Turkmenistan

Central Asia Ashgabat

Population

5.74M

Area

488,100 km²

GDP

$64.24B

GDP Per Capita

$18,000

Pop. Density

12/km²

Quick Facts

Currency

mTurkmenistan manat(TMT)

Calling Code

+993

Timezone

UTC+05:00

Languages

Russian, Turkmen

Driving Side

right

Demonym

Turkmen

Background

Present-day Turkmenistan has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. Various Persian empires ruled the area in antiquity, and Alexander the Great, Muslim armies, the Mongols, Turkic warriors, and eventually the Russians conquered it. In medieval times, Merv (located in present-day Mary province) was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by Russia in the late 1800s, Turkmen territories later figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik resistance in Central Asia. In 1924, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic; it achieved independence when the USSR dissolved in 1991.

President for Life Saparmurat NIYAZOV died in 2006, and Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV, a deputy chairman under NIYAZOW, emerged as the country's new president. BERDIMUHAMEDOV won Turkmenistan's first multi-candidate presidential election in 2007, and again in 2012 and 2017 with over 97% of the vote in elections widely regarded as undemocratic. In 2022, BERDIMUHAMEDOV announced that he would step down from the presidency and called for an election to replace him. His son, Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV, won the ensuing election with 73% of the vote. Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV, although no longer head of state, maintains an influential political position as head of the Halk Maslahaty (People’s Council) and as National Leader of the Turkmen People, a title that provides additional privileges and immunity for him and his family. Since Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV stepped down from the presidency, state-controlled media upgraded his honorific from Arkadag (protector) to Hero-Arkadag, and began referring to Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV as Arkadagly Serdar, which can be translated as "Serdar who has a protector to support him."

Turkmenistan has sought new export markets for its extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves, which have yet to be fully exploited. Turkmenistan's reliance on gas exports has made the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in the global energy market, and economic hardships since the drop in energy prices in 2014 have led many citizens of Turkmenistan to emigrate, mostly to Turkey.

Historical Trends

GDP (USD)

↑400.0% since 2006

$10B (2006)$51B (2024)

Population

↑45.6% since 2006

5.1M (2006)7.5M (2024)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Latest: 70.1 years

2006: 66.6 years2023: 70.1 years

Data source: World Bank Open Data

Geography20

Location

Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan

Geographic coordinates

40 00 N, 60 00 E

Map references

Asia

Area

total : 488,100 sq km
land: 469,930 sq km
water: 18,170 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than three times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than California

Land boundaries

total: 4,158 km
border countries: Afghanistan 804 km; Iran 1,148 km; Kazakhstan 413 km; Uzbekistan 1,793 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Climate

subtropical desert

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

Elevation

highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m
lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya (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) -81 m
mean elevation: 230 m

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt

Land use

agricultural land

84.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 3.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 80.8% (2023 est.)

forest

5% (2023 est.)

other

10.7% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

16,459 sq km (2012)

Major lakes (area sq km)

salt water lake(s): Caspian Sea (shared with Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Amu Darya (shared with Tajikistan [s], Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan [m]) - 2,620 km

note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: (Aral Sea basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km)

Population distribution

the most densely populated areas are the southern, eastern, and northeastern oases; approximately 50% of the population lives in and around the capital of Ashgabat

Natural hazards

earthquakes; mudslides; droughts; dust storms; floods

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

People & Society36

Population

total: 5,744,151 (2024 est.)
male: 2,842,870
female: 2,901,281

Nationality

noun: Turkmenistani(s)
adjective: Turkmenistani

Ethnic groups

Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003 est.)

Languages

Languages: Turkmen (official) 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%
major-language sample(s):
Dünýä Faktlar Kitaby – esasy maglumatlaryň wajyp çeşmesidir (Turkmen)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

Muslim 93%, Christian 6.4%, Buddhist <1%, folk religion <1%, Jewish <1%, other <1%, unspecified <1% (2020 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 24.5% (male 711,784/female 692,967)
15-64 years: 68.6% (male 1,956,740/female 1,984,333)
65 years and over: 6.9% (2024 est.) (male 174,346/female 223,981)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 45.8 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 35.6 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 10.1 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 9.9 (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 31.6 years (2025 est.)
male: 30.7 years
female: 31.7 years

Population growth rate

0.88% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

16.43 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

5.99 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

-1.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

the most densely populated areas are the southern, eastern, and northeastern oases; approximately 50% of the population lives in and around the capital of Ashgabat

Urbanization

urban population: 54% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

902,000 ASHGABAT (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

24.2 years (2019)

Maternal mortality ratio

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 35 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 43.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 27.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.4 years (2024 est.)
male: 69.4 years
female: 75.5 years

Total fertility rate

2.02 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.99 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 5.6% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 8.5% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

1.93 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Hospital bed density

4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban

urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

18.6% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 2.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.65 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 1.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 4.8% (2025 est.)
male: 9.4% (2025 est.)
female: 0.5% (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.1% (2019 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

65% (2019 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 0.2% (2019)
women married by age 18: 6.1% (2019)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 2.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 29.6% national budget (2024 est.)

