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Compare Turkmenistan (2002) - British Indian Ocean Territory (2003)

Compare Turkmenistan (2002) z British Indian Ocean Territory (2003)

 Turkmenistan (2002)British Indian Ocean Territory (2003)
 TurkmenistanBritish Indian Ocean Territory
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)
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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.)
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Agriculture - products cotton, grain; livestock -
Airports 76 (2001) 1 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 13


2,438 to 3,047 m: 9


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)
total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (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)
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Area total: 488,100 sq km


land: 488,100 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 60 sq km


land: 60 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
Area - comparative slightly larger than California about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
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. Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.
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.)
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Capital Ashgabat -
Climate subtropical desert tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline 0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km) 698 km
Constitution adopted 18 May 1992 -
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: British Indian Ocean Territory


conventional short form: none


abbreviation: BIOT
Currency Turkmen manat (TMM) -
Death rate 8.92 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) -
Debt - external $2.3 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.) -
Dependency status - overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
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
none (overseas territory of the UK)
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
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international 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 Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain
Economic aid - recipient $16 million from the US (2001) -
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 1998-2001, 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. All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.
Electricity - consumption 7.708 billion kWh (2000) NA kWh
Electricity - exports 900 million kWh (2000) -
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) -
Electricity - production 9.256 billion kWh (2000) NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
-
Elevation extremes 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
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 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 NA
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
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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%
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Commissioner Alan HUCKLE (since 2001); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK


cabinet: NA


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
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 white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
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 40 00 N, 60 00 E 6 00 S, 71 30 E
Geography - note 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 archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
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)
total: NA km


paved: short section of paved road between port and airfield on Diego Garcia


unpaved: NA km
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 32% (1998) (1998)
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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 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 18,000 sq km (1998 est.) 0 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 total: 3,736 km


border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379 km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 3.47%


permanent crops: 0.14%


other: 96.39% (1998 est.)
arable land: NEGL


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (1998 est.)
Languages Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7% -
Legal system based on civil law system the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
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 Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Map references Asia Political Map of the World
Maritime claims none (landlocked) exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
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.)
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Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
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 NA NA
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, sulfur, salt coconuts, fish, sugarcane
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 4,688,963 (July 2002 est.) no indigenous inhabitants


note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960's and 1970's, in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 34% (2001 est.) -
Population growth rate 1.84% (2002 est.) -
Ports and harbors Turkmenbasy Diego Garcia
Radio broadcast stations AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998) AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios 1.225 million (1997) -
Railways total: 2,440 km


broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2001)
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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
general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available


domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet


international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use 363,000 (1997) NA
Telephones - mobile cellular 4,300 (1998) -
Television broadcast stations 3 (much programming relayed from Russia and Turkey) (1997) 1 (1997)
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 flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)
Total fertility rate 3.54 children born/woman (2002 est.) -
Unemployment rate NA% -
Waterways the Amu Darya is an important inland waterway for Turkmenistan none
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