Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Ahmet Necdet SEZER (since 16 May 2000)head of government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (14 March2003)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on thenomination of the prime ministerelections: president elected by the National Assembly for aseven-year term; election last held 5 May 2000 (next to be held May2007); prime minister appointed by the president from among membersof parliamentelection results: Ahmed Necdet SEZER elected president on the thirdballot; percent of National Assembly vote - 60%note: president must have a two-thirds majority of the NationalAssembly on the first two ballots and a simple majority on the thirdballot
Legislative branch:unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye BuyukMillet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote toserve five-year terms)elections: last held 3 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); note- a special rerun of the General Election in the province of Siirton 9 March 2003 resulted in the election of Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN toa seat in parliament, a prerequisite for becoming prime minister, on14 March 2003election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 34.3%, CHP 19.4%,DYP 9.6%, MHP 8.3%, ANAP 5.1%, DSP 1.1%, and others; seats by party- AKP 363, CHP 178, independents 9; note - parties surpassing the10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats; seats by party asof 1 December 2004 - AKP 368, CHP 171, DYP 4, LDP 1, independents 5,vacant 1
Judicial branch:Constitutional Court; High Court of Appeals (Yargitay); Council ofState (Danistay); Court of Accounts (Sayistay); Military High Courtof Appeals; Military High Administrative Court
Political parties and leaders:Democratic Left Party or DSP [Mehmet Zeki SEZER]; DemocraticPeople's Party or DEHAP [Tuncer BAKIRHAN]; Justice and DevelopmentParty or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP[Emin SIRIN]; Motherland Party or ANAP [Ali Talip OZDEMIR];Nationalist Action Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]; RepublicanPeople's Party or CHP (includes the New Turkey Party) [DenizBAYKAL]; Felicity Party (sometimes translated as Contentment Party)or SP [Necmettin ERBEKAN]; Social Democratic People's Party or SHP[Murat KARAYALCIN]; True Path Party (sometimes translated as CorrectWay Party) or DYP [Mehmet AGAR]note: the parties listed above are some of the more significant ofthe 49 parties that Turkey had on 1 December 2004
Political pressure groups and leaders:Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Sami EVREN];Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK [SuleymanCELEBI]; Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Associationor MUSIAD [Omer BOLAT]; Moral Rights Workers Union or Hak-Is [SalimUSLU]; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association orTUSIAD [Omer SABANCI]; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions orTISK [Refik BAYDUR]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or Turk-Is[Salih KILIC]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen orTESK [Dervis GUNDAY]; Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce andCommodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat HISARCIKLIOGLU]
International organization participation:AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN (observer), EAPC, EBRD,ECO, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW,OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNRWA,UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Osman Faruk LOGOGLU chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Eric S. EDELMAN embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823 telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555 FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019 consulate(s) general: Istanbul consulate(s): Adana; note - there is a Consular Agent in Izmir
Flag description:red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is towardthe hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outsidethe crescent opening
Economy Turkey
Economy - overview:Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of modern industry andcommerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that in 2004still accounted for more than 35% of employment. It has a strong andrapidly growing private sector, yet the state still plays a majorrole in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. Thelargest industrial sector is textiles and clothing, which accountsfor one-third of industrial employment; it faces stiff competitionin international markets with the end of the global quota system.However, other sectors, notably the automotive and electronicsindustries, are rising in importance within Turkey's export mix. Inrecent years the economic situation has been marked by erraticeconomic growth and serious imbalances. Real GNP growth has exceeded6% in many years, but this strong expansion has been interrupted bysharp declines in output in 1994, 1999, and 2001. Inflation, inrecent years in the high double-digit range, fell to 9.3% by 2004 -a 30-year low. Despite these strong economic gains in 2002-04, whichwere largely due to renewed investor interest in emerging markets,IMF backing, and tighter fiscal policy, the economy is still plaguedwith high debt and deficits. The public sector fiscal deficitexceeds 6% of GDP - due in large part to the huge burden of interestpayments, which accounted for more than 40% of central governmentspending in 2004, and to populist spending. Foreign directinvestment (FDI) in Turkey remains low - averaging less than $1billion annually, but further economic and judicial reforms andprospective EU membership are expected to boost FDI. A majorpolitical and economic issue over the next decade is whether or notTurkey will become a member of the EU.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$508.7 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:8.2% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $7,400 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.7% industry: 29.8% services: 58.5% (2003 est.)