Literacy

total population: 99.9% (2022 est.)
male: 99.9% (2022 est.)
female: 99.9% (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years (2023 est.)
male: 12 years (2022 est.)
female: 12 years (2022 est.)

Government23

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Turkmenistan

local long form

none

local short form

Turkmenistan

former

Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic

etymology

the suffix -stan means "land," so the country name means the "Land of the Turkmen [people];" the people's name means "Turk-like," from the Persian words tork and mandan, referring to their formerly nomadic lifestyle that differed from the settled Turks of Turkey

Government type

presidential republic; authoritarian

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)
etymology: derived from the Turkmen words ushq, meaning "love," and abad, meaning "inhabited place" or "town;" the city was originally a military outpost built in 1881 that took its name from an ancient settlement on the site

Administrative divisions

5 provinces (velayatlar, singular - velayat) and 1 independent city*: Ahal Velayat (Arkadag), Ashgabat*, Balkan Velayat (Balkanabat), Dashoguz Velayat, Lebap Velayat (Turkmenabat), Mary Velayat

Legal system

civil law system with Islamic (sharia) law influences

Constitution

history: several previous; latest adopted 14 September 2016
amendment process: proposed by the Assembly or Mejlis; passage requires two-thirds majority vote or absolute majority approval in a referendum

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Turkmenistan
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state

President Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV (since 19 March 2022)

head of government

President Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV (since 19 March 2022)

cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

election/appointment process

president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 7-year term (no term limits)

most recent election date

12 March 2022

election results

2022: Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV elected president; percent of vote - Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV (DPT) 73%, Khydyr NUNNAYEV (independent) 11.1%, Agadzhan BEKMYRADOV (IAP) 7.2%, other 8.7%

2017: Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV (DPT) 97.7%, other 2.3%

expected date of next election

2029

Legislative branch

legislature name

Assembly (Mejlis)

legislative structure

unicameral

number of seats

56 (48 indirectly elected; 8 appointed)

electoral system

plurality/majority

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

most recent election date

3/28/2021

parties elected and seats per party

Democratic Party of Turkmenistan (DPT) (65); Groups of citizens of Turkmenistan (28); Agrarian Party (24); Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (8)

percentage of women in chamber

25.5%

expected date of next election

March 2028

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Turkmenistan (consists of the court president and 21 associate judges and organized into civil, criminal, and military chambers)
judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president for 5-year terms
subordinate courts: High Commercial Court; appellate courts; provincial, district, and city courts; military courts

Political parties

Agrarian Party of Turkmenistan or TAP
Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan or TSTP
The Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or TDP

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Meret ORAZOV (since 14 February 2001)
chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500
FAX: [1] (202) 588-1500
email address and website:
[email protected]

https://usa.tmembassy.gov.tm/en

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Elizabeth ROOD (since 31 July 2024)

embassy

9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat 744000

mailing address

7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, DC 20521-7070

telephone

[993] (12) 94-00-45

FAX

[993] (12) 94-26-14

email address and website

[email protected]

https://tm.usembassy.gov/

International organization participation

ADB, CIS (associate member, has not ratified the 1993 CIS charter although it participates in meetings and held the chairmanship of the CIS in 2012), EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO

Independence

27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Flag

description: green field with a vertical red stripe near the left side; the stripe has five tribal guls (designs used in producing carpets) stacked above two crossed olive branches; five five-pointed white stars and a white crescent moon appear in the upper left corner of the main field

meaning: the green color and crescent moon stand for Islam, the five stars for the country's regions, and the guls for national identity

National symbol(s)

Akhal-Teke horse

National color(s)

green, white

National anthem(s)

title: "Garaşsyz, Bitarap Türkmenistanyň" (Independent, Neutral, Turkmenistan State Anthem)
lyrics/music: collective/Veli MUKHATOV
history: adopted 1997; lyrics revised in 2008 to eliminate references to deceased President Saparmurat NYYAZOW

