2  definitions  found 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [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:  {Turkmenistan},  {Turkomen},  {Turkmen},  {Turkmenia}] 
 
  From  The  CIA  World  Factbook  (1995)  [world95]: 
 
  Turkmenistan 
 
  Turkmenistan:Geography 
 
  Location:  Central  Asia,  bordering  the  Caspian  Sea,  between  Iran  and 
  Kazakhstan 
 
  Map  references:  Commonwealth  of  Independent  States  -  Central  Asian 
  States 
 
  Area: 
  total  area:  488,100  sq  km 
  land  area:  488,100  sq  km 
  comparative  area:  slightly  larger  than  California 
 
  Land  boundaries:  total  3,736  km  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 
 
  International  disputes:  Caspian  Sea  boundaries  are  not  yet  determined 
 
  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 
 
  Natural  resources:  petroleum,  natural  gas,  coal,  sulphur,  salt 
 
  Land  use: 
  arable  land:  2% 
  permanent  crops:  0% 
  meadows  and  pastures:  69% 
  forest  and  woodland:  0% 
  other:  29% 
 
  Irrigated  land:  12,450  sq  km  (1990) 
 
  Environment: 
  current  issues:  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 
  natural  hazards:  NA 
  international  agreements:  party  to  -  Ozone  Layer  Protection 
 
  Note:  landlocked 
 
  Turkmenistan:People 
 
  Population:  4,075,316  (July  1995  est.) 
 
  Age  structure: 
  0-14  years:  40%  (female  798,620;  male  821,550) 
  15-64  years:  56%  (female  1,155,392;  male  1,128,844) 
  65  years  and  over:  4%  (female  105,424;  male  65,486)  (July  1995  est.) 
 
  Population  growth  rate:  1.97%  (1995  est.) 
 
  Birth  rate:  29.93  births/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Death  rate:  7.34  deaths/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Net  migration  rate:  -2.92  migrant(s)/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Infant  mortality  rate:  68.5  deaths/1,000  live  births  (1995  est.) 
 
  Life  expectancy  at  birth: 
  total  population:  65.35  years 
  male:  61.85  years 
  female:  69.02  years  (1995  est.) 
 
  Total  fertility  rate:  3.72  children  born/woman  (1995  est.) 
 
  Nationality: 
  noun:  Turkmen(s) 
  adjective:  Turkmen 
 
  Ethnic  divisions:  Turkmen  73.3%,  Russian  9.8%,  Uzbek  9%,  Kazakh  2%, 
  other  5.9% 
 
  Religions:  Muslim  87%,  Eastern  Orthodox  11%,  unknown  2% 
 
  Languages:  Turkmen  72%,  Russian  12%,  Uzbek  9%,  other  7% 
 
  Literacy:  age  15  and  over  can  read  and  write  (1989) 
  total  population:  98% 
  male:  99% 
  female:  97% 
 
  Labor  force:  1.642  million  (January  1994) 
  by  occupation:  agriculture  and  forestry  44%,  industry  and  construction 
  20%,  other  36%  (1992) 
 
  Turkmenistan:Government 
 
  Names: 
  conventional  long  form:  none 
  conventional  short  form:  Turkmenistan 
  local  long  form:  none 
  local  short  form:  Turkmenistan 
  former:  Turkmen  Soviet  Socialist  Republic 
 
  Digraph:  TX 
 
  Type:  republic 
 
  Capital:  Ashgabat 
 
  Administrative  divisions:  5  welayatlar  (singular  -  welayat):  Ahal 
  Welayaty  (Ashgabat),  Balkan  Welayaty  (Nebitdag),  Dashhowuz  Welayaty 
  (formerly  Tashauz),  Lebap  Welayaty  (Charjew),  Mary  Welayaty 
  note:  names  in  parentheses  are  administrative  centers  when  name 
  differs  from  welayat  name 
 
