Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Western Sahara (2008) - Turkmenistan (2001)

Compare Western Sahara (2008) z Turkmenistan (2001)

 Western Sahara (2008)Turkmenistan (2001)
 Western SaharaTurkmenistan
Administrative divisions none (under de facto control of Morocco) 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: 45.4% (male 88,176/female 85,421)


15-64 years: 52.3% (male 98,345/female 101,895)


65 years and over: 2.3% (male 3,705/female 5,075) (2007 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 fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish cotton, grain; livestock
Airports 9 (2007) 76 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2007)
total:
13

2,438 to 3,047 m:
9

1,524 to 2,437 m:
4 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 6


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
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: 266,000 sq km


land: 266,000 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total:
488,100 sq km

land:
488,100 sq km

water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative about the size of Colorado slightly larger than California
Background Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. In April 2007, Morocco presented an autonomy plan for the territory to the UN, which the U.S. considers serious and credible. The Polisario also presented a plan to the UN in 2007. Since August 2007, representatives from the Government of Morocco and the Polisario Front have met three times to negotiate the status of Western Sahara, with a fourth round of negotiations planned for March 2008. 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 NA 39.95 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 28.55 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA
revenues:
$588.6 million

expenditures:
$658.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)
Capital none


time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Ashgabat
Climate hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew subtropical desert
Coastline 1,110 km 0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)
Constitution - adopted 18 May 1992
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Western Sahara


former: Spanish Sahara
conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Turkmenistan

local long form:
none

local short form:
Turkmenistan

former:
Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic
Currency - Turkmen manat (TMM)
Death rate NA 8.98 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $NA $2.5 billion (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US none 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 none 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 Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; several states have extended diplomatic relations to the "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" represented by the Polisario Front in exile in Algeria, while others recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; most of the approximately 102,000 Sahrawi refugees are sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria Caspian Sea boundaries are not yet determined among Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan
Economic aid - recipient $NA $27.2 million (1995)
Economy - overview Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. Incomes in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government controls all trade and other economic activities in Western Sahara. Morocco and the EU signed a four-year agreement in July 2006 allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. However, in 2006 the Polisario awarded similar exploration licenses in the disputed territory, which would come into force if Morocco and the Polisario resolve their dispute over Western Sahara. 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 79.05 million kWh (2005) 4.785 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 4.1 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 1.1 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 85 million kWh (2005) 8.371 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
99.94%

hydro:
0.06%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m


highest point: unnamed location 463 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 sparse water and lack of arable land 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: none of the selected agreements


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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
Ethnic groups Arab, Berber Turkmen 77%, Uzbek 9.2%, Russian 6.7%, Kazakh 2%, other 5.1% (1995)
Exchange rates Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.2827 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003) 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 none 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 0 bbl/day (2004) $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities phosphates 62% gas 33%, oil 30%, cotton fiber 18%, textiles 8% (1999)
Exports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) Ukraine, Iran, Turkey, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description - green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side, containing five carpet guls (designs used in producing rugs) stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to the olive branches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon and five white stars appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe
GDP - purchasing power parity - $19.6 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: 40%
agriculture:
25%

industry:
43%

services:
32% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA% 16% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 30 N, 13 00 W 40 00 N, 60 00 E
Geography - note the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas landlocked
Highways - total:
22,000 km

paved:
18,000 km (these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather)

unpaved:
4,000 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%:
2.6%

highest 10%:
31.7% (1998)
Illicit drugs - limited illicit cultivator of opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption; limited government eradication program; increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia to Russia and Western Europe; also a transshipment point for acetic anhydride destined for Afghanistan
Imports 1,698 bbl/day (2004) $1.65 billion (c.i.f., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs machinery and equipment 60%, foodstuffs 15% (1999)
Imports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) Ukraine, Turkey, Russia, Germany, US, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan
Independence - 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 18% (2000 est.)
Industries phosphate mining, handicrafts natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing
Infant mortality rate total: NA


male: NA


female: NA
73.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA% 14% (2000 est.)
International organization participation none 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) - NA
Irrigated land NA 13,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch - Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Labor force 12,000 2.34 million (1996)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 50%


industry and services: 50%
agriculture 44%, industry 19%, services 37% (1996)
Land boundaries total: 2,046 km


border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
total:
3,736 km

border countries:
Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379 km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km
Land use arable land: 0.02%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.98% (2005)
arable land:
3%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
63%

forests and woodland:
8%

other:
26% (1993 est.)
Languages Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%
Legal system - based on civil law system
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: NA


male: NA


female: NA
total population:
61 years

male:
57.43 years

female:
64.76 years (2001 est.)
Literacy NA definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
98%

male:
99%

female:
97% (1989 est.)
Location Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan
Map references Africa Commonwealth of Independent States
Maritime claims contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue none (landlocked)
Merchant marine - total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,459 GRT/8,865 DWT

ships by type:
container 1 (2000 est.)
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:
1,173,500 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
952,218 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
48,292 (2001 est.)
National holiday - Independence Day, 27 October (1991)
Nationality noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)


adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian
noun:
Turkmen(s)

adjective:
Turkmen
Natural hazards hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility NA
Natural resources phosphates, iron ore petroleum, natural gas, coal, sulfur, salt
Net migration rate - -1.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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 none NA
Population 382,617


note: estimate is based on projections by age, sex, fertility, mortality, and migration; fertility and mortality are based on data from neighboring countries (July 2007 est.)
4,603,244 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 58% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate NA 1.85% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors - Turkmenbashi
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios - 1.225 million (1997)
Railways - total:
2,187 km

broad gauge:
2,187 km 1.520-m gauge (1996 est.)
Religions Muslim Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%
Sex ratio NA 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; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: sparse and limited system


domestic: NA


international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
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 about 2,000 (1999 est.) 363,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 0 (1999) 4,300 (1998)
Television broadcast stations NA 3 (much programming relayed from Russia and Turkey) (1997)
Terrain mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast 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 NA 3.58 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% NA%
Waterways - the Amu Darya is an important inland waterway for Turkmenistan
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.