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Compare Estonia (2002) - Turkmenistan (2006)

Compare Estonia (2002) z Turkmenistan (2006)

 Estonia (2002)Turkmenistan (2006)
 EstoniaTurkmenistan
Administrative divisions 15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond): Harjumaa (Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnumaa (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuressaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru)


note: counties have the administrative center name following in parentheses
5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat): Ahal Welayaty (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: 16.4% (male 118,603; female 114,102)


15-64 years: 68.5% (male 466,882; female 502,343)


65 years and over: 15.1% (male 70,085; female 143,666) (2002 est.)
0-14 years: 35.2% (male 913,988/female 863,503)


15-64 years: 60.7% (male 1,501,486/female 1,557,155)


65 years and over: 4.1% (male 79,227/female 127,561) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish cotton, grain; livestock
Airports 32 (2001) 29 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total: 8


2,438 to 3,047 m: 7


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
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 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 24


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 5


under 914 m: 6 (2002)
total: 7


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 4 (2006)
Area total: 45,226 sq km


land: 43,211 sq km


water: 2,015 sq km


note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
total: 488,100 sq km


land: 488,100 sq km


water: NEGL
Area - comparative slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined slightly larger than California
Background After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with Western Europe. Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1924. It achieved its independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President Saparmurat NIYAZOV retains absolute control over the country and opposition is not tolerated. 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 in order to break Russia's pipeline monopoly.
Birth rate 8.96 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 27.61 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.89 billion


expenditures: $1.89 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)
revenues: $1.401 billion


expenditures: $1.542 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Capital Tallinn 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 maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers subtropical desert
Coastline 3,794 km 0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)
Constitution adopted 28 June 1992 adopted 18 May 1992
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Estonia


conventional short form: Estonia


local long form: Eesti Vabariik


local short form: Eesti


former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Turkmenistan


local long form: none


local short form: Turkmenistan


former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic
Currency Estonian kroon (EEK) -
Death rate 13.44 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 8.6 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $3.3 billion (2001 est.) $2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph M. DeTHOMAS


embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [372] 668-8100


FAX: [372] 668-8134
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jennifer L. BRUSH


embassy: No. 9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 774000


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


telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45


FAX: [9] (9312) 39-26-14
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Sven JURGENSON


chancery: 1730 M Street NW, Suite 503, Washington, DC 20036


telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101


FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108


consulate(s) general: New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Meret Bairamovich ORAZOV


chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500


FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697
Disputes - international Russia continues to reject signing and ratifying the joint December 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; bilateral talks continue with Azerbaijan on dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian; demarcation of land boundary with Kazakhstan has started but Caspian seabed delimitation remains stalled
Economic aid - recipient $108 million (2000) $16 million from the US (2001)
Economy - overview Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization, is steadily moving toward a modern market economy with increasing ties to the West, including the pegging of its currency to the euro. A major goal is accession to the EU, possibly by 2004. The state of the economy is greatly influenced by developments in Finland, Sweden, and Germany, three major trading partners. The trade deficit is a negative factor, whereas the internal government surplus is a plus. 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 tenth-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. In 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 20% to 30% per year in 2003-2005, largely because of higher international oil and gas prices. In 2005, Ashgabat sought to raise natural gas export prices to its main customers, Russia and Ukraine, from $44 per thousand cubic meters (tcm) to $66 per tcm. Overall prospects in the near future are discouraging because of widespread internal poverty, the burden of foreign debt, the government's irrational use of oil and gas revenues, and its 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.
Electricity - consumption 5.362 billion kWh (2000) 8.847 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 1.2 billion kWh (2000) 1.136 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 7.056 billion kWh (2000) 11.41 billion kWh (2004 est.)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m


highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 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)


