidential election election results: 2022: Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV elected president; percent of vote - Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOW (DPT) 73%, Khydyr NUNNAYEV (independent) 11.1%, Agadzhan BEKMYRADOV (IAP) 7.2%, other 8.7%; note - Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV is the son of previous president Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV 2017: Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (DPT) 97.7%, other 2.3% note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
Flag
(Flag description)
[time series]
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: the flag of Turkmenistan is the most intricate of all national flags
Government type
[time series]
presidential republic; authoritarian
Independence
[time series]
27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
International law organization participation
[time series]
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
International organization participation
[time series]
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
[time series]
highest court(s): 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
[time series]
civil law system with Islamic (sharia) law influences
Legislative branch
[time series]
description: unicameral Assembly or Mejlis (125 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 5-year terms); formerly the Assembly was the lower house of the bicameral National Council or Milli Genes, which consisted of an upper house, the People's Council or Halk Maslahaty, and the Assembly or Mejlis elections: last held on 26 March 2023 (next to be held in 2028) 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 93, women 32, percentage women 25.6%
National anthem(s)
(National anthem)
[time series]
name: "Garassyz, Bitarap Turkmenistanyn" (Independent, Neutral, Turkmenistan State Anthem) lyrics/music: collective/Veli MUKHATOV note: adopted 1997, lyrics revised in 2008, to eliminate references to deceased President Saparmurat NYYAZOW
National heritage
[time series]
total World Heritage Sites: 5 (4 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Ancient Merv (c); Kunya-Urgench (c); Parthian Fortresses of Nisa (c); Cold Winter Deserts of Turan (n); Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor (c)
National holiday
[time series]
Independence Day, 27 October (1991)
National symbol(s)
[time series]
Akhal-Teke horse; national colors: green, white
Political parties
[time series]
Agrarian Party of Turkmenistan or APT Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs or PIE note: all of these parties support President BERDIMUHAMEDOV; a law authorizing the registration of political parties went into effect in January 2012; unofficial, small opposition movements exist abroad
Suffrage
[time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background
[time series]
Present-day Turkmenistan has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. Various Persian empires ruled the area in antiquity, and Alexander the Great, Muslim armies, the Mongols, Turkic warriors, and eventually the Russians conquered it. 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 when the USSR dissolved in 1991. President for Life Saparmurat NIYAZOV died in 2006, and Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV, a deputy chairman under NIYAZOW, emerged as the country's new president. BERDIMUHAMEDOV won Turkmenistan's first multi-candidate presidential election in 2007, and again in 2012 and 2017 with over 97% of the vote in elections widely regarded as undemocratic. In 2022, BERDIMUHAMEDOV announced that he would step down from the presidency and called for an election to replace him. His son, Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV, won the ensuing election with 73% of the vote. Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV, although no longer head of state, maintains an influential political position as head of the Halk Maslahaty (People s Council) and as National Leader of the Turkmen People, a title that provides additional privileges and immunity for him and his family. Since Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV stepped down from the presidency, state-controlled media upgraded his honorific from Arkadag (protector) to Hero-Arkadag, and began referring to Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV as Arkadagly Serdar, which can be translated as "Serdar who has a protector to support him." Turkmenistan has sought new export markets for its extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves, which have yet to be fully exploited. 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 citizens of Turkmenistan to emigrate, mostly to Turkey.
Military and Security
Military - note
[time series]
the military is responsible for external defense and works closely with the Border Service on protecting the country s borders; while Turkmenistan has a policy of permanent and "positive" neutrality and has declined to participate in post-Soviet military groupings such as the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, it has participated in multinational exercises and bilateral training with neighboring countries, including Russia and Uzbekistan; Turkmenistan joined NATO's Partnership for Peace program in 1994, but it does not offer any military forces to NATO-led operations in recent years, Turkmenistan has made efforts to strengthen its naval capabilities on the Caspian Sea, including expanding ship building capabilities, building a new naval base, and adding larger vessels to the Navy s inventory; in 2018, Turkmenistan opened its first naval shipyard, and in 2021 the Navy commissioned its largest warship, a corvette that was jointly constructed with Turkey, to complement a small existing force of coastal patrol craft (2023)
Military and security forces
[time series]
Armed Forces of Turkmenistan (aka Turkmen National Army): Land Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Troops, national police, Federal/State Border Guard Service (2024)
Military and security service personnel strengths
[time series]
information varies; estimated 35,000 active-duty troops (30,000 Army; 1,000 Navy; 4,000 Air and Air Defense Forces) (2023)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
[time series]
the military's inventory is comprised largely of Russian and Soviet-era weapons and equipment with smaller quantities of military systems from suppliers such as Brazil, China, Italy, and Turkey (2024)
Military expenditures
[time series]
1.9% of GDP (2019 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2018 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2017 est.) 1.8% of GDP (2016 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
Military service age and obligation
[time series]
18-27 years of age for compulsory military service for men; 24-month conscript service obligation (30 months for the Navy); 20 years of age for voluntary service for men and women; men may enroll in military schools from age 15 (2023)
People and Society
Age structure
[time series]
0-14 years: 24.5% (male 711,784/female 692,967) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 1,956,740/female 1,984,333) 65 years and over: 6.9% (2024 est.) (male 174,346/female 223,981)
Alcohol consumption per capita
[time series]
total: 2.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Birth rate
[time series]
16.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Child marriage
[time series]
women married by age 15: 0.2% women married by age 18: 6.1% (2019 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
[time series]
3.1% (2019)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
[time series]
49.7% (2019)
Current health expenditure
[time series]
5.7% of GDP (2020)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
[time series]
64.3% (2023 est.)