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 5 (4 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Ancient Merv (c); Kunya-Urgench (c); Parthian Fortresses of Nisa (c); Cold Winter Deserts of Turan (n); Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor (c)

Economy24

Economic overview

upper-middle-income Central Asian economy; houses fourth-largest natural gas reserves and rich in natural resources; authoritarian and dominated by state-owned enterprises; challenges include overvalued currency, high inflation risks, lack of economic diversification due to heavy state control and bureaucracy

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $134.555 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $131.576 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $123.778 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2024: 2.3% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 6.3% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 6.2% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024: $18,000 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $17,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $17,100 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$64.24 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 11.5% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021: 19.5% (2021 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020: 6.1% (2020 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 11.3% (2023 est.)
industry: 39.3% (2023 est.)
services: 49.4% (2023 est.)

Agricultural products

milk, wheat, potatoes, cotton, watermelons, tomatoes, grapes, barley, beef, lamb/mutton (2023)

Industries

natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing

Labor force

2.445 million (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2024: 4.4% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 4.1% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 4.2% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 9.6% (2024 est.)
male: 14.7% (2024 est.)
female: 6% (2024 est.)

Average household expenditures

on food: 36.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 2.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2023: 0% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 0% of GDP (2021 est.)

Budget

revenues: $5.954 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $6.134 billion (2019 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016: 24.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Exports

Exports 2023: $13.111 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $14.67 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2021: $10.282 billion (2021 est.)

Exports - partners

China 63%, Turkey 11%, Greece 7%, Uzbekistan 6%, Azerbaijan 4% (2023)

Exports - commodities

natural gas, refined petroleum, fertilizers, crude petroleum, electricity (2023)

Imports

Imports 2023: $7.563 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $7.362 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2021: $6.25 billion (2021 est.)

Imports - partners

Turkey 21%, UAE 21%, China 20%, Kazakhstan 8%, Germany 5% (2023)

Imports - commodities

broadcasting equipment, cars, wheat, computers, iron pipes (2023)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023: $3.696 billion (2023 est.)

Exchange rates

Currency: Turkmenistani manat (TMM) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2017: 4.125 (2017 est.)
Exchange rates 2016: 3.5 (2016 est.)
Exchange rates 2015: 3.5 (2015 est.)
Exchange rates 2014: 3.5 (2014 est.)

Energy7

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 6.512 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 21.526 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 9 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 3.258 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

imports: 200 metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 799.999 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 272,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 152,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 600 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas

production: 84.277 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 44.936 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 41.334 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 11.327 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 261.142 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Communications6

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 802,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 6.25 million (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 99 (2021 est.)

Broadcast media

state-controlled broadcast media; 7 state-owned TV and 4 state-owned radio networks; satellite dishes available for other broadcasts; officials sometimes limit access to satellite TV by removing satellite dishes

Internet country code

.tm

Internet users

percent of population: 21% (2017 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 377,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2022 est.)

Transportation5

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

23 (2025)

Heliports

25 (2025)

Railways

total: 5,113 km (2017)
broad gauge: 5,113 km (2017) 1.520-m gauge

Merchant marine

total: 73 (2023)
by type: general cargo 6, oil tanker 8, other 59

Military & Security6

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of Turkmenistan (aka Turkmen National Army): Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy

Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Troops, Turkmen (National) Police, Federal/State Border Guard Service (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019: 1.9% of GDP (2019 est.)
Military Expenditures 2018: 1.8% of GDP (2018 est.)
Military Expenditures 2017: 1.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
Military Expenditures 2016: 1.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
Military Expenditures 2015: 1.5% of GDP (2015 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimated 35,000 active Armed Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory is comprised largely of Russian/Soviet-era armaments with smaller quantities from suppliers such as Brazil, China, Italy, and Türkiye (2025)

Military service age and obligation

18-27 years of age for compulsory military service for men and volunteer service for men and women; 24-month conscript service obligation (2025)

Military - note

the military is responsible for external defense and works closely with the Border Service on protecting the country’s borders; areas of emphasis for the military include border security, competition on the Caspian Sea, regional stability, and military modernization; while Turkmenistan has a policy of permanent and "positive" neutrality and has declined to participate in post-Soviet military groupings such as the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, it has participated in multinational exercises and bilateral training with neighboring countries, including Russia and Uzbekistan; Turkmenistan joined NATO's Partnership for Peace program in 1994, but it does not offer any military forces to NATO-led operations (2025)

Transnational Issues2

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 3,409 (2024 est.)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Turkmenistan does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so, therefore Turkmenistan was upgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/turkmenistan/

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