TURKMENISTAN FACT SHEET

Turkmenistan was proclaimed the independent state in October 1991. It borders on Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Iran. In the Caspian sea area with Russia and Azerbaijan.

President: H.E. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov
Minister for Foreign Affairs: H.E. Rashid O. Meredov
Capital: Ashgabat
Population: 6,5 million people, January 01 2007.
Ethnic Composition: Turkmen 85%, Russians 7%, Uzbeks 5%, other 3%
Area: 488,100 sq km
Turkmenistan is the fourth largest republic in the former Soviet Union and the second largest in Central Asia.

Location:
Central Asia. Turkmenistan is bordered by the Caspian Sea to the west, Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the east, and Iran and Afghanistan to the south.

Territories:
Five administrative territorial provinces, or velayaty: Akhal, Balkan, Dashkhovuz, Lebap, and Mary

Terrain:
Flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south. The Kara Kum desert comprises 80 percent of Turkmenistan's total area and is bound by a series of oases watered by the Amu Darya River in the north and by the Murgab, Tejen, and Artek rivers descending from mountains in the south. The Kara Kum Canal supplies water from the Amu Darya, west towards the Mary Oasis and onwards to Ashgabat.

Mountains:
Kopetdag (highest point 2919 meters or 10,508 feet) located along the Iranian border in the south; Bolshoi (1880 meters or 6768 feet) and Maley Balkan (777 meters or 2797 feet) are located to the north-west of Kopetdag; Koitendag Peak (3137 meters or 11,293 feet) is located in the east on the border with Uzbekistan; Garabil and Badkhyz peaks are located in the south-east (slightly under 1000 meters or 3.600 feet in height)

Climate: Subtropical desert             Official Language: Turkmen. Russian and English are also widely spoken.

Religion: Sunni Muslim                    Legal System: Based on civil law system

National Legislature:
The Khalk Maslakhaty (People's Council) is the ultimate representative body, which meets once a year. The Mejlis (National Assembly) is the main legislature.

National government: Cabinet of Ministers, chaired by the President.

Electoral Suffrage: 18 years of age        Literacy: 100%             Education: Compulsory until age 14

Raw materials:
Oil, natural gas, coal, precious non-ferrous and rare metals, celestine, sulfur, bentonite and kaolin clays, iodine, bromine, potassium and common salts, marble onyx, various construction materials, fresh subsoil, mineral waters

Main exports: natural gas, oil, cotton, sulfur, hand-made carpets

Major Crops: cotton, wheat, melons         Currency: 1 manat = 100 tenesi

Internet Domain: .tm                                 International dialing code: +99312