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Turkmenistan Fact Sheet
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Capital:
Ashgabat (population of 544,700).
Population:
5, 000, 000
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 is 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:
98% over age 15
Education:
Compulsory until age 14
Raw
materials:
oil, natural gas, coal, precious non-ferrous and rare metals,
Celestine, sulfur, betonies 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
Language:
About 72% of the people in Turkmenistan speak Turkmen. About 50%
of the population speaks good Russian.
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