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 air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted to the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 4.6 times smaller than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to water bodies fell 20 times in 2000 compared to 1980; in connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations 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: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
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 Estonian 65.3%, Russian 28.1%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Belarusian 1.5%, Finn 1%, other 1.6% (1998) Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003)
Exchange rates krooni per US dollar - 17.518 (January 2002), 17.538 (2001), 16.969 (2000), 14.678 (1999), 14.075 (1998), 13.882 (1997); note - the kroon is tied to the euro at a fixed rate of 15.65 krooni per euro in recent years the unofficial rate has hovered around 24,000 to 25,000 Turkmen manats to the dollar; the official rate has consistently been 5,200 manat to the dollar
Executive branch chief of state: President Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October 2001)


head of government: Prime Minister Siim KALLAS (since 28 January 2002)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament


elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if he or she does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three rounds of balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up of Parliament plus members of local governments) elects the president, choosing between the two candidates with the largest percentage of votes; election last held 21 September 2001 (next to be held in the fall of 2006); prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament


election results: Arnold RUUTEL elected president on 21 September 2001 by a 367-member electoral assembly that convened following Parliament's failure in August to elect then-President MERI's successor; on the second ballot of voting, RUUTEL received 188 votes to Parliament Speaker Toomas SAVI's 155; the remaining 24 ballots were either left blank or invalid
chief of state: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first direct presidential election occurred); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first direct presidential election occurred)


cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president


note: NIYAZOV's term in office was extended indefinitely on 28 December 1999 during a session of the People's Council (Halk Maslahaty); in November 2005, the People's Council voted down NIYAZOV's suggestion to hold presidential elections in 2009


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 21 June 1992; note - President NIYAZOV was unanimously approved as president for life by the People's Council on 28 December 1999; deputy chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers are appointed by the president


election results: Saparmurat NIYAZOV elected president without opposition; percent of vote - Saparmurat NIYAZOV 99.5%
Exports $3.4 billion f.o.b. (2002) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, food products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001) gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, cotton fiber, textiles
Exports - partners Finland 33.8%, Sweden 14%, Latvia 6.9%, Germany 6.9%, UK 4.2 (2001) Ukraine 43.5%, Iran 15%, Hungary 5.4% (2005)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white 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 - $15.2 billion (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 6%


industry: 29%


services: 66% (2001)
agriculture: 20.9%


industry: 38%


services: 41.1% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $10,900 (2002 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 4.4% (2002 est.) IMF estimate: 6%


note: official government statistics show 21.4% growth, but these estimates are widely regarded as unreliable (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 59 00 N, 26 00 E 40 00 N, 60 00 E
Geography - note the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands 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 (2006)
Highways total: 30,300 km


paved: 29,200 km (including 75 km of expressways); note - these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather


unpaved: 1,100 km (2000)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 30% (1998)
lowest 10%: 2.6%


highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest Asia and the Caucasus via Russia, cocaine from Latin America to Western Europe and Scandinavia, and synthetic drugs from Western Europe to Scandinavia; increasing domestic drug abuse problem; possible precursor manufacturing and/or trafficking transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and Western European markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan
Imports $4.4 billion f.o.b. (2002) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles 10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001) machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners Finland 18%, Germany 11%, Sweden 9%, China 9%, Russia 8% (2001) UAE 12.4%, Azerbaijan 10.9%, US 9.4%, Russia 8.9%, Ukraine 7.4%, Turkey 7.2%, Iran 6.1%, Germany 5.3%, Kazakhstan 4.2% (2005)
Independence regained on 20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate 5% (2000 est.) 22% (2003 est.)
Industries engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile; services; transit, information technology, telecommunications natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing
Infant mortality rate 12.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 72.56 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 76.9 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 68 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.7% (2002) 10.5% (2005 est.)
International organization participation BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 38 (2001) -
Irrigated land 40 sq km (1998 est.) 18,000 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life) Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Labor force 608,600 (2001 est.) 2.32 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation industry 20%, agriculture 11%, services 69% (1999 est.) agriculture: 48.2%


industry: 13.8%


services: 37% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries total: 633 km


