United Arab Emirates (2001) | Turkmenistan (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | 7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn | 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) |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
28.86% (male 354,298; female 340,498) 15-64 years: 68.74% (male 1,047,839; female 607,020) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 40,626; female 17,179) (2001 est.) |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish | cotton, grain; livestock |
Airports | 40 (2000 est.) | 76 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
22 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2000 est.) |
total:
13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
18 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
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.) |
Area | total:
82,880 sq km land: 82,880 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
488,100 sq km land: 488,100 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Maine | slightly larger than California |
Background | The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the UAE. They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is not far below those of the leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed it to play a vital role in the affairs of the region. | Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1925. It achieved its independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President NIYAZOV retains absolute control over the country and opposition is not tolerated. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects can be worked out. |
Birth rate | 18.11 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 28.55 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$6.5 billion expenditures: $7.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
revenues:
$588.6 million expenditures: $658.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
Capital | Abu Dhabi | Ashgabat |
Climate | desert; cooler in eastern mountains | subtropical desert |
Coastline | 1,318 km | 0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km) |
Constitution | 2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996) | adopted 18 May 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form:
United Arab Emirates conventional short form: none local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah local short form: none former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States abbreviation: UAE |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Turkmenistan local long form: none local short form: Turkmenistan former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic |
Currency | Emirati dirham (AED) | Turkmen manat (TMM) |
Death rate | 3.79 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 8.98 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $12.6 billion (2000 est.) | $2.5 billion (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Theodore H. KATTOUF embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi; American Embassy Abu Dhabi, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-6010 (pouch); note - work week is Saturday through Wednesday telephone: [971] (2) 4436691 FAX: [971] (2) 4435441 consulate(s) general: Dubai |
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 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI chancery: Suite 700, 1255 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 955-7999 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Mered ORAZOV chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500 FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697 |
Disputes - international | location and status of boundary with Saudi Arabia is not final, de facto boundary reflects 1974 agreement; boundary with Oman has not been bilaterally defined; northern section in the Musandam Peninsula is an administrative boundary; claims two islands in the Persian Gulf occupied by Iran: Lesser Tunb (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and Greater Tunb (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran); claims island in the Persian Gulf jointly administered with Iran (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran) - over which Iran has taken steps to exert unilateral control since 1992, including access restrictions and a military build-up on the island; the UAE has garnered significant diplomatic support in the region in protesting these Iranian actions | Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $27.2 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas output (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate with the prices of those commodities. Since 1973, the UAE has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. At present levels of production, oil and gas reserves should last for more than 100 years. Despite higher oil revenues in 1999-2000, the government has not drawn back from the economic reforms implemented during the 1998 oil price depression. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up its utilities to greater private-sector involvement. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 34.131 billion kWh (1999) | 4.785 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 4.1 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 1.1 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 36.7 billion kWh (1999) | 8.371 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
99.94% hydro: 0.06% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m |
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 |
Environment - current issues | lack of natural freshwater resources being overcome by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills | contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals, pesticides; salination, water-logging of soil due to poor irrigation methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large share of the flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to that river's inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982)
note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982) |
Turkmen 77%, Uzbek 9.2%, Russian 6.7%, Kazakh 2%, other 5.1% (1995) |
Exchange rates | Emirati dirhams per US dollar - central bank mid-point rate: 3.6725 (since 1998); 3.6711 (1997), 3.6710 (1995-96) | 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) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (since 2 December 1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 6 August 1966) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai) head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime Minister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) which is composed of the seven emirate rulers; the council is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation, Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power; meets four times a year elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC (a group of seven electors) for five-year terms; election last held NA October 1996 (next to be held NA October 2001); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president election results: ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president; percent of FSC vote - NA, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum elected vice president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous |
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% |
Exports | $46 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates | gas 33%, oil 30%, cotton fiber 18%, textiles 8% (1999) |
Exports - partners | Japan 30%, India 7%, Singapore 6%, South Korea 4%, Oman, Iran (1999) | Ukraine, Iran, Turkey, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a thicker vertical red band on the hoist side | green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side, containing five carpet guls (designs used in producing rugs) stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to the olive branches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon and five white stars appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $54 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $19.6 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
3% industry: 52% services: 45% (1996 est.) |
agriculture:
25% industry: 43% services: 32% (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $22,800 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4% (2000 est.) | 16% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 24 00 N, 54 00 E | 40 00 N, 60 00 E |
Geography - note | strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil | landlocked |
Heliports | 2 (2000 est.) | - |
Highways | total:
4,835 km paved: 4,835 km unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.) |
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%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
2.6% highest 10%: 31.7% (1998) |
Illicit drugs | growing role as heroin transshipment and money-laundering center due to its proximity to southwest Asian producing countries and the bustling free trade zone in Dubai | 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 |
Imports | $34 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $1.65 billion (c.i.f., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food | machinery and equipment 60%, foodstuffs 15% (1999) |
Imports - partners | Japan 9%, US 8%, UK 8%, Italy 6%, Germany, South Korea (1999) | Ukraine, Turkey, Russia, Germany, US, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan |
Independence | 2 December 1971 (from UK) | 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union) |
Industrial production growth rate | 4% (2000) | 18% (2000 est.) |
Industries | petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling | natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing |
Infant mortality rate | 16.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 73.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 4.5% (2000 est.) | 14% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO | 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) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | NA |
Irrigated land | 50 sq km (1993 est.) | 13,000 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president) | Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president) |
Labor force | 1.4 million (1998 est.)
