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Compare Turkmenistan (2007) - Albania (2004)

Compare Turkmenistan (2007) z Albania (2004)

 Turkmenistan (2007)Albania (2004)
 TurkmenistanAlbania
Administrative divisions 5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat) and 1 independent city*: Ahal Welayaty (Anew), 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)
12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Qarku i Beratit, Qarku i Dibres, Qarku i Durresit, Qarku i Elbasanit, Qarku i Fierit, Qarku i Gjirokastres, Qarku i Korces, Qarku i Kukesit, Qarku i Lezhes, Qarku i Shkodres, Qarku i Tiranes, Qarku i Vlores
Age structure 0-14 years: 34.7% (male 900,718/female 866,930)


15-64 years: 60.9% (male 1,537,638/female 1,567,049)


65 years and over: 4.4% (male 97,454/female 127,239) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 26.4% (male 489,363; female 446,586)


15-64 years: 65.3% (male 1,184,670; female 1,130,065)


65 years and over: 8.3% (male 135,177; female 158,947) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, grain; livestock wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products
Airports 28 (2007) 11 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 22


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 11


1,524 to 2,437 m: 8


914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 6


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


under 914 m: 4 (2007)
total: 8


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)
Area total: 488,100 sq km


land: 488,100 sq km


water: NEGL
total: 28,748 sq km


land: 27,398 sq km


water: 1,350 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than California slightly smaller than Maryland
Background Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1924. It achieved independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects were to be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government is actively seeking to develop alternative petroleum transportation routes to break Russia's pipeline monopoly. President for Life Saparmurat NIYAZOV died in December 2006, and Turkmenistan held its first multi-candidate presidential electoral process in February 2007. Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW, a former NIYAZOV aide, emerged as the country's new president. Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven difficult as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks with links to high government officials, and disruptive political opponents. International observers judged parliamentary elections in 2001 and local elections in 2003 to be acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but identified serious deficiencies. Many of these deficiencies have been addressed through bi-partisan changes to the electoral code in 2003 and 2005, but implementation of these changes will not be demonstrated until parliamentary elections in July 2005.
Birth rate 25.36 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 15.08 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.434 billion


expenditures: $1.386 billion (2006 est.)
revenues: $1.36 billion


expenditures: $1.627 billion, including capital expenditures of $406 million (2003 est.)
Capital name: Ashgabat (Ashkhabad)


geographic coordinates: 37 57 N, 58 23 E


time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Tirana
Climate subtropical desert mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter
Coastline 0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km) 362 km
Constitution adopted 18 May 1992 a constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998
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 Albania


conventional short form: Albania


local long form: Republika e Shqiperise


local short form: Shqiperia


former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania
Currency - lek (ALL)
Death rate 6.17 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 5.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.) $1.41 billion (2003)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Richard E. HOAGLAND


embassy: No. 9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 744000


mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, DC 20521-7070


telephone: [993] (12) 35-00-45


FAX: [993] (12) 39-26-14
chief of mission: Ambassador Marcie B. RIES


embassy: Rruga Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana


mailing address: U. S. Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles, VA 20189-9510


telephone: [355] (4) 247285


FAX: [355] (4) 374957 and [355] (4) 232222
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Meret Bairamovich ORAZOW


chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500


FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Fatos TARIFA


chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942


FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342
Disputes - international cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2005, but Caspian seabed delimitation remains stalled with Azerbaijan, Iran, and Kazakhstan due to Turkmenistan's indecision over how to allocate the sea's waters and seabed the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians in neighboring countries, and the peaceful resolution of interethnic disputes; some ethnic Albanian groups in neighboring countries advocate for a "greater Albania," but the idea has little appeal among Albanian nationals
Economic aid - recipient $28.25 million from the US (2005) ODA: $315 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2000 est.)
Economy - overview Turkmenistan is a 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; formerly it was the world's 10th-largest producer. Poor harvests in recent years have led to an almost 50% decline in cotton exports. 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. From 1998-2005, 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 an average of 15% per year from 2003-06, largely because of higher international oil and gas prices. In 2006, Ashgabat raised its natural gas export prices to its main customer, Russia, from $66 per thousand cubic meters (tcm) to $100 per tcm. Overall prospects in the near future are discouraging because of widespread internal poverty, a poor educational system, government misuse of oil and gas revenues, and Ashgabat's unwillingness to adopt market-oriented reforms. Turkmenistan's economic statistics are state secrets, and GDP and other figures are subject to wide margins of error. In particular, the rate of GDP growth is uncertain. President BERDIMUHAMEDOW's election platform included plans to build a gas line to China, to complete the AmuDarya railroad bridge in Lebap province, and to create special border trade zones in southern Balkan province - a hint that the new post-NIYAZOV government will work to create a friendlier foreign investment environment. Poor and backward by European standards, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to spur economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by remittances from abroad of $400-$600 million annually, mostly from Greece and Italy; this helps offset the sizable trade deficit. Agriculture, which accounts for one-half of GDP, is held back because of frequent drought and the need to modernize equipment and consolidate small plots of land. Severe energy shortages and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure make it difficult to attract and sustain foreign investment. The government plans to boost energy imports to relieve the shortages and is moving slowly to improve the poor national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained economic growth.
Electricity - consumption 7.602 billion kWh (2005) 5.898 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 2.918 billion kWh (2005) 221 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 1.2 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 12.05 billion kWh (2005 est.) 5.289 billion kWh (2001)
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: Adriatic Sea 0 m


highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 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 deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents
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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003) Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb, and Macedonian or Bulgarian) (1989 est.)


note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)
Exchange rates Turkmen manat per US$ - 11,100 (2006) official rate


note: in recent years the unofficial rate has hovered around 24,000 to 25,000 Turkmen manats to the dollar
leke per US dollar - 121.863 (2003), 140.155 (2002), 143.485 (2001), 143.709 (2000), 137.691 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state: President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 14 February 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 14 February 2007)


cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held on 11 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012)


election results: Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW elected president; percent of vote - Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW 89.2%
chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since 24 July 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Fatos NANO (since 31 July 2002)


cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by Parliament


elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 24 June 2002 (next to be held NA June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly vote by number - total votes 116, for 97, against 19
Exports 117,800 bbl/day (2004 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, cotton fiber, textiles textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco
Exports - partners Ukraine 47.7%, Iran 16.4%, Azerbaijan 5.3% (2006) Italy 74.9%, Greece 12.8%, Germany 3.4% (2003)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side, containing five tribal guls (designs used in producing carpets) stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to the olive branches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon representing Islam with five white stars representing the regions or velayats of Turkmenistan appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe red with a black two-headed eagle in the center
GDP - purchasing power parity - $16.13 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 17.7%


industry: 39.2%


services: 43.2% (2006 est.)
agriculture: 47.5%


industry: 24.6%


services: 27.8% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate IMF estimate: 6%


note: official government statistics show 21.4% growth, but these estimates are widely regarded as unreliable (2006 est.)
7% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 40 00 N, 60 00 E 41 00 N, 20 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 strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
Heliports 1 (2007) 1 (2003 est.)
Highways - total: 18,000 km


paved: 5,400 km


unpaved: 12,600 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.6%


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


highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and Western European markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to a far lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; limited opium and growing cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and expanding in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens
Imports NA bbl/day NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals
Imports - partners UAE 15.5%, Turkey 11.1%, Ukraine 9.1%, Russia 9%, Germany 7.8%, Iran 7.6%, China 6.4%, US 4.5% (2006) Italy 33.6%, Greece 20.2%, Turkey 6.6%, Germany 5.7% (2003)
Independence 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union) 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)
Industrial production growth rate 22% (2003 est.) 2.7% (2003 est.)
Industries natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower
Infant mortality rate total: 53.49 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 57.84 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 48.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 22.31 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 23.01 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 21.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 11.5% (2006 est.) 2.4% (2003)
International organization participation AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land 18,000 sq km (2003) 3,400 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president) Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term), and multiple appeals and district courts
Labor force 2.32 million (2003 est.) 1.35 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 48.2%


industry: 13.8%


services: 37% (2003 est.)
agriculture 57%, non-agricultural private sector 20%, public sector 23% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries total: 3,736 km


border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379 km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km
total: 720 km


border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km
Land use arable land: 4.51%


permanent crops: 0.14%


other: 95.35% (2005)
arable land: 21.09%


permanent crops: 4.42%


other: 74.49% (2001)
Languages Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7% Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects
Legal system based on civil law system and Islamic law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for its citizens
Legislative branch two parliamentary bodies, a People's Council or Halk Maslahaty (supreme legislative body of up to 2,500 delegates, some elected by popular vote and some appointed; meets at least yearly) and a National Assembly or Mejlis (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: People's Council - last held in April 2003 (next to be held in December 2008); Mejlis - last held 19 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2008)


election results: Mejlis - DPT 100%; seats by party - DPT 50; note - all 50 elected officials are members of the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan and are preapproved by the president


