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Compare Turkmenistan (2001) - Bulgaria (2008)

Compare Turkmenistan (2001) z Bulgaria (2008)

 Turkmenistan (2001)Bulgaria (2008)
 TurkmenistanBulgaria
Administrative divisions 5 welayatlar (singular - welayat): Ahal Welayaty (Ashgabat), Balkan Welayaty (Nebitdag), Dashhowuz Welayaty (formerly Tashauz), Lebap Welayaty (Charjew), Mary Welayaty

note:
administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora, Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol
Age structure 0-14 years:
37.88% (male 891,758; female 852,104)

15-64 years:
58.09% (male 1,313,303; female 1,360,690)

65 years and over:
4.03% (male 70,800; female 114,589) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 13.9% (male 521,117/female 496,022)


15-64 years: 68.7% (male 2,472,424/female 2,556,102)


65 years and over: 17.4% (male 523,660/female 753,533) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, grain; livestock vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets; livestock
Airports 76 (2000 est.) 214 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total:
13

2,438 to 3,047 m:
9

1,524 to 2,437 m:
4 (2000 est.)
total: 131


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 18


1,524 to 2,437 m: 15


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 95 (2007)
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 (2000 est.)
total: 83


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 72 (2007)
Area total:
488,100 sq km

land:
488,100 sq km

water:
0 sq km
total: 110,910 sq km


land: 110,550 sq km


water: 360 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than California slightly larger than Tennessee
Background 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. The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. The country joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.
Birth rate 28.55 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 9.62 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues:
$588.6 million

expenditures:
$658.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)
revenues: $16.62 billion


expenditures: $15.18 billion (2007 est.)
Capital Ashgabat name: Sofia


geographic coordinates: 42 41 N, 23 19 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Climate subtropical desert temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
Coastline 0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km) 354 km
Constitution adopted 18 May 1992 adopted 12 July 1991
Country name conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Turkmenistan

local long form:
none

local short form:
Turkmenistan

former:
Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic
conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria


conventional short form: Bulgaria


local long form: Republika Balgariya


local short form: Balgariya
Currency Turkmen manat (TMM) -
Death rate 8.98 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 14.28 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $2.5 billion (2000 est.) $29.29 billion (30 June 2007)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Steven R. MANN

embassy:
9 Pushkin Street, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 774000

mailing address:
use embassy street address

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

FAX:
[9] (9312) 51-13-05
chief of mission: Ambassador John Ross BEYRLE


embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407


mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, US Department of State, 5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740


telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100


FAX: [359] (2) 937-5320
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Mered ORAZOV

chancery:
2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 588-1500

FAX:
[1] (202) 588-0697
chief of mission: Ambassador Elena B. POPTODOROVA


chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174


FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Disputes - international Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan none
Economic aid - recipient $27.2 million (1995) $742 million (2005-06 est.)
Economy - overview 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 1998-2000, 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 sharply because of higher international oil and gas prices. Prospects in the near future are discouraging because of widespread internal poverty and the burden of foreign debt. IMF assistance would seem to be necessary, yet the government is not as yet ready to accept IMF requirements. Turkmenistan's 1999 deal to ship 20 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas through Russia's Gazprom pipeline helped alleviate the 2000 fiscal shortfall. Inadequate fiscal restraint and the tenuous nature of Turkmenistan's 2001 gas deals, combined with a lack of economic reform, will limit progress in the near term. Bulgaria, a former communist country that entered the EU on 1 January 2007, has experienced strong growth since a major economic downturn in 1996. Successive governments have demonstrated commitment to economic reforms and responsible fiscal planning, but have failed so far to rein in rising inflation and large current account deficits. Bulgaria has averaged more than 6% growth since 2004, attracting significant amounts of foreign direct investment, but corruption in the public administration, a weak judiciary, and the presence of organized crime remain significant challenges.
Electricity - consumption 4.785 billion kWh (1999) 37.4 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - exports 4.1 billion kWh (1999) 7.8 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - imports 1.1 billion kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2006)
Electricity - production 8.371 billion kWh (1999) 45.7 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
99.94%

hydro:
0.06%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Vpadina Akchanaya -81.00 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
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m


highest point: Musala 2,925 m
Environment - current issues 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 air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes
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
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


