Country Details
| Land Area |
488,100 sq km |
Population |
4708000 |
| Capital City |
Ashgabat |
People |
Turkmen 77%, Uzbek 9.2%, Russian 6.7%, Kazakh 2%, other 5.1% (1995) |
| Language |
Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7% |
Religion |
Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2% |
| Government Type |
republic |
Life Expectancy |
61 years |
| HIV/AIDS Rate |
0.01% (1999 est.) |
GNP per Capita |
$4,300 |
| Currency |
Turkmen manat (TMM) |
Major Exports |
gas 33%, oil 30%, cotton fiber 18%, textiles 8% (1 |
| National Holiday |
Independence Day, 27 October (1991) |
Dialing Code |
993 |
| Electricity |
|
Malaria Risk |
Moderate |
| Water Quality |
Unsafe |
Inoculations |
Malaria, Typhoid |
| Crime |
|
Driving License |
|
| Photography |
|
Entry Regs |
Passport & Visa |
| Time Zone |
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Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1924. It achieved its independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President NIYAZOV retains absolute control over the country and opposition is not tolerated. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects were to be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government is actively seeking to develop alternative petroleum transportation routes in order to break Russia's pipeline monopoly.