note: in late 2003, a law was adopted reducing the powers of the Mejlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislative organ; the Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Mejlis, and the president is now able to participate in the Mejlis as its supreme leader; the Mejlis can no longer adopt or amend the constitution or announce referendums or its elections; since the president is both the "Chairman for Life" of the Halk Maslahaty and the supreme leader of the Mejlis, the 2003 law has the effect of making him the sole authority of both the executive and legislative branches of government
unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140 seats; 100 are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for four-year terms)


elections: last held 24 June 2001 with subsequent rounds on 8 July, 22 July, 29 July, 19 August 2001 (next to be held July 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - PS 41.5%, PD and coalition allies 36.8%, PDR 5.2%, PSD 3.6%, PBDNJ 2.6%, PASH (now PAA) 2.6%, PAD 2.5%; seats by party - PS 73, PD and coalition allies 46, PDR 6, PSD 4, PBDNJ 3, PASH (now PAA) 3, PAD 3, independents 2; note - seats by party as of January 2005: PS 65, PD and coalition allies 46, LSI 9, PDR 6, PSD 3, PBDNJ 3, PASH (now PAA) 3, PAD 3, PDS 1, independents 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 68.3 years


male: 65.23 years


female: 71.54 years (2007 est.)
total population: 77.06 years


male: 74.37 years


female: 80.02 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98.8%


male: 99.3%


female: 98.3% (1999 est.)
definition: age 9 and over can read and write


total population: 86.5%


male: 93.3%


female: 79.5% (2003 est.)
Location Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro
Map references Asia Europe
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 22,870 GRT/25,801 DWT


by type: cargo 4, combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2007)
total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 40,878 GRT/62,676 DWT


by type: bulk 1, cargo 19, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1


foreign-owned: Denmark 1, Honduras 1, Netherlands 1


registered in other countries: 7 (2004 est.)
Military branches Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (2007) General Staff Headquarters, Land Forces Command (Army), Naval Forces Command, Air Forces Command, Doctrine and Exercises Command, Logistics Support Command
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $56.5 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.4% (2005 est.) 1.49% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 956,107 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 775,422 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 36,584 (2004 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 27 October (1991) Independence Day, 28 November (1912)
Nationality noun: Turkmen(s)


adjective: Turkmenistani
noun: Albanian(s)


adjective: Albanian
Natural hazards NA destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower
Net migration rate -3.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -4.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines gas 6,441 km; oil 1,361 km (2006) gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT


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 National Democratic Movement of Turkmenistan (NDMT) and the United Democratic Party of Turkmenistan (UDPT); NDMT was led by former Foreign Minister Boris SHIKHMURADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in the wake of the 25 November 2002 assassination attempt on President NIYAZOV; UDPT is led by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and is based in Moscow
Agrarian Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI]; Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Nikolle LESI]; Communist Party of Albania or PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or PAD [Neritan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality Movement Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIU]; Liberal Union Party or PBL [Arjan STAROVA]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Adriatik ALIMADHI]; New Democratic Party or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQIRI]; Renewed Democratic Party or PDR [Dashamir SHEHI]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Social Democracy Party or PDS [Paskal MILO]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Ilir META]; Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albanian Party of Labor) [Fatos NANO]; Union for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vangjel DULE]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot MUCO]; Front for Albanian National Unification or FBKSH [Gafur ADILI]; Omonia [Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA]
Population 5,097,028 (July 2007 est.) 3,544,808 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 27% (2002) 30% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 1.617% (2007 est.) 0.51% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors - Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore
Radio broadcast stations AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998) AM 13, FM 4, shortwave 2 (2001)
Railways total: 2,440 km


broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2006)
total: 447 km


standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Religions Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2% Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%


note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.039 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.981 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.766 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female


total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: poorly developed


domestic: Turkmenistan's telecommunications network remains woefully underdeveloped; Turkmentelekom, in cooperation with foreign investors, is planning to upgrade the country's telephone exchanges and install a new digital switching system



international: country code - 993; 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 (2006)
general assessment: Despite new investment in fixed lines, the density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with roughly 8 lines per 100 people. However, cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective.


domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003 two companies were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of Albania's Balkan neighbors


international: country code - 355; inadequate fixed main lines; adequate cellular connections; international traffic carried by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2003)
Telephones - main lines in use 495,000 (2006) 255,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 105,000 (2005) 1.1 million (2003)
Television broadcast stations 4 (government-owned and programmed) (2004) 3 (plus 58 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 and hills; small plains along coast
Total fertility rate 3.13 children born/woman (2007 est.) 2.05 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 60% (2004 est.) 15.8% officially; may be as high as 30% (2003 est.)
Waterways 1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland waterways) (2006) 43 km (2004)
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