Labor force:25.3 millionnote: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 35.9%, industry 22.8%, services 41.2% (3rd quarter,2004)
Unemployment rate:9.3% (plus underemployment of 4.0%) (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:20% (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 30.7% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:42 (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):9.3% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):17.3% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $78.53 billionexpenditures: $110.9 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2004 est.)
Public debt:74.3% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulse, citrus;livestock
Industries:textiles, food processing, autos, mining (coal, chromite, copper,boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper
Industrial production growth rate:16.5% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:139.7 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 79.3% hydro: 20.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0.3% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:117.9 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:433 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:3.6 billion kWh (2002)
Oil - production:48,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:619,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:46,110 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:616,500 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:288.4 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:312 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:15.94 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:15.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:8.685 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$-15.3 billion (2004 est.)
Exports:$69.46 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transportequipment
Exports - partners:Germany 13.9%, UK 8.8%, US 7.7%, Italy 7.4%, France 5.8%, Spain4.2% (2004)
Imports:$94.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transportequipment
Imports - partners:Germany 12.9%, Russia 9.3%, Italy 7.1%, France 6.4%, US 4.8%, China4.6%, UK 4.4% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$37.1 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$16.9 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:ODA, $635.8 million (2002)
Currency (code):Turkish lira (TRL), New Turkish lira (YTL) after 1 January 2005
Currency code:TRL, YTL
Exchange rates:Turkish liras per US dollar - 1,425,500 (2004), 1,500,900 (2003),1,507,200 (2002), 1,225,600 (2001), 625,200 (2000)Note: on 1 January 2005 the old Turkish Lira (TRL)was converted toNew Turkish Lira (YTL) at a rate of 1,000,000 old to 1 New TurkishLira
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Turkey
Telephones - main lines in use:18,916,700 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:27,887,500 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: undergoing rapid modernization and expansion,especially with cellular telephonesdomestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapidincrease in subscribers; the construction of a network oftechnologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using bothfiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay is facilitatingcommunication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by adomestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobilecellular telephone service is growing rapidlyinternational: country code - 90; international service is providedby three submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and BlackSeas, linking Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania,and Russia; also by 12 Intelsat earth stations, and by 328 mobilesatellite terminals in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 16, FM 107, shortwave 6 (2001)
Radios:11.3 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:635 (plus 2,934 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:20.9 million (1997)
Internet country code:.tr
Internet hosts:355,215 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):50 (2001)
Internet users:5.5 million (2003)
Transportation Turkey
Railways: total: 8,697 km standard gauge: 8,697 km 1.435-m gauge (2,122 km electrified) (2004)
Highways:total: 354,421 kmpaved: 147,404 km (including 1,851 km of expressways)unpaved: 207,017 km (2002)
Waterways:1,200 km (2003)
Pipelines:gas 3,177 km; oil 3,562 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Aliaga, Ambarli, Eregli, Haydarpasa, Istanbul, Kocaeli (Izmit),Skhira, Toros
Merchant marine:total: 526 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,666,895 GRT/7,311,504 DWTby type: bulk carrier 108, cargo 228, chemical tanker 45,combination ore/oil 1, container 25, liquefied gas 6, passenger 5,passenger/cargo 50, petroleum tanker 33, refrigerated cargo 2, rollon/roll off 22, specialized tanker 1foreign-owned: 8 (Cyprus 3, Denmark 2, Greece 1, Italy 1,Switzerland 1)registered in other countries: 231 (2005)
Airports:119 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 87over 3,047 m: 162,438 to 3,047 m: 301,524 to 2,437 m: 20914 to 1,523 m: 17under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 32over 3,047 m: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 2914 to 1,523 m: 8under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)
Heliports:14 (2004 est.)