  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  Saparmurad  NIYAZOV  (since  NA  October  1990); 
  election  last  held  21  June  1992  (next  to  be  held  NA  2002);  results  - 
  Saparmurad  NIYAZOV  99.5%  (ran  unopposed);  note  -  a  15  January  1994 
  referendum  extended  NIYAZOV's  term  an  additional  five  years  until  2002 
  (99.99%  approval) 
  head  of  government:  Prime  Minister  (vacant);  Deputy  Prime  Ministers 
  Orazgeldi  AYDOGDIYEV  (since  NA),  Babamurad  BAZAROV  (since  NA),  Khekim 
  ISHANOV  (since  NA),  Valeriy  OTCHERTSOV  (since  NA),  Yagmur  OVEZOV 
  (since  NA),  Matkarim  RAJAPOV  (since  NA),  Abad  RIZAYEVA  (since  NA), 
  Rejep  SAPAROV  (since  NA),  Boris  SHIKHMURADOV  (since  NA),  Batyr 
  SARJAYEV  (since  NA) 
  cabinet:  Council  of  Ministers 
 
  Legislative  branch:  under  1992  constitution  there  are  two 
  parliamentary  bodies,  a  unicameral  People's  Council  (Halk  Maslahaty  - 
  having  more  than  100  members  and  meeting  infrequently)  and  a  50-member 
  unicameral  Assembly  Majlis 
  Assembly  (Majlis):  elections  last  held  11  December  1994  (next  to  be 
  held  NA);  results  -  percent  of  vote  by  party  NA  seats  -  (50  total) 
  Democratic  Party  45,  other  5;  note  -  all  50  preapproved  by  President 
  NIYAZOV 
 
  Judicial  branch:  Supreme  Court 
 
  Political  parties  and  leaders:  Democratic  Party  of  Turkmenistan, 
  Saparmurad  NIYAZOV  Party  for  Democratic  Development,  Durdymurat 
  HOJA-MUKHAMMED,  chairman;  Agzybirlik  Nurberdy  NURMAMEDOV  cochairman 
  Hubayberdi  HALLIYEV  cochairman 
  note:  formal  opposition  parties  are  outlawed;  unofficial,  small 
  opposition  movements  exist  underground  or  in  foreign  countries 
 
  Member  of:  CCC,  CIS,  EBRD,  ECE,  ECO,  ESCAP,  IBRD,  ICAO,  IDB,  ILO,  IMF, 
  IMO,  INTELSAT  (nonsignatory  user),  IOC,  ISO  (correspondent),  ITU, 
  NACC,  OIC,  OSCE,  PFP,  UN  UNCTAD  UNESCO,  UPU,  WHO  WMO,  WTO 
 
  Diplomatic  representation  in  US: 
  chief  of  mission:  Ambassador  Khalil  UGUR 
  chancery:  1511  K  Street  NW  Suite  412,  Washington,  DC  20005 
  telephone:  [1]  (202)  737-4800 
  FAX:  [1]  (202)  737-1152 
 
  US  diplomatic  representation: 
  chief  of  mission:  Ambassador  Joseph  S.  HULINGS  III 
  embassy:  6  Teheran  Street,  Yubilenaya  Hotel,  Ashgabat 
  mailing  address:  use  embassy  street  address 
  telephone:  [7]  (3632)  24-49-25,  24-49-22 
  FAX:  [7]  (3632)  25-53-79 
 
  Flag:  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  assymetrical  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 
 
  Economy 
 
  Overview:  Turkmenistan  is  largely  desert  country  with  nomadic  cattle 
  raising,  intensive  agriculture  in  irrigated  oases,  and  huge  gas  and 
  oil  resources.  Half  its  irrigated  land  is  planted  in  cotton  making  it 
  the  world's  tenth  largest  producer.  It  also  has  the  world's  fifth 
  largest  reserves  of  natural  gas  and  significant  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.  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.  With  the  onset  of 
  economic  hard  times,  even  cautious  moves  toward  economic  restructuring 
  and  privatization  have  slowed  down  For  1995,  Turkmenistan  will  face 
  continuing  constraints  on  its  earnings  because  of  its  customers' 
  inability  to  pay  for  their  gas  and  a  low  average  cotton  crop  in  1994. 
  Turkmenistan  is  working  hard  to  open  new  gas  export  channels  through 
  Iran  and  Turkey,  but  these  may  take  many  years  to  realize. 
 
  National  product:  GDP  -  purchasing  power  parity  -  $13.1  billion  (1994 
  estimate  as  extrapolated  from  World  Bank  estimate  for  1992) 
 
  National  product  real  growth  rate:  -24%  (1994  est.) 
 