note: 75% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.) |
2.34 million (1996) |
Labor force - by occupation | services 60%, industry 32%, agriculture 8% (1996 est.) | agriculture 44%, industry 19%, services 37% (1996) |
Land boundaries | total:
867 km border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km |
total:
3,736 km border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379 km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 2% forests and woodland: 0% other: 98% (1993 est.) |
arable land:
3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 63% forests and woodland: 8% other: 26% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu | Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7% |
Legal system | federal court system introduced in 1971; all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah have joined the federal system; all emirates have secular and Islamic law for civil, criminal, and high courts | based on civil law system |
Legislative branch | unicameral Federal National Council or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms)
elections: none note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto |
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:
74.29 years male: 71.84 years female: 76.86 years (2001 est.) |
total population:
61 years male: 57.43 years female: 64.76 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79.2% male: 78.9% female: 79.8% (1995 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 97% (1989 est.) |
Location | Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia | Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan |
Map references | Middle East | Commonwealth of Independent States |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total:
70 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,094,256 GRT/1,421,333 DWT ships by type: cargo 16, chemical tanker 3, container 17, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 24, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 1 (2000 est.) |
total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,459 GRT/8,865 DWT ships by type: container 1 (2000 est.) |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense, paramilitary (includes Federal Police Force) | Ministry of Defense (Army, Air and Air Defense, Navy, Border Troops, and Internal Troops), National Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $1.6 billion (FY00) | $90 million (FY99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 3.1% (FY00) | 3.4% (FY99) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
778,842 note: includes non-nationals (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
1,173,500 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
420,484 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
952,218 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age | 18 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
25,482 (2001 est.) |
males:
48,292 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 2 December (1971) | Independence Day, 27 October (1991) |
Nationality | noun:
Emirati(s) adjective: Emirati |
noun:
Turkmen(s) adjective: Turkmen |
Natural hazards | frequent sand and dust storms | NA |
Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas | petroleum, natural gas, coal, sulfur, salt |
Net migration rate | 1.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -1.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 830 km; natural gas, including natural gas liquids, 870 km | crude oil 250 km; natural gas 4,400 km |
Political parties and leaders | none | 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 | NA |
Population | 2,407,460
note: includes 1,576,472 non-nationals (July 2001 est.) |
4,603,244 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 58% (1999 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.59% (2001 est.) | 1.85% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn | Turkmenbashi |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 13, FM 7, shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | 820,000 (1997) | 1.225 million (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | total:
2,187 km broad gauge: 2,187 km 1.520-m gauge (1996 est.) |
Religions | Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4% | Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.73 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.36 male(s)/female total population: 1.5 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
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.) |
Suffrage | none | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
modern system consisting of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai domestic: microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia |
general assessment:
poorly developed domestic: NA international: linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; a new telephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat |
Telephones - main lines in use | 915,223 (1998) | 363,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1 million (1999) | 4,300 (1998) |
Television broadcast stations | 15 (1997) | 3 (much programming relayed from Russia and Turkey) (1997) |
Terrain | flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east | flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west |
Total fertility rate | 3.23 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 3.58 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | NA% |
Waterways | none | the Amu Darya is an important inland waterway for Turkmenistan |