Military Turkey
Military branches:Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Land Forces, Naval Forces (includesNaval Air and Naval Infantry), Air Force
Military service age and obligation:20 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 20-49: 16,756,323 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 20-49: 13,905,901 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 679,734 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$12.155 billion (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:5.3% (2003)
Military - note:in the early 1990s, the Turkish Land Force was a large but badlyequipped infantry force; there were 14 infantry divisions, but onlyone was mechanized, and out of 16 infantry brigades, only six weremechanized; the overhaul that has taken place since has producedhighly moblie forces with greatly enhanced firepower in accordancewith NATO's new strategic concept (2005)
Transnational Issues Turkey
Disputes - international:complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in theAegean Sea; status of north Cyprus question remains; Syria and Iraqprotest Turkish hydrological projects to control upper Euphrateswaters; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds inIraq; border with Armenia remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 350,000-1,000,000 (fighting from 1984-99 between Kurdish PKKand Turkish military; most IDPs in southeastern provinces) (2004)
Illicit drugs:key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe and- to a far lesser extent the US - via air, land, and sea routes;major Turkish, Iranian, and other international traffickingorganizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convertimported morphine base into heroin are in remote regions of Turkeyas well as near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls overareas of legal opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy strawconcentrate
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Turkmenistan
Introduction Turkmenistan
Background:Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became aSoviet republic in 1924. It achieved its independence upon thedissolution of the USSR in 1991. President NIYAZOV retains absolutecontrol over the country and opposition is not tolerated. Extensivehydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to thisunderdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects were tobe expanded. The Turkmenistan Government is actively seeking todevelop alternative petroleum transportation routes in order tobreak Russia's pipeline monopoly.
Geography Turkmenistan
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 kmland: 488,100 sq kmwater: negl.
Area - comparative:slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:total: 3,736 kmborder countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km
Coastline:0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:subtropical desert
Terrain:flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in thesouth; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea inwest
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note - Sarygamysh Koli is alake in northern Turkmenistan with a water level that fluctuatesabove and below the elevation of Vpadina Akchanaya (the lake hasdropped as low as -110 m)highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m
Natural resources:petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt
Land use: arable land: 3.72% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 96.14% (2001)
Irrigated land:17,500 sq km (2003 est.)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals,pesticides; salination, water-logging of soil due to poor irrigationmethods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large share of theflow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to that river'sinability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protectionsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:landlocked; the western and central low-lying, desolate portions ofthe country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert, whichoccupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau
People Turkmenistan
Population:4,952,081 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 35.7% (male 909,113/female 860,128)15-64 years: 60.2% (male 1,462,198/female 1,516,836)65 years and over: 4.1% (male 78,119/female 125,687) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 21.56 yearsmale: 20.68 yearsfemale: 22.44 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:1.81% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:27.68 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:8.78 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 73.08 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 76.9 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 69.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 61.39 yearsmale: 58.02 yearsfemale: 64.93 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.41 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:less than 200 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 100 (2004 est.)
Nationality:noun: Turkmen(s)adjective: Turkmen
Ethnic groups:Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003)
Religions:Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%
Languages:Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 98.8%male: 99.3%female: 98.3% (1995 est.)
