2023 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.  In February 2022, BERDIMUHAMEDOW announced that he would step down from the presidency and called for an election to replace him. His son, Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOW, won the ensuing election, held in March 2022, with 73% of the vote. Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW, 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 BERDIMUHAMEDOW stepped down from the presidency, state-controlled media upgraded his honorific from Arkadag (protector) to Hero-Arkadag, and incorporated his son into the personality cult by referring to Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOW as Arkadagly Serder, which can be translated as "Serder 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. As of early 2022, 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. Heavy restrictions placed by the government in 2020 on entry and exit into the country in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in a steep drop in emigration, however.

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 1,148 km; Kazakhstan 413 km; Uzbekistan 1,793 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

24.63% (male 710,040/female 691,487)

15-64 years

68.82% (male 1,943,930/female 1,972,723)

65 years and over

6.55% (2023 est.) (male 163,121/female 209,517)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

2.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

1.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

17.2 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15

0.2%

women married by age 18

6.1% (2019 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.1% (2019)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

49.7% (2019)

Current health expenditure

5.7% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

64.3% (2023 est.)

Death rate

6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

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

elderly dependency ratio

7.7

potential support ratio

13 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

56.6

youth dependency ratio

48.9

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 (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

3.1% of GDP (2019 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.99 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

4 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant mortality rate

female

28.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male

44.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total

36.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Languages

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

major-language sample(s)

Dünýä Faktlar Kitaby – esasy maglumatlaryň wajyp çeşmesidir (Turkmen)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.3 years

male

69.1 years

total population

72.1 years (2023 est.)

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

902,000 ASHGABAT (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

31.2 years

male

30.2 years

total

30.7 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

24.2 years (2019)

Nationality

adjective

Turkmenistani

noun

Turkmenistani(s)

Net migration rate

-1.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

18.6% (2016)

Physicians density

2.23 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

5,690,818 (2023 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

0.95% (2023 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: 99.9% of population

improved: total

total: 99.8% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.8% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.2% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.2% 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

15-64 years

0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.78 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

0.4% (2020 est.)

male

10.6% (2020 est.)

total

5.5% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.03 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

54% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

7.6%

male

13.4%

total

11% (2021 est.)

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 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 BERDIMUHAMEDOW as National Leader of the Turkmen people

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 ORAZOV (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 Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 19 March 2022); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

2022: Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOW elected president; percent of vote - Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOW 73%,  Khydyr NUNNAYEV 11.1%, Agadzhan BEKMYRADOV 7.2%, other 8.7%; note - Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOW is the son of previous president Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW2017: Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (DPT) 97.7%, other 2.3%

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 BERDIMUHAMEDOW announced his intent to retire setting up the early presidential election

head of government

President Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 19 March 2022)

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 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

civil law system with Islamic (sharia) law influences

Legislative branch

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

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 as of early as of April 2023 men 93, women 32, percent of women 25.6%

elections

Mejlis (Assembly) - last held on 26 March 2023 for the Mejlis and local councils (next to be held in 2028)

note

note: on 22 January 2023, a joint session of the then bicameral National Council or Milli Genes voted unanimously to abolish itself, re-establishing a unicameral legislature and a separate People's Council or Halk Maslahaty

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 heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Ancient Merv; Kunya-Urgench; Parthian Fortresses of Nisa; Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor

total World Heritage Sites

4 (all cultural)

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 beets, beef, rice

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

2.2% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

37.5% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$6.134 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$5.954 billion (2019 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

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

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 est.)

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

1.998 million (2021 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

$81.788 billion (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$86.859 billion (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$92.331 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2017

6.5% (2017 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2018

6.2% (2018 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2019

6.3% (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2017

$13,700 (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2018

$14,300 (2018 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$15,000 (2019 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

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 2019

4.27% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

4.95% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

5.08% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

7.6%

male

13.4%

total

11% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

89.06 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

19.977 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

109.037 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

15.09 billion kWh (2019 est.)

exports

3.2 billion kWh (2019 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

5.205 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

2.892 billion kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

330.507 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

45.399 billion cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports

38.224 billion cubic meters (2019 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

83.623 billion cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves

11.327 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

59,900 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

600 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

153,400 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

235,300 bbl/day (2021 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

0.2 (2020 est.)

total

10,000 (2020 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

25.3% (2022 est.)

total

1,563,023 (2022 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line is 13 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity is 99 per 100 persons (2021)

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 penetration rates for internet access in the world (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

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

13 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

800,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

99 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

6.3 million (2021 est.)