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) Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)
Exchange rates Turkmen manats per US dollar - 5,200 (January 2001), 5,200 (January 2000), 5,350 (January 1999), 4,070 (January 1997), 2,400 (January 1996) leva per US dollar - 1.4366 (2007), 1.5576 (2006), 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751 (2004), 1.7327 (2003)
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 scheduled 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%
chief of state: President Georgi PARVANOV (since 22 January 2002); Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Sergei STANISHEV (since 16 August 2005); Deputy Prime Ministers Ivaylo KALFIN, Daniel VULCHEV, and Emel ETEM (since 16 August 2005)


cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly


elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 and 29 October 2006 (next to be held in 2011); chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by the president and elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly


election results: Georgi PARVANOV reelected president; percent of vote - Georgi PARVANOV 77.3%, Volen SIDEROV 22.7%; Sergei STANISHEV elected prime minister, result of legislative vote - 168 to 67
Exports $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) 51,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities gas 33%, oil 30%, cotton fiber 18%, textiles 8% (1999) clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels
Exports - partners Ukraine, Iran, Turkey, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan Turkey 12%, Italy 10.4%, Germany 10%, Greece 8.2%, Belgium 6.8%, France 4.3% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar 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 three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red


note: the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe, has been removed
GDP purchasing power parity - $19.6 billion (2000 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
25%

industry:
43%

services:
32% (1999 est.)
agriculture: 8.1%


industry: 31.3%


services: 60.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2000 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 16% (2000 est.) 6.1% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 40 00 N, 60 00 E 43 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography - note landlocked strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
Heliports - 4 (2007)
Highways total:
22,000 km

paved:
18,000 km (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:
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%:
2.6%

highest 10%:
31.7% (1998)
lowest 10%: 2.9%


highest 10%: 25.4% (2005)
Illicit drugs limited illicit cultivator of opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption; limited government eradication program; increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia to Russia and Western Europe; also a transshipment point for acetic anhydride destined for Afghanistan major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the European market; limited producer of precursor chemicals; some money laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial institutions
Imports $1.65 billion (c.i.f., 2000 est.) 138,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment 60%, foodstuffs 15% (1999) machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials
Imports - partners Ukraine, Turkey, Russia, Germany, US, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan Germany 15%, Italy 10.6%, Turkey 7.2%, Greece 6.3%, China 5%, France 4.9%, Romania 4.5% (2006)
Independence 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union) 3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)
Industrial production growth rate 18% (2000 est.) 5.5% (2007 est.)
Industries natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel
Infant mortality rate 73.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 19.16 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 22.75 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 15.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 14% (2000 est.) 7.8% (2007 est.)
International organization participation AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) NA -
Irrigated land 13,000 sq km (1993 est.) 5,880 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president) Supreme Administrative Court; Supreme Court of Cassation; Constitutional Court (12 justices appointed or elected for nine-year terms); Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen of the two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 other members; responsible for appointing the justices, prosecutors, and investigating magistrates in the justice system; members of the Supreme Judicial Council elected for five-year terms, 11 elected by the National Assembly and 11 by bodies of the judiciary)
Labor force 2.34 million (1996) 3.44 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 44%, industry 19%, services 37% (1996) agriculture: 8.5%


industry: 33.6%


services: 57.9% (2nd qtr. 2006 est.)
Land boundaries total:
3,736 km

border countries:
Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379 km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km
total: 1,808 km


border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia 318 km, Turkey 240 km
Land use arable land:
3%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
63%