Government Turkmenistan
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Turkmenistanlocal long form: nonelocal short form: Turkmenistanformer: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little poweroutside the executive branch
Capital:Ashgabat
Administrative divisions:5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat): Ahal Welayaty(Ashgabat), Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dashoguz Welayaty, LebapWelayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayatynote: administrative divisions have the same names as theiradministrative centers (exceptions have the administrative centername following in parentheses)
Independence:27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday:Independence Day, 27 October (1991)
Constitution:adopted 18 May 1992
Legal system:based on civil law system
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of MinistersSaparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first directpresidential election occurred); note - the president is both thechief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President and Chairman of the Cabinet ofMinisters Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the firstdirect presidential election occurred); note - the president is boththe chief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the presidentnote: NIYAZOV's term in office was extended indefinitely on 28December 1999 during a session of the People's Council (HalkMaslahaty)elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 21 June 1992 (next to be held in 2008 whenNIYAZOV turns 70 and is constitutionally ineligible to run); note -President NIYAZOV was unanimously approved as president for life bythe People's Council on 28 December 1999; deputy chairmen of thecabinet of ministers are appointed by the presidentelection results: Saparmurat NIYAZOV elected president withoutopposition; percent of vote - Saparmurat NIYAZOV 99.5%
Legislative branch:under the 1992 constitution, there are two parliamentary bodies, aunicameral People's Council or Halk Maslahaty (supreme legislativebody of up to 2,500 delegates, some of whom are elected by popularvote and some of whom are appointed; meets at least yearly) and aunicameral Parliament or Mejlis (50 seats; members are elected bypopular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: People's Council - last held in April 2003; Mejlis - lastheld 19 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)election results: Mejlis - DPT 100%; seats by party - DPT 50; note -all 50 elected officials are members of the Democratic Party ofTurkmenistan and are preapproved by President NIYAZOVnote: in late 2003, a new law was adopted, reducing the powers ofthe Mejlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislativeorgan; the Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Mejlis, andthe president is now able to participate in the Mejlis as itssupreme leader; the Mejlis can no longer adopt or amend theconstitution, or announce referendums or its elections; since thepresident is both the "Chairman for Life" of the Halk Maslahaty andthe supreme leader of the Mejlis, the 2003 law has the effect ofmaking him the sole authority of both the executive and legislativebranches of government
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Political parties and leaders:Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Saparmurat NIYAZOV]note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, smallopposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries; thetwo most prominent opposition groups-in-exile have been Gundogar andErkin; Gundogar was led by former Foreign Minister BorisSHIKHMURADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in the wake of the 25November 2002 assassination attempt on President NIYAZOV; Erkin isled by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and is based out ofMoscow; the Union of Democratic Forces, a coalition ofopposition-in-exile groups, is based in Europe
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC,IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU,MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Mered Bairamovich ORAZOVchancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey A. JACOBSONembassy: 9 Pushkin (1984) Street, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 774000mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-7070telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45FAX: [9] (9312) 39-26-14
Flag description:green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side,containing five carpet guls (designs used in producing rugs) stackedabove two crossed olive branches similar to the olive branches onthe UN flag; a white crescent moon and five white stars appear inthe upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe
Economy Turkmenistan
Economy - overview:Turkmenistan is largely desert country with intensive agriculturein irrigated oases and large gas and oil resources. One-half of itsirrigated land is planted in cotton; formerly it was the world'stenth-largest producer. Poor harvests in recent years have led to anearly 46% decline in cotton exports. With an authoritarianex-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 inefficienteconomy. Privatization goals remain limited. In 1998-2004,Turkmenistan suffered from the continued lack of adequate exportroutes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive short-termexternal debt. At the same time, however, total exports rose byperhaps 30% in 2003 and 19% in 2004, largely because of higherinternational oil and gas prices. Overall prospects in the nearfuture are discouraging because of widespread internal poverty, theburden of foreign debt, the government's irrational use of oil andgas revenues, and its unwillingness to adopt market-orientedreforms. Turkmenistan's economic statistics are state secrets, andGDP and other figures are subject to wide margins of error. Inparticular, the rate of GDP growth is uncertain.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$27.6 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: IMF estimate: 7.5% note: official government statistics show 21.4% growth, but these estimates are notoriously unreliable (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,700 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28.5% industry: 42.7% services: 28.8% (2004 est.)
Labor force:2.32 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 48.2%, industry 13.8%, services 37% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:60% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:58% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:40.8 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):9% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):29% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $3.05 billionexpenditures: $3.05 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:cotton, grain; livestock
Industries:natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing
Industrial production growth rate:official government estimate: 22% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production:11.41 billion kWh (2004 est.)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:8.908 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:1.136 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:162,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:63,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Oil - proved reserves:273 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:58.57 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:9.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:43.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:1.43 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$114 million (2004 est.)
