Map references:Middle East
Area:total: 780,580 sq kmland: 770,760 sq kmwater: 9,820 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than Texas
Land boundaries:total: 2,648 kmborder countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km,Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km
Coastline:7,200 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 12 nm in Black Sea and inMediterranean Seaexclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundaryagreed upon with the former USSR
Climate:temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher ininterior
Terrain:high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; severalmountain ranges
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 mhighest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m
Natural resources:coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite,borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone,magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arableland, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 29.81% permanent crops: 3.39% other: 66.8% (2005)
Irrigated land:52,150 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arcextending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van
Environment - current issues: water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, OzoneLayer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Seaof Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; MountArarat, the legendary landing place of Noah's Ark, is in the fareastern portion of the country
People Turkey
Population:70,413,958 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 25.5% (male 9,133,226/female 8,800,070)15-64 years: 67.7% (male 24,218,277/female 23,456,761)65 years and over: 6.8% (male 2,198,073/female 2,607,551) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 28.1 yearsmale: 27.9 yearsfemale: 28.3 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.06% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:16.62 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:5.97 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 39.69 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 43.27 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 35.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 72.62 yearsmale: 70.18 yearsfemale: 75.18 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.92 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% - note - no country specific models provided (2001est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Turk(s)adjective: Turkish
Ethnic groups:Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20% (estimated)
Religions:Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)
Languages:Turkish (official), Kurdish, Dimli (or Zaza), Azeri, Kabardiannote: there is also a substantial Gagauz population in the Europepart of Turkey
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 86.5%male: 94.3%female: 78.7% (2003 est.)
Government Turkey
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Turkeyconventional short form: Turkeylocal long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyetilocal short form: Turkiye
Government type:republican parliamentary democracy
Capital:name: Ankarageographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 32 52 Etime difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends lastSunday in October
Administrative divisions:81 provinces (iller, singular - il); Adana, Adiyaman,Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan,Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol,Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli,Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir,Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Icel (Mersin), Igdir,Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir, Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars,Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli,Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir,Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt,Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon, Tunceli, Usak, Van,Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak
Independence:29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday:Republic Day, 29 October (1923)
Constitution:7 November 1982
Legal system:civil law system derived from various European continental legalsystems; note - member of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR),although Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratified EuropeanConvention on Human Rights
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 a singleseven-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 in 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%, Anavatan 5.1%, DSP 1.1%, and other; seats byparty - AKP 363, CHP 178, independents 9; note - parties surpassingthe 10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats; seats byparty as of 1 December 2005 - AKP 357, CHP 154, ANAVATAN 22, DYP 4,SHP 4, HYP 1, independents 4, vacant 4
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:Anavatan Partisi (once was Motherland Party) or ANAVATAN [ErkanMUMCU]; Democratic Left Party or DSP [Mehmet Zeki SEZER]; DemocraticPeople's Party or DEHAP [Tuncer BAKIRHAN]; Felicity Party (sometimestranslated as Contentment Party) or SP [Necmettin ERBAKAN]; Justiceand Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]; LiberalDemocratic Party or LDP; Nationalist Action Party or MHP [DevletBAHCELI]; People's Rise Party (Halkin Yukselisi Partisi) or HYP[Yasr Nuri OZTURK]; Republican People's Party or CHP [Deniz BAYKAL];Social Democratic People's Party or SHP [Murat KARAYALCIN]; TruePath Party (sometimes translated as Correct Way 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 Confederation of Employers' Unions or TISK [RefikBAYDUR]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or Turk-Is [Salih KILIC];Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen or TESK [DervisGUNDAY]; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association orTUSIAD [Omer SABANCI]; 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,IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC,OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS,UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nabi SENSOY 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, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ross WILSON 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 stillaccounts 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.Real GNP growth has exceeded 6% in many years, but this strongexpansion has been interrupted by sharp declines in output in 1994,1999, and 2001. The economy is turning around with theimplementation of economic reforms, and 2004 GDP growth reached 9%.Inflation fell to 7.7% in 2005 - a 30-year low. Despite the strongeconomic gains in 2002-05, which were largely due to renewedinvestor interest in emerging markets, IMF backing, and tighterfiscal policy, the economy is still burdened by a high currentaccount deficit and high debt. The public sector fiscal deficitexceeds 6% of GDP - due in large part to high interest payments,which accounted for about 37% of central government spending in2004. Prior to 2005, foreign direct investment (FDI) in Turkeyaveraged less than $1 billion annually, but further economic andjudicial reforms and prospective EU membership are expected to boostFDI. Privatization sales are currently approaching $21 billion.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$584.5 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$332.5 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:7.4% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$8,400 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.7% industry: 29.8% services: 58.5% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 24.7 million note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 35.9% industry: 22.8% services: 41.2% (3rd qtr. 2004)
Unemployment rate:10.2% plus underemployment of 4% (2005 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):8.2% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):19.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $93.58 billionexpenditures: $115.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2005 est.)
Public debt:68% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulse, citrus;livestock
Industries:textiles, food processing, autos, electronics, mining (coal,chromite, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber,paper
Industrial production growth rate:5.9% (2005 est.)
