Compare Paracel Islands (2003) - Turkmenistan (2002)

Compare Paracel Islands (2003) z Turkmenistan (2002)

	Paracel Islands (2003)	Turkmenistan (2002)

Administrative divisions	-	5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat): Ahal Welayaty (Ashgabat), Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dasoguz Welayaty, Labap 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: 37.3% (male 895,536; female 853,301) 15-64 years: 58.6% (male 1,350,142; female 1,399,879) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 72,784; female 117,321) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products	-	cotton, grain; livestock
Airports	1 (2002)	76 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)	total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 63 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 41 (2002)
Area	total: NA sq km land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 488,100 sq km land: 488,100 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	NA	slightly larger than California
Background	The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.	Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1925. 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 can be worked out.
Birth rate	-	28.27 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget	-	revenues: $588.6 million expenditures: $658.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) (1999 est.)
Capital	-	Ashgabat
Climate	tropical	subtropical desert
Coastline	518 km	0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)
Constitution	-	adopted 18 May 1992
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turkmenistan local long form: none local short form: Turkmenistan former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic
Currency	-	Turkmen manat (TMM)
Death rate	-	8.92 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external	-	$2.3 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	-	chief of mission: Ambassador Laura E. KENNEDY embassy: 9 Pushkin Street, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 774000 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45 FAX: [9] (9312) 39-26-14
Diplomatic representation in the US	-	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	occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam	Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan wrestle with sharing limited water resources and regional environmental degradation caused by the shrinking of the Aral Sea; multilaterally-accepted Caspian Sea seabed and maritime boundaries have not yet been established in the Caspian - Iran insists on division of Caspian Sea into five equal sectors while Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan have generally agreed upon equidistant seabed boundaries; Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan await ICJ decision to resolve sovereignty dispute over oil fields in the Caspian Sea
Economic aid - recipient	-	$16 million from the US (2001)
Economy - overview	China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.	Turkmenistan is largely desert country with intensive agriculture in irrigated oases and huge gas (fifth largest reserves in the world) and oil resources. One-half of its irrigated land is planted in cotton, making it the world's tenth largest producer. Until the end of 1993, Turkmenistan had experienced less economic disruption than other former Soviet states because its economy received a boost from higher prices for oil and gas and a sharp increase in hard currency earnings. In 1994, Russia's refusal to export Turkmen gas to hard currency markets and mounting debts of its major customers in the former USSR for gas deliveries contributed to a sharp fall in industrial production and caused the budget to shift from a surplus to a slight deficit. 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 1998-2001, Turkmenistan has 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 have risen sharply because of higher international oil and gas prices. 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.
Electricity - consumption	-	7.708 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports	-	900 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports	-	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production	-	9.256 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source	-	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 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	NA	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, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	-	Turkmen 77%, Uzbek 9.2%, Russian 6.7%, Kazakh 2%, other 5.1% (1995)
Exchange rates	-	Turkmen manats per US dollar - 5,200 (January 2002-January 2000), 5,350 (January 1999), 4,070 (January 1997)
Executive branch	-	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: Council of Ministers appointed by the president note: NIYAZOV's term in office was extended indefinitely on 28 December 1999 by the Assembly (Majlis) 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 NA); note - President NIYAZOV was unanimously approved as president for life by the Assembly 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	-	$2.7 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities	-	gas 33%, oil 30%, cotton fiber 18%, textiles 8% (1999)
Exports - partners	-	Ukraine 27%, Iran 14%, Turkey 11%, Italy 9%, Switzerland 5% (1999)
Fiscal year	-	calendar year
Flag description	-	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 - $21.5 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	-	agriculture: 27% industry: 45% services: 28% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $4,700 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-	10% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates	16 30 N, 112 00 E	40 00 N, 60 00 E
Geography - note	composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group	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
Highways	-	total: 22,000 km paved: 18,000 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads) unpaved: 4,000 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	-	lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 32% (1998) (1998)
Illicit drugs	-	transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption; small-scale government-run eradication of illicit crops; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan
Imports	-	$2.3 billion c.i.f. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities	-	machinery and equipment 60%, foodstuffs 15% (1999)
Imports - partners	-	Turkey 17%, Ukraine 12%, Russia 11%, UAE 8%, France 6% (1999)
Independence	-	27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate	-	NA%
Industries	-	natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing
Infant mortality rate	-	73.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-	10% (2001 est.)
International organization participation	-	AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	NA
Irrigated land	0 sq km (1998 est.)	18,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	-	Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Labor force	-	2.34 million (1996) (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: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)	arable land: 3.47% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 96.39% (1998 est.)
Languages	-	Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%
Legal system	-	based on civil law system
Legislative branch	-	under the 1992 constitution, there are two parliamentary bodies, a unicameral People's Council or Halk Maslahaty (more than 100 seats, some of which are elected by popular vote and some of which are appointed; meets infrequently) and a unicameral Assembly or Majlis (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: People's Council - NA; Assembly - last held 12 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - all 50 elected officials preapproved by President NIYAZOV; most are from the DPT
Life expectancy at birth	-	total population: 61.1 years male: 57.57 years female: 64.8 years (2002 est.)
Literacy	-	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 97% (1989 est.)
Location	Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines	Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan
Map references	Southeast Asia	Asia
Maritime claims	NA	none (landlocked)
Merchant marine	-	total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,600 GRT/5,000 DWT ships by type: petroleum tanker 1 (2002 est.)
Military - note	occupied by China	-
Military branches	-	Ministry of Defense (Army, Air and Air Defense, Navy, Border Troops, and Internal Troops), National Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$90 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	3.4% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 1,206,920 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 979,282 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age	-	18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 48,292 (2002 est.)
National holiday	-	Independence Day, 27 October (1991)
Nationality	-	noun: Turkmen(s) adjective: Turkmen
Natural hazards	typhoons	NA
Natural resources	none	petroleum, natural gas, coal, sulfur, salt
Net migration rate	-	-0.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines	-	crude oil 250 km; natural gas 4,400 km
Political parties and leaders	-	Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Saparmurat NIYAZOV] note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries
Political pressure groups and leaders	-	NA
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.)	4,688,963 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	34% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate	-	1.84% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors	small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded	Turkmenbasy
Radio broadcast stations	-	AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios	-	1.225 million (1997)
Railways	-	total: 2,440 km broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2001)
Religions	-	Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%
Sex ratio	-	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 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 (2002 est.)
Suffrage	-	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	-	general assessment: poorly developed domestic: NA international: 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	-	363,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular	-	4,300 (1998)
Television broadcast stations	-	3 (much programming relayed from Russia and Turkey) (1997)
Terrain	mostly low and flat	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	-	3.54 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate	-	NA%
Waterways	none	the Amu Darya is an important inland waterway for Turkmenistan

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