Airports

26 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

21

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

5

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

EZ

Heliports

1 (2021)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 6, oil tanker 8, other 58

total

72 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

16.92 million (2018) mt-km

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

7,500 km gas, 1501 km oil (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Caspian Sea - Turkmenbasy

Railways

broad gauge

5,113 km (2017) 1.520-m gauge

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 (2011) (Amu Darya River and Kara Kum Canal are important inland waterways)

Military - note

the military is responsible for external defense and works closely with the Border Service on protecting the country’s borders; it is conscript-based and equipped with Soviet-era arms; 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 operationsinformation on the structure of the military is limited and varied; the primary Land Force combat units are reportedly up to 4 “motorized rifle” divisions (MRD) inherited from the former Soviet Army after the USSR’s collapse in 1991; MRDs are typically comprised of one or more mechanized infantry regiments, plus a tank and an artillery regiment; there are reportedly also some separate motorized rifle (mechanized infantry), artillery, and surface-to-surface missile brigades; in recent years, Turkmenistan has made efforts to strengthen its naval capabilities on the Caspian Sea, including expanding ship building capabilities 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; the Border Service also has a force of patrol boats; the Air Force has approximately 50 operational Soviet-era fighter and ground attack aircraft, as well as a few combat helicopters (2023)

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of Turkmenistan (aka Turkmen National Army): Land Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense ForcesMinistry of Internal Affairs: Internal Troops, national police, Federal/State Border Guard Service (2023)

Military and security service personnel strengths

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

the inventory for Turkmenistan's military is comprised largely of older Russian and Soviet-era weapons systems; in recent years however, it has attempted to diversify and purchased equipment from more than a dozen countries, with China, Italy, and Turkey as the top suppliers (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2015

1.5% of GDP (2015 est.)

Military Expenditures 2016

1.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

Military Expenditures 2017

1.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Military Expenditures 2018

1.8% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.9% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military service age and obligation

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)

Disputes - international

Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan: in January 2021, the two countries reached a preliminary agreement on the joint exploration of an undersea hydrocarbon field containing oil and natural gas in the Caspian Sea Turkmenistan-Iran: none identified Turkmenistan-Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan signed a treaty on the delimitation and demarcation process in 2001; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2005; Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan agreed to their border in the Caspian Sea in 2014 Turkmenistan-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan: in 2017, the three countries signed an agreement of the junction of their borders Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan: cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; in 2021, the two countries reached an agreement to create a joint intergovernmental commission to oversee water management

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

4,463 (2022)

Trafficking in persons

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; the government took some steps to address trafficking, including participating in anti-trafficking awareness campaigns; however, there was a government policy or pattern of forced labor, including mobilization of adults and children for forced labor in annual harvest, public works, and other sectors; officials denied access to independent monitors seeking to observe the cotton harvest; the government did not report any investigations, prosecutions, or convictions, nor hold any officials accountable for complicity in forced labor crimes; authorities did not identify victims nor fund victim assistance programs (2022)

trafficking profile

human traffickers exploit domestic victims in Turkmenistan, and Turkmen men and women are exploited abroad; state policies continue to perpetuate government-compelled forced labor in the cotton sector, as well as in public works and community cleaning and beautification projects; officials reportedly force the homeless into agricultural work or domestic servitude in the homes of law enforcement families; children are reportedly forced to work in cotton and potato fields during summer educational camps; residents of rural areas are at highest risk for trafficking both in country and abroad; LGBTQI+ communities are vulnerable to police abuse, extortion, and coercion, as well as sex trafficking or forced labor; Turkmen men and women are subjected to forced labor after migrating abroad; some migrant men are forced into criminal drug trafficking, and some migrant women are exploited by sex traffickers; most Turkmen migrant victims are in Turkey, Russia, and India, as well as other countries in the Middle East, South and Central Asia, and Europe (2022)

Space agency/agencies

Turkmenistan National Space Agency (established 2011; in 2019, was transferred to the Space Directorate of Turkmenaragatnashik Agency) (2023)

Space program overview

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, and the US (2023)

note

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 Appendix S

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

70.63 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

52.09 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

26.41 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 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

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

24.77 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

16.12 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

810 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

450 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

54% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

500,000 tons (2013 est.)