Turkmenistan is an Independent

 and Neutral State:
 

Turkmenistan was proclaimed the independent state in October 1991.

    On December 12, 1995, The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Resolution of “Constant neutrality of Turkmenistan” which was supported by 185 states – members of United Nations. Its adoption was the testimony of approving peaceful foreign-policy course of Turkmenistan and its constructive role in international affairs by community of nations.

 

President:

H.E. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov

 

Minister for Foreign Affairs:

 H.E. Rashid Meredov

 

 

 

 Location:    The energy-rich country Turkmenistan is situated in the western part of Central Asia. In the North and North-East it borders with republics of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, in the South and South-East it borders with Islamic republics of Iran and Afghanistan, and on the west side it is surrounded by Caspian Sea.

 

 Capital:    Ashgabat

Ashgabat is founded in 1881. It is situated at the foothills of the Kopetdag and is the largest city in country.

 

 Population:    6, 5 million people, January 01 2007.

Turkmenistan is a multinational state. Representatives of more than 100 nationalities live in the country. The major part of the population is represented by Turkmens. Other sizeable minorities are Uzbeks and Russians. Smaller minorities include Kazakhs, Azeris, Armenians, Ukrainians, Balochis, Koreans, and Tatars.

 

 State language:    Official language is Turkmen. Russian and English are also widely spoken. Compulsory study of three languages – Turkmen, English and Russian is legislated in the country.

 

 Religion:    Turkmenistan is predominately Muslim country. There are functioning mosques on the territory of Turkmenistan: the largest of them are in Ashgabat, Geokdepe and Kipchak. An estimated 87 percent of the population practices Sunni Islam and 11 percent, Russian Orthodoxy. Along with Muslim mosques there are functioning temples of other religions.

 

 Area:

The territory of Turkmenistan is 488,100 square kilometres. The territory spreads on 1100 kilometres from the West to the East and on 600 kilometres from North to the South. Northern and central part of the territory of Turkmenistan is occupied by sand deserts of Turan lowland – central, Zaunguz and South-Eastern Karakums. The South and south-east are occupied by the mountains. The highest peak of Turkmenistan is in the Koitendag (3139 m). The lowest place in Turkmenistan is Akchakaya depression (-81 m).

Turkmenistan is the fourth largest republic in the former Soviet Union and the second largest in Central Asia.

Historically, ancient trade routes met on the territory of Turkmenistan and one of these routes being the “Great Silk Road”.

 Territories:    Administrative-territorial system of Turkmenistan is represented by five velayats, or provinces: Akhal, Balkan, Dashkhovuz, Lebap and Mary, each of which in its turn falls into etraps (regions).

 

    Akhal velayat is situated in the South of the central part of the country and borders with Islamic republics of Iran and Afghanistan. Its territory is 97, 2 thousand square kilometres and the population is about 15% of the population of the country. Anew city is the centre of the velayat.

 

    Balkan velayat is situated in the West of the country. It has the largest area 139, 3 thousand square kilometres or 28% from territory of Turkmenistan and the least population density. Less than 8% from whole population of the country live there. The centre of the velayat is Balkanabat.

 

Dashoguz velayat is situated in the North of Turkmenistan, in left-bank part of the lower reaches of Amudarya River. In the North-West, North and North-East it borders with the Republic of Uzbekistan. It occupies 15% of the territory of Turkmenistan or 73, 4 thousand square kilometres. 21, 7 of the country’s population live in this velayat. The centre of the velayat is Dashoguz.

 

Lebap velayat is situated in eastern part of Turkmenistan and in the North-East, East and South borders with neighbouring countries of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. The velayat occupies more than 19% of total area of the country and 21% of total population of Turkmenistan. The centre of the velayat is Turkmenabat.

 

Mary velayat is located I the South-East of Turkmenistan. In the South and South-East, it borders with Afghanistan. The territory of the velayat is 87, 15 thousand square kilometres. The centre of the velayat is Mary.

 

 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)

 National Government:    Cabinet of Ministers, chaired by the President of Turkmenistan

 

 Electoral Suffrage: 18 years of age       

 Literacy: 100%            

 Education: Compulsory until age 14

 

 Raw materials:    Natural gas, oil, coal, precious non-ferrous and rare metals, celestine, gypsum, iodine, 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

 

ABOUT TURKMENISTAN

Turkmenistan fact sheet