border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km
total: 3,736 km


border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379 km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km
Land use arable land: 26.5%


permanent crops: 0.35%


other: 73.15% (1998 est.)
arable land: 4.51%


permanent crops: 0.14%


other: 95.35% (2005)
Languages Estonian (official), Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, other Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%
Legal system based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts based on civil law system
Legislative branch unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 2 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - Center Party 25.4%, Res Publica 24.6%, Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian People's Union 13%, Pro Patria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3% People's Party Moodukad 7%; seats by party - Center Party 28, Res Publica 28, Reform Party 19, Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria Union 7, People's Party Moodukad 6
under the 1992 constitution, there are two parliamentary bodies, a unicameral People's Council or Halk Maslahaty (supreme legislative body of up to 2,500 delegates, some of whom are elected by popular vote and some of whom are appointed; meets at least yearly) and a unicameral Parliament or Mejlis (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); membership is scheduled to be increased to 65 seats


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


note: in late 2003, a new 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: 70.02 years


male: 64.03 years


female: 76.31 years (2002 est.)
total population: 61.83 years


male: 58.43 years


female: 65.41 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 100%


male: 100%


female: 100% (1998 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98.8%


male: 99.3%


female: 98.3% (1999 est.)
Location Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan
Map references Europe Asia
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states


territorial sea: 12 NM
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 37 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 245,958 GRT/193,042 DWT


ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 13, container 5, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 6


note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Liberia 1 (2002 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 (2006)
Military branches Estonia Defense Forces (including Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force), Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit), Maritime Border Guard, Coast Guard


note: Border Guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs become part of the Estonian Defense Forces in wartime; the Coast Guard is subordinate to the Ministry of Defense in peacetime and the Estonian Navy in wartime
Ground Forces, Artillery and Rocket Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (2006)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $155 million (2002 est.) $90 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2% (2002 est.) 3.4% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 359,902 (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 282,716 (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 11,164 (2002 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 20 August 1991 was the date of reindependence from the Soviet Union Independence Day, 27 October (1991)
Nationality noun: Estonian(s)


adjective: Estonian
noun: Turkmen(s)


adjective: Turkmen
Natural hazards sometimes flooding occurs in the spring NA
Natural resources oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt
Net migration rate -0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -0.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Pipelines natural gas 2,000 km (2002) gas 6,441 km; oil 1,361 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman]; Estonian People's Union (Rahsaliit) [Villu REILJAN]; Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Siim KALLAS]; Estonian United Russian People's Party or EUVRP; Moderates (Moodukad) [Ivari PADAR]; Pro Patria Union (Isamaaliit League) [Tunne KELAM, chairman]; Res Publica [Juhan Parts]; Russian Baltic Party [Sergei IVANOV] Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Saparmurat NIYAZOV]


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 NIYAZOV; UDPT is led by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and is based out of Moscow
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 1,415,681 (July 2002 est.) 5,042,920 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% (2000) 58% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate -0.52% (2002 est.) 1.83% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors Haapsalu, Kunda, Muuga, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn -
Radio broadcast stations AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001) AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios 1.01 million (1997) -
Railways total: 968 km common carrier lines only; does not include dedicated industrial lines


broad gauge: 968 km 1.520-m gauge (132 km electrified) (2001)
total: 2,440 km


broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2005)
Religions Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox, Baptist, Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Word of Life, Jewish Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female


total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in the digital mode; internet services are available throughout most of the country - only about 11,000 subscriber requests were unfilled by September 2000


domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and internet services is available throughout the country


international: fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched service; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)
general assessment: poorly developed


domestic: NA


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
Telephones - main lines in use 501,691 (2000) 376,100 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 711,000 (yearend 2001) 52,000 (2004)
Television broadcast stations 3 (2001) 4 (government owned and programmed) (2004)
Terrain marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south 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 1.24 children born/woman (2002 est.) 3.37 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 12.4% (2001) 60% (2004 est.)
Waterways 320 km (perennially navigable) (2002) 1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland waterways) (2006)
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