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Compare Bangladesh (2004) - Turkmenistan (2008)

Compare Bangladesh (2004) z Turkmenistan (2008)

 Bangladesh (2004)Turkmenistan (2008)
 BangladeshTurkmenistan
Administrative divisions 6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, and Sylhet 5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat) and 1 independent city*: Ahal Welayaty (Anew), Ashgabat*, Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dashoguz Welayaty, Lebap Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty


note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Age structure 0-14 years: 33.5% (male 24,359,149; female 23,013,811)


15-64 years: 63.1% (male 45,557,963; female 43,626,950)


65 years and over: 3.4% (male 2,575,519; female 2,207,084) (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 34.7% (male 900,718/female 866,930)


15-64 years: 60.9% (male 1,537,638/female 1,567,049)


65 years and over: 4.4% (male 97,454/female 127,239) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry cotton, grain; livestock
Airports 16 (2003 est.) 28 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 15


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)
total: 22


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 11


1,524 to 2,437 m: 8


914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 6


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Area total: 144,000 sq km


land: 133,910 sq km


water: 10,090 sq km
total: 488,100 sq km


land: 488,100 sq km


water: NEGL
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Iowa slightly larger than California
Background Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development. Eastern Turkmenistan for centuries formed part of the Persian province of Khurasan; in medieval times Merv (today known as Mary) was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1924. It achieved independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects were to be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government is actively seeking to develop alternative petroleum transportation routes to break Russia's pipeline monopoly. President for Life Saparmurat NYYAZOW died in December 2006, and Turkmenistan held its first multi-candidate presidential electoral process in February 2007. Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW, a former NYYAZOW aide, emerged as the country's new president.
Birth rate 30.03 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 25.36 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $5.352 billion


expenditures: $7.55 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003)
revenues: $1.641 billion


expenditures: $1.6 billion (2007 est.)
Capital Dhaka name: Ashgabat (Ashkhabad)


geographic coordinates: 37 57 N, 58 23 E


time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October) subtropical desert
Coastline 580 km 0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)
Constitution 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times adopted 18 May 1992
Country name conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh


conventional short form: Bangladesh


former: East Pakistan
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Turkmenistan


local long form: none


local short form: Turkmenistan


former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic
Currency taka (BDT) -
Death rate 8.52 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 6.17 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $18.06 billion (2003) $2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Harry K. THOMAS, Jr.


embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212


mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000


telephone: [880] (2) 885-5500


FAX: [880] (2) 882-3744
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Richard E. HOAGLAND


embassy: No. 9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 744000


mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, DC 20521-7070


telephone: [993] (12) 35-00-45


FAX: [993] (12) 39-26-14
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Syed Hasan AHMAD


chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183


FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Meret Bairamovich ORAZOW


chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500


FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697
Disputes - international discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in both countries, allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border trade, migration, and violence; Bangladesh protests India's attempts to fence off high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; dispute with India over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; Burmese Muslim refugees strain Bangladesh's meager resources cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2005, but Caspian seabed delimitation remains stalled with Azerbaijan, Iran, and Kazakhstan due to Turkmenistan's indecision over how to allocate the sea's waters and seabed
Economic aid - recipient $1.575 billion (2000 est.) $28.25 million from the US (2005)
Economy - overview Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a poor, overpopulated, and ill-governed nation. Although half of GDP is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single-most-important product. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Economic reform is stalled in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all levels of government. Progress also has been blocked by opposition from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups. The BNP government, led by Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms, but the party's political will to do so has been lacking in key areas. One encouraging note: growth has been a steady 5% for the past several years. Turkmenistan is a largely desert country with intensive agriculture in irrigated oases and large gas and oil resources. One-half of its irrigated land is planted in cotton; formerly it was the world's 10th-largest producer. Poor harvests in recent years have led to an almost 50% decline in cotton exports. With an authoritarian ex-Communist regime in power and a tribally based social structure, Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to economic reform, hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its inefficient economy. Privatization goals remain limited. From 1998-2005, Turkmenistan suffered from the continued lack of adequate export routes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive short-term external debt. At the same time, however, total exports rose by an average of roughtly 15% per year from 2003-07, largely because of higher international oil and gas prices. Overall prospects in the near future are discouraging because of widespread internal poverty, a poor educational system, government misuse of oil and gas revenues, and Ashgabat's unwillingness to adopt market-oriented reforms. Turkmenistan's economic statistics are state secrets, and GDP and other figures are subject to wide margins of error. In particular, the rate of GDP growth is uncertain. President BERDIMUHAMEDOW's election platform included plans to build a gas line to China, to complete the Amu Darya railroad bridge in Lebap province, and to create special border trade zones in southern Balkan province - a hint that the new post-NYYAZOW government will work to create a friendlier foreign investment environment.
Electricity - consumption 14.25 billion kWh (2001) 7.602 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 2.918 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 15.33 billion kWh (2001) 12.05 billion kWh (2005 est.)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m
lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note - Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of Vpadina Akchanaya (the lake has dropped as low as -110 m)


highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m
Environment - current issues many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals, pesticides; salination, water logging of soil due to poor irrigation methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large share of the flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to that river's inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998) Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003)
Exchange rates taka per US dollar - 58.15 (2003), 57.888 (2002), 55.8067 (2001), 52.1417 (2000), 49.0854 (1999) Turkmen manat per US$ - 11,250 (2007), 11,100 (2006) official rate


note: in recent years the unofficial rate has hovered around 24,000 to 25,000 Turkmen manats to the dollar
Executive branch chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6 September 2002); note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker Government Amendment"), the president's role becomes significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - at presidential direction - to supervise the elections


head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October 2001)


cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the president


elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year term; election scheduled for 16 September 2002 was not held since Iajuddin AHMED was the only presidential candidate; he was sworn in on 6 September 2002 (next election to be held by NA 2007); following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president


election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared by the Election Commission elected unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote - NA
chief of state: President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 14 February 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 14 February 2007)


cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held on 11 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012)


election results: Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW elected president; percent of vote - Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW 89.2%
Exports NA (2001) 117,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood (2001) gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, cotton fiber, textiles
Exports - partners US 23.9%, Germany 13.6%, UK 9.7%, France 5.9% (2003) Ukraine 47.7%, Iran 16.4%, Azerbaijan 5.3% (2006)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June calendar year
Flag description green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, and secondarily, the traditional color of Islam green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side, containing five tribal guls (designs used in producing carpets) stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to the olive branches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon representing Islam with five white stars representing the regions or velayats of Turkmenistan appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe
GDP purchasing power parity - $258.8 billion (2003 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 21.7%


industry: 26.6%


services: 51.7% (2003 est.)
agriculture: 16.7%


industry: 39.2%


services: 44.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2003 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 5.3% (2003 est.) IMF estimate: 7%


note: official government statistics are widely regarded as unreliable (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 00 N, 90 00 E 40 00 N, 60 00 E
Geography - note most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal landlocked; the western and central low-lying desolate portions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert, which occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau
Heliports - 1 (2007)
Highways total: 207,486 km


paved: 19,773 km


unpaved: 187,713 km (1999)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.9%


highest 10%: 28.6% (1995-96 est.)
lowest 10%: 2.6%


highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)
Illicit drugs transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and Western European markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan
Imports NA (2001) 2,536 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement (2000) machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners India 15.4%, China 11.3%, Singapore 10.8%, Japan 5.9%, Hong Kong 4.5% (2003) UAE 15.5%, Turkey 11.1%, Ukraine 9.1%, Russia 9%, Germany 7.8%, Iran 7.6%, China 6.4%, US 4.5% (2006)
Independence 16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate 1.9% (2003 est.) 7% (2007 est.)
Industries cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing
Infant mortality rate total: 64.32 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 65.41 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 63.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
total: 53.49 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 57.84 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 48.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 5.6% (2003 est.) 11.3% (2007 est.)
International organization participation AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO ABEDA, ADB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Irrigated land 38,440 sq km (1998 est.) 18,000 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by the president) Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Labor force 64.02 million


note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion in 1998-99 (2003)
2.32 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 63%, industry 11%, services 26% (FY95/96) agriculture: 48.2%


industry: 13.8%


services: 37% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries total: 4,246 km


border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
total: 3,736 km


border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379 km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km
Land use arable land: 62.11%


