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Compare Turkmenistan (2003) - Bangladesh (2002)

Compare Turkmenistan (2003) z Bangladesh (2002)

 Turkmenistan (2003)Bangladesh (2002)
 TurkmenistanBangladesh
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)
5 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi; note - there may be one additional division named Sylhet
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.)
0-14 years: 33.8% (male 23,069,242; female 21,995,457)


15-64 years: 62.8% (male 42,924,778; female 40,873,077)


65 years and over: 3.4% (male 2,444,314; female 2,069,816) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, grain; livestock rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry
Airports 76 (2002) 18 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 13


2,438 to 3,047 m: 9


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)
total: 15


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 6 (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)
total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Area total: 488,100 sq km


land: 488,100 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 144,000 sq km


land: 133,910 sq km


water: 10,090 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than California slightly smaller than Iowa
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. Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development.
Birth rate 28.02 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 25.12 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $588.6 million


expenditures: $658.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)
revenues: $4.9 billion


expenditures: $6.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)
Capital Ashgabat Dhaka
Climate subtropical desert tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
Coastline 0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km) 580 km
Constitution adopted 18 May 1992 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times
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: People's Republic of Bangladesh


conventional short form: Bangladesh


former: East Pakistan
Currency Turkmen manat (TMM) taka (BDT)
Death rate 8.87 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 8.47 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.) $17 billion (2000) (2000)
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
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Ann PETERS


embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212


mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000


telephone: [880] (2) 8824700 through 8824722


FAX: [880] (2) 8823744
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
chief of mission: Ambassador Syed Hasan AHMAD


chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183


FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Disputes - international 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 only a small portion of the boundary with India remains undelimited; discussions to demarcate the boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves, and allocate divided villages remain stalled; skirmishes, illegal border trafficking, and violence along the border continue; Bangladesh has protested India's attempts to fence off high traffic sections of the porous boundary; Burmese attempts to construct a dam on the border stream in 2001 prompted an armed response halting construction; Burmese Muslim refugees migrate into Bangladesh straining meager resources
Economic aid - recipient $16 million from the US (2001) $1.575 billion
Economy - overview 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. Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a poor, overpopulated, and ill-governed nation. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single most important product. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Economic reform is stalled in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all levels of government. Progress also has been blocked by opposition from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups. The BNP government, led by Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms, but the party's level of political will to do so has been lacking.
Electricity - consumption 8.509 billion kWh (2001) 12.548 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 980 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 20 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 10.18 billion kWh (2001) 13.493 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 99.9%


hydro: 0.1%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
fossil fuel: 92%


hydro: 8%


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: Keokradong 1,230 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 many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation
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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, 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) Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998)
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 taka per US dollar - 57.756 (January 2002), 55.807 (2001), 52.142 (2000), 49.085 (1999), 46.906 (1998), 43.892 (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: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6 Sepember 2002); note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker Government Amendment"), the president's role becomes significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - at presidential direction - to supervise the elections


head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October 2001)


cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the president


elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year term; election scheduled for 16 September 2002 was not held since Iajuddin AHMED was the only presidential candidate; he was sworn in on 6 September 2002 (next election to be held by NA 2007); following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president


election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared by the Election Commission elected unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote - NA%
Exports NA (2001) $6.6 billion (2001)
Exports - commodities gas 57%, oil 26%, cotton fiber 3%, textiles 2% (2001) garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood
Exports - partners Ukraine 49.7%, Italy 18%, Iran 13.1%, Turkey 6.2% (2002) US 31.8%, Germany 10.9%, UK 7.9%, France 5.2%, Netherlands 5.2%, Italy 4.42% (2000)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 July - 30 June
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 green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center; the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, and secondarily, the traditional color of Islam
GDP purchasing power parity - $31.34 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $230 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 27%


industry: 50%


services: 23% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 30%


industry: 18%


services: 52% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,750 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 21.1% (2002 est.) 5.6% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 40 00 N, 60 00 E 24 00 N, 90 00 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 most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal
Highways total: 24,000 km