  National  product  per  capita:  $3,280  (1994  est.) 
 
  Inflation  rate  (consumer  prices):  25%  per  month  (1994) 
 
  Unemployment  rate:  NA 
 
  Budget: 
  revenues:  $NA 
  expenditures:  $NA,  including  capital  expenditures  of  $NA 
 
  Exports:  $382  million  to  states  outside  the  FSU  (1994) 
  commodities:  natural  gas,  cotton,  petroleum  products,  electricity, 
  textiles,  carpets 
  partners:  Ukraine,  Russia,  Kazakhstan,  Uzbekistan,  Georgia, 
  Azerbaijan,  Armenia,  Eastern  Europe,  Turkey,  Argentina 
 
  Imports:  $304  million  from  states  outside  the  FSU  (1994) 
  commodities:  machinery  and  parts  grain  and  food,  plastics  and  rubber, 
  consumer  durables,  textiles 
  partners:  Russia,  Azerbaijan,  Uzbekistan,  Kazakhstan,  Turkey 
 
  External  debt:  NEGL 
 
  Industrial  production:  growth  rate  -25%  (1994) 
 
  Electricity: 
  capacity:  2,480,000  kW 
  production:  10.5  billion  kWh 
  consumption  per  capita:  2,600  kWh  (1994) 
 
  Industries:  natural  gas,  oil,  petroleum  products,  textiles,  food 
  processing 
 
  Agriculture:  cotton,  grain,  animal  husbandry 
 
  Illicit  drugs:  illicit  cultivator  of  cannabis  and  opium  poppy;  mostly 
  for  CIS  consumption;  limited  government  eradication  program;  used  as 
  transshipment  point  for  illicit  drugs  from  Southwest  Asia  to  Western 
  Europe 
 
  Economic  aid: 
  recipient:  Turkmenistan  has  received  about  $200  million  in  bilateral 
  aid  credits 
 
  Currency:  Turkmenistan  introduced  its  national  currency,  the  manat,  on 
  1  November  1993 
 
  Exchange  rates:  manats  per  US$1  -  multiple  rate  system:  10  (official) 
  and  230  (permitted  in  transactions  between  the  government  and 
  individuals) 
 
  Fiscal  year:  calendar  year 
 
  Turkmenistan:Transportation 
 
  Railroads: 
  total:  2,120  km  in  common  carrier  service;  does  not  include  industrial 
  lines 
  broad  gauge:  2,120  km  1.520-m  gauge  (1990) 
 
  Highways: 
  total:  23,000  km 
  paved  and  graveled:  18,300  km 
  unpaved:  earth  4,700  km  (1990) 
 
  Pipelines:  crude  oil  250  km  natural  gas  4,400  km 
 
  Ports:  Turkmenbashi  (formerly  Krasnowodsk) 
 
  Airports: 
  total:  64 
  with  paved  runways  2,438  to  3,047  m:  13 
  with  paved  runways  1,524  to  2,437  m:  8 
  with  paved  runways  914  to  1,523  m:  1 
  with  unpaved  runways  914  to  1,523  m:  7 
  with  unpaved  runways  under  914  m:  35 
 
  Turkmenistan:Communications 
 
  Telephone  system:  NA  telephones;  only  7.5  telephones/100  persons 
  (1991);  poorly  developed 
  local:  NA 
  intercity:  NA 
  international:  linked  by  cable  and  microwave  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;  1  Orbita  and  1 
  INTELSAT  earth  station 
 
  Radio: 
  broadcast  stations:  AM  NA  FM  NA  shortwave  NA 
  radios:  NA 
 
  Television: 
  broadcast  stations:  NA 
  televisions:  NA 
 
  Turkmenistan:Defense  Forces 
 
  Branches:  National  Guard,  Republic  Security  Forces  (internal  and 
  border  troops),  Joint  Command  Turkmenistan/Russia  (Ground,  Air,  and 
  Air  Defense) 
 
  Manpower  availability:  males  age  15-49  993,321;  males  fit  for  military 
  service  810,392;  males  reach  military  age  (18)  annually  40,430  (1995 
  est.) 
 
  Defense  expenditures:  $NA,  NA%  of  GDP 
 
 
 

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