permanent crops: 3.07%


other: 34.82% (2001)
arable land: 4.51%


permanent crops: 0.14%


other: 95.35% (2005)
Languages Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%
Legal system based on English common law based on civil law system and Islamic law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies (the constitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and above the 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members serve five-year terms


elections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held before October 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance partners 47%, AL 40%; seats by party - BNP 195, AL 58, JI 17, JP (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 3, JP (Naziur) 4, other 9; note - the election of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government aligned with three other smaller parties - Jamaat-i-Islami, Islami Oikya Jote, and Jatiya Party (Manzur)
two parliamentary bodies, a People's Council or Halk Maslahaty (supreme legislative body of up to 2,500 delegates, some elected by popular vote and some appointed; meets at least yearly) and a National Assembly or Mejlis (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: People's Council - last held in April 2003 (next to be held in December 2008); Mejlis - last held 19 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2008)


election results: Mejlis - DPT 100%; seats by party - DPT 50; note - all 50 elected officials are members of the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan and are preapproved by the president


note: in late 2003, a law was adopted reducing the powers of the Mejlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislative organ; the Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Mejlis, and the president is now able to participate in the Mejlis as its supreme leader; the Mejlis can no longer adopt or amend the constitution or announce referendums or its elections; since the president is both the "Chairman for Life" of the Halk Maslahaty and the supreme leader of the Mejlis, the 2003 law has the effect of making him the sole authority of both the executive and legislative branches of government
Life expectancy at birth total population: 61.71 years


male: 61.8 years


female: 61.61 years (2004 est.)
total population: 68.3 years


male: 65.23 years


female: 71.54 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 43.1%


male: 53.9%


female: 31.8% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98.8%


male: 99.3%


female: 98.3% (1999 est.)
Location Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan
Map references Asia Asia
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 18 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 319,897 GRT/440,575 DWT


by type: bulk 2, cargo 24, container 10, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1


foreign-owned: China 1, Singapore 9


registered in other countries: 10 (2004 est.)
total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 22,870 GRT/25,801 DWT


by type: cargo 4, combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2007)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (2007)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $606.8 million (2003) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.2% (2003) 3.4% (2005 est.)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 39,523,128 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 23,441,482 (2004 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh Independence Day, 27 October (1991)
Nationality noun: Bangladeshi(s)


adjective: Bangladeshi
noun: Turkmen(s)


adjective: Turkmenistani
Natural hazards droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season NA
Natural resources natural gas, arable land, timber, coal petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt
Net migration rate -0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) -3.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines gas 2,012 km (2004) gas 6,441 km; oil 1,361 km (2007)
Political parties and leaders Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIA, chairperson]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-e-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party (Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR] Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT


note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries; the two most prominent opposition groups-in-exile have been National Democratic Movement of Turkmenistan (NDMT) and the United Democratic Party of Turkmenistan (UDPT); NDMT was led by former Foreign Minister Boris SHIKHMURADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in the wake of the 25 November 2002 assassination attempt on President NYYAZOW
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 141,340,476 (July 2004 est.) 5,097,028 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 35.6% (FY95/96 est.) 27% (2002)
Population growth rate 2.08% (2004 est.) 1.617% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port, Narayanganj -
Radio broadcast stations AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999) AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)
Railways total: 2,706 km


broad gauge: 884 km 1.676-m gauge


narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
total: 2,440 km


broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2006)
Religions Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998) Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.039 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.981 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.766 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern country


domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities


international: country code - 880; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)
general assessment: poorly developed


domestic: Turkmenistan's telecommunications network remains woefully underdeveloped; Turkmentelekom, in cooperation with foreign investors, is planning to upgrade the country's telephone exchanges and install a new digital switching system



international: country code - 993; linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; a new telephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat (2006)
Telephones - main lines in use 740,000 (2003) 495,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.365 million (2003) 105,000 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 15 (1999) 4 (government-owned and programmed) (2004)
Terrain mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west
Total fertility rate 3.15 children born/woman (2004 est.) 3.13 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 40% (includes underemployment) (2002 est.) 60% (2004 est.)
Waterways 8,372 km


note: includes 2,575 km main cargo routes (2004)
1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland waterways) (2006)
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