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Turkmenistan Fact Sheet
President: President Gurbanguly
Berdimuhamedov
Minister for Foreign Affairs: Rashid
O. Meredov
Capital: Ashgabat (population of 544,700).
Population: 6, 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, 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
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