Exports:$4 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, cotton fiber, textiles
Exports - partners:Ukraine 46.6%, Iran 17.3%, Turkey 4.2%, Italy 4.1% (2004)
Imports:$2.85 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:US 11.8%, Russia 9.7%, UAE 9.2%, Ukraine 9%, Turkey 8.6%, Germany8%, France 5%, Georgia 4.6%, Iran 4.5% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$3.034 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$16 million from the US (2001)
Currency (code):Turkmen manat (TMM)
Currency code:TMM
Exchange rates:Turkmen manats per US dollar - 10,100 (2004), 10,034 (2003), 10,098(2002), 5,200 (2001)note: in recent years the unofficial rate has hovered around 21,000manats to the dollar
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Turkmenistan
Telephones - main lines in use:374,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:52,000 (2004)
Telephone system:general assessment: poorly developeddomestic: NAinternational: country code - 993; linked by cable and microwaveradio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leasedconnections to the Moscow international gateway switch; a newtelephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a newexchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkeyvia Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations:AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:1.225 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:4 (government owned and programmed) (2004)
Televisions:820,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.tm
Internet hosts:524 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1
Internet users:8,000 (2002)
Transportation Turkmenistan
Railways: total: 2,440 km broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2004)
Highways: total: 24,000 km paved: 19,488 km unpaved: 4,512 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland waterways)(2003)
Pipelines:gas 6,549 km; oil 1,395 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Turkmenbasy
Merchant marine:total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,873 GRT/8,345 DWTby type: cargo 3, combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 2,refrigerated cargo 1 (2005)
Airports:53 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 23 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Turkmenistan
Military branches:Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces (2004)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 1,132,833 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 759,978 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 56,532 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$90 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:3.4% (FY99)
Transnational Issues Turkmenistan
Disputes - international:cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan createswater-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; bilateraltalks continue with Azerbaijan on dividing the seabed and contestedoilfields in the middle of the Caspian; demarcation of land boundarywith Kazakhstan has started but Caspian seabed delimitation remainsstalled
Illicit drugs:transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and WesternEuropean markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals boundfor Afghanistan
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Turks and Caicos Islands
Introduction Turks and Caicos Islands
Background:The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, whenthey assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica'sindependence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separategovernor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982,the policy was reversed and the islands remain a British overseasterritory.
Geography Turks and Caicos Islands
Location:Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeastof The Bahamas, north of Haiti
Geographic coordinates:21 45 N, 71 35 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 430 sq kmland: 430 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:389 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry
Terrain:low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Hills 49 m
Natural resources: spiny lobster, conch
Land use: arable land: 2.33% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA sq km
Natural hazards:frequent hurricanes
Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater
Geography - note: about 40 islands (eight inhabited)
People Turks and Caicos Islands
Population:20,556 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 32.5% (male 3,396/female 3,277)15-64 years: 63.8% (male 6,900/female 6,220)65 years and over: 3.7% (male 342/female 421) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 27.35 yearsmale: 28.08 yearsfemale: 26.62 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:2.9% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:22.23 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:4.28 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:11.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 15.67 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 18.11 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 13.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 74.51 yearsmale: 72.28 yearsfemale: 76.84 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.08 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality: noun: none adjective: none
Ethnic groups:black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10%
Religions:Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other14% (1990)
Languages:English (official)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over has ever attended schooltotal population: 98%male: 99%female: 98% (1970 est.)
People - note:destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants boundfor the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US
Government Turks and Caicos Islands
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands
Dependency status:overseas territory of the UK
Government type:NA
Capital:Grand Turk
Administrative divisions:none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence:none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)
Constitution:introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised5 March 1988
Legal system:based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaicaand The Bahamas
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953),represented by Governor Richard TAUWHARE (since 11 July 2005)head of government: Chief Minister Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15August 2003)cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members andfive appointed by the governor from among the members of theLegislative Councilelections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed bythe monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of themajority party is appointed chief minister by the governor
Legislative branch:unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats of which 13 are popularlyelected; members serve four-year terms)elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held in 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%;seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM nowhas 5
Judicial branch:Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; ProgressiveNational Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant andthe colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; theshield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus
Economy Turks and Caicos Islands
Economy - overview:The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, andoffshore financial services. Most capital goods and food fordomestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source oftourists, accounting for more than half of the annual 93,000visitors in the late 1990s. Major sources of government revenue alsoinclude fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$216 million (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.9% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $11,500 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force: 4,848 (1990 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services
Unemployment rate:10% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):4% (1995)
Budget:revenues: $47 millionexpenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA(1997-98 est.)