forests and woodland:
8%

other:
26% (1993 est.)
arable land: 29.94%


permanent crops: 1.9%


other: 68.16% (2005)
Languages Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7% Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Legal system based on civil law system civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
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
unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 25 June 2005 (next to be held in June 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - CfB 31.1%, NMS2 19.9%, MRF 12.7%, ATAKA 8.2%, UDF 7.7%, DSB 6.5%, BPU 5.2%, other 8.7%; seats by party - CfB 83, NMS2 53, MRF 33, UDF 20, ATAKA 17, DSB 17, BPU 13, independents 4; note - seats by party as of January 2008 - CfB 82, NMS2 36, MRF 34, UDF 16, DSB 16, Bulgarian New Democracy 16, BPU 13, ATAKA 11, independents 16
Life expectancy at birth total population:
61 years

male:
57.43 years

female:
64.76 years (2001 est.)
total population: 72.57 years


male: 68.95 years


female: 76.4 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
98%

male:
99%

female:
97% (1989 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98.2%


male: 98.7%


female: 97.7% (2001 census)
Location Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
Map references Commonwealth of Independent States Europe
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,459 GRT/8,865 DWT

ships by type:
container 1 (2000 est.)
total: 71 ships (1000 GRT or over) 833,153 GRT/1,194,660 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 37, cargo 14, chemical tanker 4, container 6, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 4


foreign-owned: 3 (Germany 1, Ireland 1, Russia 1)


registered in other countries: 39 (Comoros 1, Malta 15, Mongolia 2, Panama 1, Slovakia 7, St Vincent and The Grenadines 13) (2007)
Military branches Ministry of Defense (Army, Air and Air Defense, Navy, Border Troops, and Internal Troops), National Guard Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air Forces (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS) (2008)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $90 million (FY99) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.4% (FY99) 2.6% (2005 est.)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
1,173,500 (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
952,218 (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
48,292 (2001 est.)
-
National holiday Independence Day, 27 October (1991) Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)
Nationality noun:
Turkmen(s)

adjective:
Turkmen
noun: Bulgarian(s)


adjective: Bulgarian
Natural hazards NA earthquakes, landslides
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, sulfur, salt bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
Net migration rate -1.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -3.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 250 km; natural gas 4,400 km gas 2,500 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2007)
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
ATAKA (Attack Coalition) (coalition of parties headed by the Attack National Union); Attack National Union [Volen SIDEROV]; Bulgarian Agrarian National Union-People's Union or BANU [Anastasia MOZER]; Bulgarian New Democracy [Borislav RALCHEV]; Bulgarian People's Union or BPU (coalition of UFD, IMRO, and BANU); Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV]; Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria or GERB [Boyko BORISOV]; Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties dominated by BSP) [Sergei STANISHEV]; Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Ivan KOSTOV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization or IMRO [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed DOGAN]; National Movement for Stability and Progress or NDSV [Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV]; Union of Democratic Forces or UDF [Petar STOYANOV]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces or UtDF (a coalition of center-right parties dominated by UDF)
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas
Population 4,603,244 (July 2001 est.) 7,322,858 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 58% (1999 est.) 14.1% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate 1.85% (2001 est.) -0.837% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Turkmenbashi -
Radio broadcast stations AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998) AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)
Radios 1.225 million (1997) -
Railways total:
2,187 km

broad gauge:
2,187 km 1.520-m gauge (1996 est.)
total: 4,294 km


standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2006)
Religions Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2% Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4% (2001 census)
Sex ratio at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.051 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.967 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.695 male(s)/female


total population: 0.924 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 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
general assessment: an extensive but antiquated telecommunications network inherited from the Soviet era; quality has improved; the Bulgaria Telecommunications Company's fixed-line monopoly terminated in 2005 when alternative fixed-line operators were given access to its network; a drop in fixed-line connections in recent years has been offset by a sharp increase in mobile-cellular telephone use fostered by multiple service providers


domestic: a fairly modern digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of the regions; the others are connected by digital microwave radio relay


international: country code - 359; submarine cable provides connectivity to Ukraine and Russia; a combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system provides connectivity to Italy, Albania, and Macedonia; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2 Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2007)
Telephones - main lines in use 363,000 (1997) 2.399 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 4,300 (1998) 8.253 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 3 (much programming relayed from Russia and Turkey) (1997) 39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
Total fertility rate 3.58 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.39 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 8% (2007 est.)
Waterways the Amu Darya is an important inland waterway for Turkmenistan 470 km (2007)
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