Madagascar (2001) | Turkmenistan (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara | 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:
45.02% (male 3,607,803; female 3,587,532) 15-64 years: 51.77% (male 4,093,720; female 4,180,430) 65 years and over: 3.21% (male 239,839; female 273,239) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 36.2% (male 904,627; female 857,601)
15-64 years: 59.7% (male 1,423,836; female 1,477,224) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 76,670; female 123,211) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products | cotton, grain; livestock |
Airports | 130 (2000 est.) | 69 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
29 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
total: 24
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
101 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 56 under 914 m: 43 (2000 est.) |
total: 45
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 36 (2003 est.) |
Area | total:
587,040 sq km land: 581,540 sq km water: 5,500 sq km |
total: 488,100 sq km
land: 488,100 sq km water: negl. |
Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of Arizona | slightly larger than California |
Background | Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1886, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997 in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. | 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 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 | 42.66 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 27.82 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$553 million expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
revenues: $3.477 billion
expenditures: $3.908 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.) |
Capital | Antananarivo | Ashgabat |
Climate | tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south | subtropical desert |
Coastline | 4,828 km | 0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km) |
Constitution | 19 August 1992 by national referendum | adopted 18 May 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Madagascar conventional short form: Madagascar local long form: Republique de Madagascar local short form: Madagascar former: Malagasy Republic |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turkmenistan local long form: none local short form: Turkmenistan former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic |
Currency | Malagasy franc (MGF) | Turkmen manat (TMM) |
Death rate | 12.42 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 8.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $4.4 billion (1999) | $2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Shirley E. BARNES embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57 FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey A. JACOBSON
embassy: 9 Pushkin (1984) Street, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 774000 mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-7070 telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45 FAX: [9] (9312) 39-26-14 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Zina ANDRIANARIVELO-RAZAFY chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526 consulate(s) general: New York |
chief of mission: Ambassador Mered Bairamovich ORAZOV
chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500 FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697 |
Disputes - international | claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island (all administered by France) | prolonged regional drought created water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan reached an agreement on improving water usage along the Amu Darya in 2004; delimitation of Caspian seabed remains unresolved |
Economic aid - recipient | $838 million (1997) | $16 million from the US (2001) |
Economy - overview | Madagascar faces problems of chronic malnutrition, underfunded health and education facilities, a roughly 3% annual population growth rate, and severe loss of forest cover, accompanied by erosion. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is the mainstay of the economy, accounting for 30% of GDP and contributing more than 70% to export earnings. Industry features textile manufacturing and the processing of agricultural products. Growth in output in 1992-97 averaged less than the growth rate of the population. Growth has been held back by antigovernment strikes and demonstrations, a decline in world coffee prices, and the erratic commitment of the government to economic reform. The extent of government reforms, outside financial aid, and foreign investment will be key determinants of future growth. For 2001, growth should again be about 5%. | Turkmenistan is 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, making it at one time the world's tenth-largest producer. Poor harvests in recent years have led to a nearly 46% 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 1998-2003, 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 38% in 2003, largely because of higher international oil and gas prices. Overall prospects in the near future are discouraging because of widespread internal poverty, the burden of foreign debt, and the unwillingness of the government to adopt market-oriented reforms. However, Turkmenistan's cooperation with the international community in transporting humanitarian aid to Afghanistan may foreshadow a change in the atmosphere for foreign investment, aid, and technological support. Turkmenistan's economic statistics are state secrets, and GDP and other figures are subject to wide margins of error. In particular, the 20% rate of GDP growth is a guess. |
Electricity - consumption | 753.3 million kWh (1999) | 8.509 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 980 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 20 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 810 million kWh (1999) | 10.18 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
37.04% hydro: 62.96% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 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 | soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to the island are endangered | 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
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 | Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran | Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003) |
Exchange rates | Malagasy francs per US dollar - 6,656.3 (November 2000), 6,283.8 (1999), 5,441.4 (1998), 5,090.9 (1997), 4,061.3 (1996) | Turkmen manats per US dollar - 5,200 (2003), 5,200 (2002), 5,200 (2001), 5,200 (2000), 5,200 (1999);note - the official exchange rate has not varied for the last six years; the unofficial rate has fluctuated slightly, hovering around 21,000 manats to the dollar |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Didier RATSIRAKA (since 10 February 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Tantely Rene Gabriot ANDRIANARIVO (since NA 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 December 1996 (next to be held NA November 2001); prime minister appointed by the president from a list of candidates nominated by the National Assembly election results: Didier RATSIRAKA elected president; percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 50.7%, Albert ZAFY (AFFA) 49.3% |
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); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government 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) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 21 June 1992 (next to be held in 2008 when NIYAZOV turns 70 and is constitutionally ineligible to run); 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 | $538 million (f.o.b., 1998) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products | gas 57%, oil 26%, cotton fiber 3%, textiles 2% (2001) |
Exports - partners | France 41%, US 19%, Germany 13%, UK 8%, Japan 6% (1999) | Ukraine 39.2%, Italy 18.1%, Iran 14.7%, Turkey 6.5% (2003) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side | green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side, containing five carpet guls (designs used in producing rugs) stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to the olive branches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon and five white stars appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $12.3 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $27.88 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
30% industry: 14% services: 56% (1999 est.) |
agriculture: 24.8%
industry: 46.2% services: 28.9% (2003 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $800 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.8% (2000 est.) | 23.1% (2003 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 20 00 S, 47 00 E | 40 00 N, 60 00 E |