Electricity - production:133.6 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 79.3% hydro: 20.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0.3% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:140.3 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:600 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:1.2 billion kWh (2002)
Oil - production:50,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:715,100 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:46,110 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:616,500 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:288.4 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:560 million cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:22.6 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:15.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:8.495 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$-23.08 billion (2005 est.)
Exports:$72.49 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transportequipment
Exports - partners:Germany 12.9%, UK 8.1%, Italy 7.6%, US 6.7%, France 5.2%, Spain4.1% (2005)
Imports:$101.2 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transportequipment
Imports - partners:Germany 11.7%, Russia 11%, Italy 6.5%, China 5.9%, France 5%, US4.6%, UK 4% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$52.49 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$170.1 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:ODA, $635.8 million (2002)
Currency (code):Turkish lira (YTL); old Turkish lira (TRL) before 1 January 2005
Currency code:TRL, YTL
Exchange rates:Turkish liras per US dollar - 1.3436 (2005), 1.4255 (2004), 1.5009(2003), 1.5072 (2002), 1.2256 (2001)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:18.978 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:43.609 million (2005)
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:1,313,135 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):50 (2001)
Internet users:16 million (2005)
Transportation Turkey
Airports: 117 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 89 over 3,047 m: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 4 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 17 (2006)
Heliports:18 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 4,621 km; oil 3,543 km (2006)
Railways:total: 8,697 kmstandard gauge: 8,697 km 1.435-m gauge (2,122 km electrified) (2005)
Roadways:total: 347,553 kmpaved: 154,807 km (including 1,886 km of expressways)unpaved: 192,747 km (2004)
Waterways:1,200 km (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 545 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,772,864 GRT/7,313,070 DWTby type: bulk carrier 109, cargo 239, chemical tanker 50, container24, liquefied gas 6, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 50, petroleumtanker 36, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 24, specializedtanker 2foreign-owned: 7 (Cyprus 2, Germany 1, Italy 3, Switzerland 1)registered in other countries: 411 (Albania 1, Antigua and Barbuda8, Bahamas 8, Belize 11, Cambodia 26, Comoros 11, Dominica 3,Georgia 30, Isle of Man 3, North Korea 4, Liberia 1, Libya 2, Malta123, Marshall Islands 20, Netherlands Antilles 9, Panama 42, Russia63, Saint Kitts and Nevis 6, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 25,Slovakia 8, Tuvalu 2, UK 2, unknown 3) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Aliaga, Ambarli, Eregli, Haydarpasa, Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli(Izmit), Toros
Military Turkey
Military branches:Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Land Forces, Naval Forces (includesnaval air and naval infantry), Turkish Air Force (Turk HavaKuvvetleri) (2006)
Military service age and obligation:20 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 20-49: 16,756,323females age 20-49: 16,051,706 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 20-49: 13,905,901females age 20-49: 13,335,812 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 679,734females age 20-49: 659,090 (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 mobile 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) (2005)
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 Turkeyand near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areasof legal opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy strawconcentrate; lax enforcement of money-laundering controls
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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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 Saparmurat NIYAZOVretains absolute control over the country and opposition is nottolerated. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove aboon to this underdeveloped country if extraction and deliveryprojects were to be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government isactively seeking to develop alternative petroleum transportationroutes in order to break 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)note: Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with awater level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of VpadinaAkchanaya (the lake has dropped as low as -110 m)highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m
Natural resources:petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt
Land use: arable land: 4.51% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 95.35% (2005)
Irrigated land:18,000 sq km (2003)
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:5,042,920 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 35.2% (male 913,988/female 863,503)15-64 years: 60.7% (male 1,501,486/female 1,557,155)65 years and over: 4.1% (male 79,227/female 127,561) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 21.8 yearsmale: 20.9 yearsfemale: 22.7 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.83% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:27.61 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:8.6 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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 (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 72.56 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 76.9 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 68 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 61.83 yearsmale: 58.43 yearsfemale: 65.41 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.37 children born/woman (2006 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% (1999 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:name: Ashgabat (Ashkhabad)geographic coordinates: 37 57 N, 58 23 Etime difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
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)cabinet: 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); in November 2005, the People's Council voted downNIYAZOV's suggestion to hold presidential elections in 2009elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 21 June 1992; note - President NIYAZOV wasunanimously approved as president for life by the People's Councilon 28 December 1999; deputy chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers areappointed 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); membership is scheduled tobe increased to 65 seatselections: People's Council - last held in April 2003 (next to beheld December 2008); Mejlis - last held 19 December 2004 (next to beheld December 2008)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 NationalDemocratic Movement of Turkmenistan (NDMT) and the United DemocraticParty of Turkmenistan (UDPT); NDMT was led by former ForeignMinister Boris SHIKHMURADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in thewake of the 25 November 2002 assassination attempt on PresidentNIYAZOV; UDPT is led by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and isbased out of Moscow
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, Interpol, 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 Meret 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 (vacant); Charge d'Affaires JenniferL. BRUSHembassy: No. 9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat,Turkmenistan 774000mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, DC 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 tribal guls (designs used in producing carpets)stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to the olivebranches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon representing Islamwith five white stars representing the regions or velayats ofTurkmenistan appear in the upper corner of the field just to the flyside of the red stripe
Economy Turkmenistan
Economy - overview:Turkmenistan is a 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 analmost 50% 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 1998-2005,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 by 20%to 30% per year in 2003-2005, largely because of higherinternational oil and gas prices. In 2005, Ashgabat sought to raisenatural gas export prices to its main customers, Russia and Ukraine,from $44 per thousand cubic meters (tcm) to $66 per tcm. Overallprospects in the near future are discouraging because of widespreadinternal poverty, the burden of foreign debt, the government'sirrational use of oil and gas revenues, and its unwillingness toadopt market-oriented reforms. Turkmenistan's economic statisticsare state secrets, and GDP and other figures are subject to widemargins of error. In particular, the rate of GDP growth is uncertain.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$39.14 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$13.99 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: IMF estimate: 6% note: official government statistics show 21.4% growth, but these estimates are widely regarded as unreliable (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): $7,900 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20.9% industry: 38% services: 41.1% (2005 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):10.5% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):35.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $1.401 billionexpenditures: $1.542 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:cotton, grain; livestock
Industries:natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: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:8.847 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:1.136 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:203,400 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:80,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves:273 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:54.6 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:15.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:38.6 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:2.01 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$236 million (2005 est.)