paved: 19,488 km


unpaved: 4,512 km (1999 est.)
total: 201,182 km


paved: 19,112 km


unpaved: 182,070 km (1997)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.6%


highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)
lowest 10%: 4%


highest 10%: 29%
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 transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries
Imports NA (2001) $8.7 billion (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment 60%, foodstuffs 15% (1999) machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, raw cotton, food, crude oil and petroleum products, cement
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) India 10.5%, EU 9.5%, Japan 9.5%, Singapore 8.5%, China 7.4% (2000)
Independence 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union) 16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh
Industrial production growth rate 1% (2002 est.) 6.2% (2001 est.)
Industries natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar
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.)
68.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 5% (2002 est.) 5.8% (2000 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) AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 10 (2000)
Irrigated land 17,500 sq km (2003 est.) 38,440 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president) Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by the president)
Labor force 2.34 million (1996) 64.1 million (1998)


note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion in 1998-99 (1998)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 48%, industry 15%, services 37% (1998 est.) agriculture 63%, services 26%, industry 11% (FY95/96)
Land boundaries total: 3,736 km


border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379 km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km
total: 4,246 km


border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
Land use arable land: 3.47%


permanent crops: 0.14%


other: 96.39% (1998 est.)
arable land: 60.7%


permanent crops: 2.61%


other: 36.69% (1998 est.)
Languages Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7% Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English
Legal system based on civil law system based on English common law
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
unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies (the constitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and above the 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members serve five-year terms


elections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held before October 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance partners 46%, AL 42%; seats by party - BNP 201, AL 62, JI 18, JP (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 2, JP (Naziur) 1, other 4; note - the election of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government aligned with three other smaller parties - Jamaat-i-Islami, Islami Oikya Jote, and Jatiya Party (Naziur)
Life expectancy at birth total population: 61.19 years


male: 57.72 years


female: 64.84 years (2003 est.)
total population: 60.92 years


male: 61.08 years


female: 60.74 years (2002 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: 56%


male: 63%


female: 49% (2000 est.)
Location Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
Map references Asia Asia
Maritime claims none (landlocked) contiguous zone: 18 NM


continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
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.)
total: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 269,932 GRT/379,271 DWT


ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 26, container 3, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, includes s foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Singapore 5 (2002 est.)
Military branches Ministry of Defense (Army, Air and Air Defense, Navy, Border Troops, and Internal Troops), National Guard Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, paramilitary forces (includes Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Village Defense Parties, Armed Police Battalions, National Cadet Corps)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $90 million (FY99) $559 million (FY96/97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.4% (FY99) 1.8% (FY96/97)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,239,737 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 37,303,372 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 1,005,686 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 22,139,736 (2002 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) Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh
Nationality noun: Turkmen(s)


adjective: Turkmen
noun: Bangladeshi(s)


adjective: Bangladeshi
Natural hazards NA droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, sulfur, salt natural gas, arable land, timber, coal
Net migration rate -0.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) -0.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines gas 6,634 km; oil 853 km (2003) natural gas 1,250 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; 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
Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIA, chairperson]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-E-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party (Manzur faction) [[Naziur Rahman MANZUR]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 4,775,544 (July 2003 est.) 133,376,684 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 34.4% (2001 est.) 36%
Population growth rate 1.82% (2003 est.) 1.59% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Turkmenbasy Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port, Narayanganj (2001)
Radio broadcast stations AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998) AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999)
Radios - 6.15 million (1997)
Railways total: 2,440 km


broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)
total: 2,745 km


broad gauge: 923 km 1.676-m gauge


narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2000 est.)
Religions Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2% Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)
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.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.18 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 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: totally inadequate for a modern country


domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities


international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use 363,000 (1997) 500,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 4,300 (1998) 283,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 3 (much programming relayed from Russia and Turkey) (1997) 15 (1999)
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 flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Total fertility rate 3.5 children born/woman (2003 est.) 2.72 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 35% (2001 est.)
Waterways the Amu Darya is an important inland waterway for Turkmenistan, as is the man-made Kara Kum canal up to 8,046 km depending on season


note: includes 3,058 km main cargo routes
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