Death rate
[time series]
6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Demographic profile
[time series]
While Turkmenistan reputedly has a population of more than 5.6 million, the figure is most likely considerably less. Getting an accurate population estimate for the country is impossible because then President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW withheld the results of the last two censuses. The 2012 census results reportedly show that nearly 2 million citizens have emigrated in the last decade, which prompted BERDIMUHAMEDOW to order another census. Results of this census, covering 2008-2018, also were not released to the public but purportedly are similar. Another census was held in December 2022. Authorities have reacted to the dramatic population decline by preventing Turkmen from leaving the country, including removing citizens from international flights and refusing to provide necessary documents. Turkmenistan s rise in outmigration mainly to Turkey, Russia, and Uzbekistan coincided with the country s 2013-2014 economic crisis. The outflow has been sustained by poor living standards, inflation, low income, and a lack of health care. At the same time, Ashbagat is encouraging people to have more children to make up for its shrinking population.
Dependency ratios
[time series]
total dependency ratio: 56.6 youth dependency ratio: 48.9 elderly dependency ratio: 7.7 potential support ratio: 13 (2021 est.)
Drinking water source
[time series]
improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Education expenditure
(Education expenditures)
[time series]
3.1% of GDP (2019 est.)
Ethnic groups
[time series]
Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
[time series]
0.99 (2024 est.)
Hospital bed density
[time series]
4 beds/1,000 population (2014)
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
total: 35.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 43.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
[time series]
Turkmen (official) 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7% major-language sample(s): D n Faktlar Kitaby esasy maglumatlaryň wajyp eşmesidir (Turkmen) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 72.4 years (2024 est.) male: 69.4 years female: 75.5 years
Literacy
[time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.7% male: 99.8% female: 99.6% (2015)
Major urban areas - population
[time series]
902,000 ASHGABAT (capital) (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
[time series]
5 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Median age
[time series]
total: 31.2 years (2024 est.) male: 30.7 years female: 31.7 years
Mother's mean age at first birth
[time series]
24.2 years (2019)
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Turkmenistani(s) adjective: Turkmenistani
Net migration rate
[time series]
-1.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
[time series]
18.6% (2016)
Physician density
[time series]
2.23 physicians/1,000 population (2014)
Population
[time series]
total: 5,744,151 male: 2,842,870 female: 2,901,281 (2024 est.)
Population distribution
[time series]
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
[time series]
0.92% (2024 est.)
Religions
[time series]
Muslim 93%, Christian 6.4%, Buddhist 1%, folk religion 1%, Jewish 1%, other 1%, unspecified 1% (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility access
[time series]
improved: urban: 99.8% of population rural: 99.9% of population total: 99.8% of population unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population rural: 0.1% of population total: 0.2% of population (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
[time series]
total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2020)
Sex ratio
[time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use
[time series]
total: 5.5% (2020 est.) male: 10.6% (2020 est.) female: 0.4% (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
2.02 children born/woman (2024 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 54% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Space
Space agency/agencies
[time series]
Turkmenistan National Space Agency (established 2011; in 2019, was transferred to the Space Directorate of Turkmenaragatnashik Agency) (2024)
Space program overview
[time series]
has a small space program focused on acquiring satellites and developing the infrastructure to build and operate satellites; particularly interested in remote sensing satellites for such purposes as monitoring its agricultural and transportation sectors, the oil and natural gas industry, and the ecology of the Caspian Sea; has cooperated with the space agencies and/or space industries of France, Italy, Russia, South Korea, and the US (2024) note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide
Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs
[time series]
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
[time series]
stateless persons: 4,463 (2022)
Trafficking in persons
[time series]
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, therefore, Turkmenistan remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/turkmenistan/
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
23 (2024)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
[time series]
EZ
Heliports
[time series]
25 (2024)
Merchant marine
[time series]
total: 73 (2023) by type: general cargo 6, oil tanker 8, other 59
National air transport system
[time series]
number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 27 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,457,474 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 16.92 million (2018) mt-km
Pipelines
[time series]
7,500 km gas, 1501 km oil (2013)
Railways
[time series]
total: 5,113 km (2017) broad gauge: 5,113 km (2017) 1.520-m gauge
Roadways
[time series]
total: 58,592 km paved: 47,577 km unpaved: 11,015 km (2002)
Waterways
[time series]
1,300 km (2011) (Amu Darya River and Kara Kum Canal are important inland waterways)