Exports:$4.7 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, cotton fiber, textiles
Exports - partners:Ukraine 43.5%, Iran 15%, Hungary 5.4% (2005)
Imports:$4.175 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:UAE 12.4%, Azerbaijan 10.9%, US 9.4%, Russia 8.9%, Ukraine 7.4%,Turkey 7.2%, Iran 6.1%, Germany 5.3%, Kazakhstan 4.2% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$2.963 billion (2005 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:in recent years the unofficial rate has hovered around 24,000 to25,000 Turkmen manats to the dollar; the official rate hasconsistently been 5,200 manat to the dollar
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Turkmenistan
Telephones - main lines in use:376,100 (2003)
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:585 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1
Internet users:36,000 (2005)
Transportation Turkmenistan
Airports: 29 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 71,524 to 2,437 m: 2914 to 1,523 m: 1under 914 m: 4 (2006)
Heliports:1 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 6,441 km; oil 1,361 km (2006)
Railways: total: 2,440 km broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 24,000 km paved: 19,488 km unpaved: 4,512 km (1999)
Waterways:1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland waterways)(2006)
Merchant marine:total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 22,870 GRT/25,801 DWTby type: cargo 4, combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 2,refrigerated cargo 1 (2006)
Ports and terminals:Turkmenbasy
Military Turkmenistan
Military branches:Ground Forces, Artillery and Rocket Forces, Navy, Air and AirDefense Forces (2006)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript serviceobligation - two years (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 1,132,833females age 18-49: 1,162,569 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 759,978females age 18-49: 940,179 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 56,532females age 18-49: 55,413 (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
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 12,085 (Tajikistan) (2005)
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 19 December, 2006
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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% (2005)
Irrigated land:NA
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:21,152 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 31.9% (male 3,432/female 3,312)15-64 years: 64.4% (male 7,155/female 6,457)65 years and over: 3.8% (male 362/female 434) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 27.5 yearsmale: 28.3 yearsfemale: 26.8 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.82% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:21.84 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:4.21 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:10.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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: 0.83 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 15.18 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 17.55 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 74.73 yearsmale: 72.48 yearsfemale: 77.08 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.05 children born/woman (2006 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%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%, 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, The Bahamas, and US
Government Turks and Caicos Islands
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islandsabbreviation: TCI
Dependency status:overseas territory of the UK
Government type:NA
Capital:name: Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)geographic coordinates: 21 28 N, 71 08 Wtime difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during StandardTime)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends lastSunday in October
Administrative divisions:none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence:none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)
Constitution:Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2006 (effective 9August 2006)
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 1952),represented by Governor Richard TAUWHARE (since 11 July 2005)head of government: Premier Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15 August2003); note - the office of premier was created in the newconstitutioncabinet: Cabinet consists of the governor, the premier, sixministers appointed by the governor from among the members of theLegislative Council, and the attorney generalelections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed bythe monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of themajority party is appointed premier by the governor
Legislative branch:unicameral Legislative Council (21 seats of which 15 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; Court of Appeal
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 (official exchange rate):NA
GDP - real growth rate:4.9% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$11,500 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force: 4,848 (1990 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: note: 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%: NA%highest 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 (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:4.65 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:80 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Exports:$169.2 million (2000)
Exports - commodities:lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells
Exports - partners:US, UK (2004)
Imports:$175.6 million (2000)
Imports - commodities:food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, constructionmaterials
Imports - partners:US, UK (2004)
Debt - external:$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 available; GSM wireless serviceavailableinternational: 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 hosts:2,735 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):14 (2000)
Internet users:NA
Transportation Turks and Caicos Islands
Airports: 8 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 2under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Roadways:total: 121 kmpaved: 24 kmunpaved: 97 km (2003)