General
Information
|
Total Land Area: |
469,930 km2 |
|
Land boundaries: |
3,736 km |
|
Coastline: |
0 km
(Landlocked) |
|
Capital: |
Ashgabat |
|
Other Large
Cities: |
Chardzhou,
Dashhouruz, Mary |
|
Official
Language: |
Turkmen |
|
National
Currency Unit: |
Turkmen Manat (TMM) |
|
National Day: |
October 27 |
Location and
Geography
Turkmenistan is
located in Central
Asia, to the North
of the Kopet Dag
mountain range
between the Caspian
Sea and Amu Derya
River. The country
is bordered by
Kazakhstan and
Uzbekistan in the
North and
North-east, and Iran
and Afghanistan in
the South and
South-east. The most
significant
geographic feature
is the Kara Kum
Desert which is the
largest desert in
the world and covers
80 percent of the
country’s total land
area. Most of the
mountains in
Turkmenistan are
inaccessible. The
relic of the ancient
“silk road” runs
from central China
through Turkmenistan
until it reaches to
the Mediterranean
coast. Turkmenistan
is located in one of
the world’s highest
seismic regions. The
climate is
subtropical desert
and quite hot in
summer.
Demography
|
Population:
|
4.84 million
(2001) |
|
Crude Birth
Rate:
|
22 per thousand
people (2002) |
|
Crude Death
Rate:
|
8 per thousand
people (2002) |
|
Infant Mortality
Rate:
|
70 per thousand
(2002) |
|
Life Expectancy:
|
Male: 61 years,
Female: 68 years
(2002) |
|
Urban
Population:
|
45.0 percent
(2002) |
|
Adult Literacy:
|
98.00 percent
(2001) |
Economy
Turkmenistan’s
economy is based
upon its rich
natural resources,
particularly oil and
natural gas. Its
underground
resources in the
Western plain and
those underwater
along the Caspian
Sea include
extensive reserves
of oil and natural
gas, as well as
deposits of
mirabilite, iodine,
bromine, sulphur,
potassium and salt.
It has the world’s
fourth largest
proven gas reserves
as well as an
enormous amount of
unexplored oil.
Mining of precious
metals and other
minerals also holds
potential. Other
significant economic
activities of
Turkmenistan include
textiles, fisheries
in the Caspian Sea,
and the production
of Karakul lamb
pelts. The
cultivation of
fine-staple cotton
and the raising of
Karakul sheep,
horses and camels
contribute to the
economy.
Turkmenistan is
among the world’s
top ten cotton
producers. Other
products of the
country include
grains, vegetables,
fruits and
livestock.
|
GDP at Current
Market Prices:
|
29.0 million US$
(2002) |
|
Per Capita GDP:
|
51.0 US$ (2002) |
|
Share of Sectors
in GDP:
|
20.0%
Agriculture, %
Industry, %
Services, (2002) |
|
Total Exports:
|
2710 million US$
(2002) |
|
Total Imports:
|
1819 million US$
(2002) |
|
Major Exports
Items: |
Natural gas,
cotton,
petroleum
products,
textiles,
electricity and
carpets |
|
Major Imports
Items: |
Machinery and
parts, grains
and food,
plastics,
rubber, textiles |
|
Major Trading
Partners: |
Ukraine, Iran,
Turkey, Russia
and Germany
|
|
