Compare Paracel Islands (2003) - Turkmenistan (2003)

Compare Paracel Islands (2003) z Turkmenistan (2003)

	Paracel Islands (2003)	Turkmenistan (2003)

Administrative divisions	-	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: 36.8% (male 899,954; female 855,293) 15-64 years: 59.2% (male 1,386,606; female 1,438,333) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 74,958; female 120,400) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products	-	cotton, grain; livestock
Airports	1 (2002)	76 (2002)
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	-	28.02 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget	-	revenues: $588.6 million expenditures: $658.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (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	-	8.87 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external	-	$2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	-	chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey A. JACOBSON 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	prolonged regional drought creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; Turkmenistan has not committed to follow either Iran or the other littoral states in the division of the Caspian Sea seabed and water column; ICJ decision expected to resolve dispute with Azerbaijan over sovereignty over Caspian oilfields; demarcation of land boundary with Kazakhstan is underway - maritime boundary not resolved
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 large gas and oil resources. One-half of its irrigated land is planted in cotton, making it the world's tenth-largest producer. 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 any event, GDP increased substantially in 2003 because of a strong recovery in agriculture and rapid industrial growth.
Electricity - consumption	-	8.509 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	-	980 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	-	20 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	-	10.18 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source	-	fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
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 (2002), 5,200 (2001), 5,200 (2000), 5,200 (1999), 4,890.17 (1998); note - the official exchange rate has not varied for the last four years; the unofficial rate has fluctuated slightly, hovering around 21,000 manats to the dollar
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	-	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	-	gas 57%, oil 26%, cotton fiber 3%, textiles 2% (2001)
Exports - partners	-	Ukraine 49.7%, Italy 18%, Iran 13.1%, Turkey 6.2% (2002)
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 - $31.34 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	-	agriculture: 27% industry: 50% services: 23% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-	21.1% (2002 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: 24,000 km paved: 19,488 km unpaved: 4,512 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	-	lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 31.7% (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	-	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	-	machinery and equipment 60%, foodstuffs 15% (1999)
Imports - partners	-	Russia 19.8%, Turkey 12.8%, Ukraine 11.7%, UAE 10%, US 7.5%, China 6%, Germany 5.7%, Iran 4.4% (2002)
Independence	-	27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate	-	1% (2002 est.)
Industries	-	natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing
Infant mortality rate	-	total: 73.17 deaths/1,000 live births male: 76.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 69.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-	5% (2002 est.)
International organization participation	-	AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, 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, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	1
Irrigated land	0 sq km (1998 est.)	17,500 sq km (2003 est.)
Judicial branch	-	Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Labor force	-	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: 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 at least yearly) 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: 61.19 years male: 57.72 years female: 64.84 years (2003 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: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,873 GRT/8,345 DWT ships by type: combination ore/oil 1, 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: 1,239,737 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 1,005,686 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age	-	18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 53,825 (2003 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	-	-0.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines	-	gas 6,634 km; oil 853 km (2003)
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; the two most prominent opposition groups-in-exile have been Gundogar and Erkin; Gundogar was led by former Foreign Minister Boris SHIKHUMRADOV 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
Political pressure groups and leaders	-	NA
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.)	4,775,544 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	34.4% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate	-	1.82% (2003 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)
Railways	-	total: 2,440 km broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)
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 (2003 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	-	3.5 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate	-	NA%
Waterways	none	the Amu Darya is an important inland waterway for Turkmenistan, as is the man-made Kara Kum canal

Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.