Geography - note | world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel | 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 (2003 est.) |
Highways | total:
49,837 km paved: 5,781 km unpaved: 44,056 km (1996) |
total: 24,000 km
paved: 19,488 km unpaved: 4,512 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
1.9% highest 10%: 36.7% (1993) |
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 31.7% (1998) |
Illicit drugs | illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin | transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and Western European markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan |
Imports | $693 million (f.o.b., 1998) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | intermediate manufactures, capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food | machinery and equipment 60%, foodstuffs 15% (1999) |
Imports - partners | France 34%, Hong Kong 6%, China 6%, Japan 5%, Singapore 4% (1999) | Russia 21.5%, Ukraine 15.3%, Turkey 9.4%, UAE 7.6%, Germany 4.2%, China 4.2% (2003) |
Independence | 26 June 1960 (from France) | 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union) |
Industrial production growth rate | 3% (2000 est.) | 14% (2003 est.) |
Industries | meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism | natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing |
Infant mortality rate | 83.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 73.13 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 76.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 69.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 10% (1999 est.) | 9.5% (2003 est.) |
International organization participation | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, 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) | 2 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 10,870 sq km (1993 est.) | 17,500 sq km (2003 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle | Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president) |
Labor force | 7 million (1999) | 2.34 million (1996) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture 48%, industry 15%, services 37% (1998 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 3,736 km
border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379 km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km |
Land use | arable land:
4% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 41% forests and woodland: 40% other: 14% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 3.72%
permanent crops: 0.14% other: 96.14% (2001) |
Languages | French (official), Malagasy (official) | Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7% |
Legal system | based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on civil law system |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - the legislature is scheduled to become a bicameral Parliament with the establishment of a Senate; two-thirds of the seats of this Senate will be filled by regional assemblies whose members will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of the seats will be appointed by the president; the total number of seats will be determined by the National Assembly; all members will serve four-year terms
elections: National Assembly - last held 17 May 1998 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - AREMA 63, LEADER/Fanilo 16, AVI 14, RPSD 11, AFFA 6, MFM 3, AKFM/Fanavaozana 3, GRAD/Iloafo 1, Fihaonana 1, independents 32 |
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 which are elected by popular vote and some of which 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)
elections: People's Council - last held in April 2003; Mejlis - last held 19 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009) 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:
55.35 years male: 53.08 years female: 57.68 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 61.29 years
male: 57.87 years female: 64.88 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 80% male: 88% female: 73% (1990 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 99% female: 97% (1989 est.) |
Location | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique | Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan |
Map references | Africa | Asia |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or 100 NM from the 2,500-m deep isobath exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
- |
Merchant marine | total:
13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,819 GRT/34,173 DWT ships by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2 (2000 est.) |
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,873 GRT/8,345 DWT
by type: combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 1 registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.) |
Military branches | Popular Armed Forces (includes Intervention Forces, Development Forces, Aeronaval Forces - includes Navy and Air Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential Security Regiment | Ministry of Defense (Army, Air and Air Defense, Navy, Border Troops, and Internal Troops), National Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $29 million (FY94) | $90 million (FY99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1% (FY94) | 3.4% (FY99) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
3,640,554 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 1,272,436 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
2,159,767 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 1,031,806 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 20 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
153,856 (2001 est.) |
males: 55,866 (2004 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 26 June (1960) | Independence Day, 27 October (1991) |
Nationality | noun:
Malagasy (singular and plural) adjective: Malagasy |
noun: Turkmen(s)
adjective: Turkmen |
Natural hazards | periodic cyclones | NA |
Natural resources | graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower | petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 6,549 km; oil 1,395 km (2004) |
Political parties and leaders | Action, Truth, Development, and Harmony or AFFA [Professor Albert ZAFY]; Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [leader vacant]; Congress Party for Malagasy Independence or AKFM/Fanavaozana; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana Rally or Fihaonana [Guy RAZANAMASY]; Group of Reflection and Action for the Development of Madagascar or GRAD/Iloafo; Judged by Your Work or AVI [Norbert RATSIRAHONANA]; Movement for the Progress of Madagascar or MFM [Manandafy RAKOTONIRINA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON]; Tranobe (Big House) [Ny Hasina ANDRIAMANJATO] | 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 Gundogar and Erkin; Gundogar 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; Erkin is led by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and is based out of Moscow; the Union of Democratic Forces, a coalition of opposition-in-exile groups, is based in Europe |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Federalist Movement; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM | NA |
Population | 15,982,563 (July 2001 est.) | 4,863,169 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 70% (1994 est.) | 34.4% (2001 est.) |
Population growth rate | 3.02% (2001 est.) | 1.81% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara | Turkmenbasy |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2 (plus 8 repeater stations), FM 7, shortwave 5 (1998) | AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | 3.05 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total:
883 km narrow gauge: 883 km 1.000-m gauge (1994) |
total: 2,440 km
broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2003) |
Religions | indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7% | Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 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 (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
system is above average for the region domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter links international: submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) |
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 | 43,000 (1997) | 374,000 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 4,000 (1997) | 52,000 (2004) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus 36 repeaters) (1997) | 4 (government owned and programmed) (2004) |
Terrain | narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center | 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 | 5.8 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 3.45 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | NA |
Waterways | note:
of local importance only |
1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland waterways) (2003) |