Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan (/tɜːrkˈmɛnɪstæn/ (listen) or /tɜːrkmɛnɪˈstɑːn/ (listen); Turkmen: Türkmenistan, pronounced [tʏɾkmønʏˈθːɑːn];^[11]), also known as Turkmenia, is a country in South-Central Asia. It has borders with Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan. It has no ocean but it is on the Caspian Sea to the west. The capital of Turkmenistan is Ashghabat.^[12] The majority of the country is Muslim at 93%.

Turkmenistan Türkmenistan  (Turkmen)[1]
Flag Emblem
Motto: Türkmenistan Bitaraplygyň watanydyr ("Turkmenistan is the motherland of Neutrality")[2][3]
Anthem: Garaşsyz Bitarap Türkmenistanyň Döwlet Gimni ("State Anthem of Independent, Neutral Turkmenistan")
Location of  Turkmenistan  (red)
Capital and largest city	Ashgabat 37°58′N 58°20′E
Official languages	Turkmen[4]
Language of inter-ethnic communication	Russian
Other languages	Uzbek • Kazakh • Eastern Armenian • Azerbaijani • Baluji • Kurmanji • Ukrainian • Persian and others
Ethnic groups (2012)	78.6% Turkmens 9.3% Uzbeks 3.2% Russians 2.7% Kazakhs 1.1% Tatars 1.0% Armenians 0.7% Azerbaijanis 0.4% Balujs 0.3% Kurds 0.2% Ukrainians 0.2% Persians 0.1% Lezgins 0.1% Bashkirs 2.1% Others
Religion	93.7% Muslims 6.1% Christians 0.2% Unknown
Demonym(s)	Turkmenistani Turkmen[5] Turkmenian
Government	Unitary presidential republic under an totalitarian hereditary dictatorship
• President	Serdar Berdimuhamedow
• Vice President	Raşit Meredow
• Chairman of the Assembly	Gülşat Mämmedowa
Legislature	Assembly (Mejlis)[6]
Independence from Russia
• Conquest	1879
• Soviet rule	13 May 1925
• Declared state sovereignty	22 August 1990
• From the Soviet Union	27 October 1991
• Recognized	26 December 1991
• Current constitution	18 May 1992
Area
• Total	491,210 km2 (189,660 sq mi)[7] (52nd)
• Water (%)	4.9
Population
• 2020 estimate	6,031,187 [8] (113th)
• Density	10.5/km2 (27.2/sq mi) (221st)
GDP (PPP)	2018 estimate
• Total	$112.659 billion[9]
• Per capita	$19,526[9]
GDP (nominal)	2018 estimate
• Total	$42.764 billion[9]
• Per capita	$7,411[9]
Gini (1998)	40.8 medium
HDI (2019)	0.715[10] high · 111th
Currency	Turkmen new manat (TMT)
Time zone	UTC+05 (TMT)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+993
ISO 3166 code	TM
Internet TLD	.tm

Turkmenistan is a non-aligned and fully neutral country.

History

Turkmenistan was part of the Soviet Union since its creation, in 1922. At first, Turkmenistan was an autonomous republic within Russian SFSR. In 1925 it was promoted to a Soviet republic. Turkmenistan is an independent country since 1991, after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Saparmurat Niyazov became Turkmenistan’s first president in 1991.

Provinces

Turkmenistan is divided into five provinces and one capital city district. The provinces are divided into districts which may be either counties or cities.

Division	ISO 3166-2	Capital city	Area[13]	Pop (2005)[13]	Key
Turkmenistan		Ashgabat	470 km2 (180 sq mi)	871,500
Ahal Province	TM-A	Anau	97,160 km2 (37,510 sq mi)	939,700	1
Balkan Province	TM-B	Balkanabat	139,270 km2 (53,770 sq mi)	553,500	2
Daşoguz Province	TM-D	Daşoguz	73,430 km2 (28,350 sq mi)	1,370,400	3
Lebap Province	TM-L	Türkmenabat	93,730 km2 (36,190 sq mi)	1,334,500	4
Mary Province	TM-M	Mary	87,150 km2 (33,650 sq mi)	1,480,400	5

Climate

Turkmenistan is one of the driest desert areas in the world. Some places have an average annual precipitation of only 12 mm (0.47 in). The highest temperature recorded in Ashgabat is 48.0 °C (118.4 °F). Kerki, an extreme inland city located on the banks of the Amu Darya river, recorded 51.7 °C (125.1 °F) in July 1983, but this value is unofficial. 50.1C is the highest temperature recorded at Repetek Reserve, recognized as the highest temperature ever recorded in the whole former Soviet Union.

Geography

Turkmenistan is the world's 52nd-largest country. It is slightly smaller than Spain and somewhat larger than the US state of California. Over 80% of the country is covered by the Karakum Desert.

The Turkmen shore along the Caspian Sea is 1,768 kilometres (1,099 mi) long. The Caspian Sea is entirely landlocked, with no access to the ocean.

The major cities include Aşgabat, Türkmenbaşy (formerly Krasnovodsk) and Daşoguz.

Turkmenistan has a humid climate. Annual rainfall is low, particularly in summer. Winters are dry and mild. The wettest region in Turkmenistan is Köýtendağ Range. Köýtendağ is in southeastern Turkmenistan on the borders with Uzbekistan.