Agriculture - products:corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish
Industries:tourism, offshore financial services
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:5 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:4.65 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day
Oil - consumption:0 bbl/day
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Exports:$169.2 million (2000)
Exports - commodities:lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells
Exports - partners:US, UK
Imports:$175.6 million (2000)
Imports - commodities:food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, constructionmaterials
Imports - partners:US, UK
Debt - external:NA
Economic aid - recipient:$4.1 million (1997)
Currency (code):US dollar (USD)
Currency code:USD
Exchange rates:the US dollar is used
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Turks and Caicos Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:5,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1,700 (1999)
Telephone system:general assessment: fully digital system with international directdialingdomestic: full range of services availableinternational: country code - 1-649; 2 submarine cables; satelliteearth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:8,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; 2 cable televisionnetworks) (2004)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.tc
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):14 (2000)
Internet users:NA
Transportation Turks and Caicos Islands
Highways: total: 121 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000)
Ports and harbors:Grand Turk, Providenciales
Airports:8 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 2under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Military Turks and Caicos Islands
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues Turks and Caicos Islands
Disputes - international:have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for theUS and Europe
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Tuvalu
Introduction Tuvalu
Background:In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of theGilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the ElliceIslands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the GilbertIslands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separateBritish colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000,Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv"for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years.
Geography Tuvalu
Location:Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the SouthPacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates:8 00 S, 178 00 E
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 26 sq kmland: 26 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:24 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November);westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)
Terrain:very low-lying and narrow coral atolls
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA
Natural hazards:severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there werethree cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive tochanges in sea level
Environment - current issues:since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is notpotable, most water needs must be met by catchment systems withstorage facilities (the Japanese Government has built onedesalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosionbecause of the use of sand for building materials; excessiveclearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coralreefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu isvery concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissionsand their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country'sunderground water table; in 2000, the government appealed toAustralia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levelsshould make evacuation necessary
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,Ship Pollutionsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six of thecoral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, andNukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutaohave landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon
People Tuvalu
Population:11,636 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 30.8% (male 1,823/female 1,756)15-64 years: 64.2% (male 3,620/female 3,847)65 years and over: 5.1% (male 229/female 361) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 24.45 yearsmale: 23.36 yearsfemale: 25.85 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:1.47% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:21.91 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:7.22 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.06 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 20.03 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 22.9 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 17.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 68.01 yearsmale: 65.79 yearsfemale: 70.33 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:3 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Tuvaluan(s)adjective: Tuvaluan
Ethnic groups:Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%
Religions:Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
Languages:Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Government Tuvalu
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Tuvaluformer: Ellice Islandsnote: "Tuvalu" means "group of eight," referring to the country'seight traditionally inhabited islands
Government type:constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; begandebating republic status in 1992
Capital:Funafuti; note - administrative offices are located in VaiakuVillage on Fongafale Islet
Administrative divisions:none
Independence:1 October 1978 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 1 October (1978)
Constitution:1 October 1978
Legal system:NA
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),represented by Governor General Filoimea TELITO (since 15 April 2005)head of government: Prime Minister Maatia TOAFA (since 11 October2004)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on therecommendation of the prime ministerelections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed bythe monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; primeminister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the membersof Parliament; election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be heldfollowing parliamentary elections in 2006)election results: Saufatu SOPOANGA resigned parliamentary seat on 27August 2004 following no-confidence vote on 25 August 2004;succeeded by Deputy Prime Minister Maatia TOAFA in an actingcapacity on 27 August 2004; Maatia TOAFA confirmed Prime Minister ina Parliamentary election (8-7 vote) on 11 October 2004
Legislative branch:unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly(15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 25 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15