In February 2016 a constitutional commission, led byPres. Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, announced apackage of proposed amendments that would change

the president’s term in office from five to seven years andlift the age cap of 70 years required for presidential can-didates. Observers saw the amendments as clearing theway for Berdymukhammedov to rule for life as had hispredecessor, Saparmurad Niyazov, since the age cap hadbeen the only measure in place that would have prevent-ed him from holding the presidency indefinitely. Theamendments were approved by the legislature and signedby Berdymukhammedov in September.

Vital statisticsBirth rate per 1,000 pop-ulation (2015): 19.4(world avg. 19.5).

Death rate per 1,000 pop-ulation (2015): 6.1(world avg. 8.1).

Natural increase rate per1,000 population (2015):13.3 (world avg. 11.4).

Life expectancy at birth(2015): male 66.8 years;female 72.9 years.

DemographyPopulation (2016): 5,439,0003.Density (2016): persons per sq mi 28.7,persons per sq km 11.1.

Sex distribution (2015): male 49.57%;female 50.43%.

Population projection3: (2020) 5,685,000;(2030) 6,160,000.

Major cities (2004): Ashgabat (urbanagglomeration; 2014) 735,000; Türk-menabat 256,000; Da÷oguz 210,000;Mary 159,000; Balkanabat 139,000.

Urban-rural (2014):

Turkmenistan

Official name: Türkmenistan (Turkmenistan).Form of government1: republic with one legisla-tive house (Mejlis, or Assembly [125]).

Head of state and government: PresidentGurbanguly Berdymukhammedov.

Capital: Ashgabat.Official language: Turkmen.Official religion: none.Monetary unit: (new) manat (TMT)2; valuation(Sept. 1, 2016) 1 U.S.$ = TMT 3.50; 1 £ = TMT 4.66.

Ethnic composition (2003):

Age breakdown (2015):

Religious affiliation (2000):

Area and populationarea population

2005Provinces Capitals sq mi sq km estimate

Ahal Ashgabat 37,514 97,160 939,700Balkan Balkanabat 53,772 139,270 553,500Da÷oguz Da÷oguz 28,352 73,430 1,370,400Lebap Türkmenabat (Chärjew) 36,189 93,730 1,334,500Mary Mary 33,649 87,150 1,480,400

CityAshgabat — 181 470 871,500TOTAL 189,657 491,210 6,550,000

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National economyBudget (2006)4. Revenue: TMM 22,474,000,000,000 (tax revenue 93.8%,

nontax revenue 6.2%). Expenditures: TMM 16,631,000,-000,000 (current expenditure 94.2%, developmentexpenditure 5.8%).

Public debt (external, outstanding; 2014): U.S.$263,-217,000.

Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture,forestry, fishing (2014): wheat 1,200,000, seed cotton570,000, tomatoes 376,8866, potatoes 260,000, grapes240,0006, sugar beets 240,000, rice 130,000, dry onions126,8376, barley 82,000, apples 82,0006, carrots andturnips 80,1516, plums and sloes 34,0006, apricots33,0006; livestock (number of live animals) 14,000,000sheep, 2,300,000 goats, 120,000 camels; roundwood(2011) 10,000 cu m, of which fuelwood 100%; fisheries

production 15,030 (from aquaculture, negligible). Mining and quarry-ing (2014): sulfur 440,000; salt 230,000; gypsum 107,000. Manufac-turing (2009): distillate fuel (gas-diesel oil) 2,809,000; residual fuel oils1,951,000; motor spirits (gasoline) 1,414,000; cement (2010) 1,140,000;wheat flour (2003) 503,000. Energy production (consumption): elec-tricity (kW-hr; 2012) 17,750,000,000 (9,695,000,000), by source (2013):fossil fuels 100%; coal, none (none); crude petroleum (barrels; 2012)79,500,000 ([2011] 59,700,000); petroleum products (metric tons; 2012)8,409,000 ([2011] 5,230,000); natural gas (cu m; 2012) 67,046,000,000([2011] 25,000,000,000).

Average household size (2002): 5.7.Population economically active (2014): total 2,600,000; participationrates (2008): ages 15–64, female 46.7%8; unemployed (2010) 4.0%.

Gross national income (GNI; 2015): U.S.$40,345,000,000 (U.S.$7,510per capita); purchasing power parity GNI (U.S.$15,760 per capita).

Land use as % of total land area (2011): in temporary crops or left fal-low 4.0%, in permanent crops 0.1%, in pasture 65.3%, forest area8.8%.

MilitaryTotal active duty personnel (November 2015):

36,500 (army 90.4%, navy 1.4%, air force8.2%). Military expenditure as percentage ofGDP (2013): 1.5%; per capita expenditureU.S.$120.

Foreign trade7

Imports (2006): U.S.$2,668,000,000 (machinery andtransportation equipment 42.6%, basic manufac-tures 28.0%, chemicals and chemical products9.0%, food products 7.1%). Major import sources (2013):

Exports (2005–06): U.S.$4,113,000,000 (natural gas55.8%, petroleum [all forms] 24.7%, textile yarn3.9%, ships/boats/floating structures 2.1%). Major export destinations (2013):

Transport and communicationsTransport. Railroads (2011): length 1,936 mi,3,115 km; passenger-km 1,811,000,000;metric ton-km cargo 11,992,000,000.Roads (2001): total length 22,000 km(paved 82%). Vehicles (2008): passengercars 403,970; trucks and buses 130,313.

Education and healthLiteracy (2011): percentage of total populationage 15 and over literate, virtually 100%.

Health (2012): physicians 11,787 (1 per 429 per-sons); hospital beds 20,530 (1 per 246 persons);infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births(2015) 36.8; undernourished population(2006–08) 300,000 (7% of total populationbased on the consumption of a minimum dailyrequirement of 1,880 calories).

1New constitution was adopted on Sept. 26, 2008; amendments were signed into law Sept. 14, 2016. 2Themanat was redenominated on Jan. 1, 2009. As of that date 1 (new) manat (TMT) = 5,000 (old) manat(TMM). 3Estimate of United Nations World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision. In early 2015, it wasunofficially reported that, per the census of December 2012, the country had 4,751,120 residents, and some125,000 Turkmens lived elsewhere as government employees, students, and migrant workers. 4Budget sta-tistics are unreliable because the government spends large amounts of extra-budgetary funds. 5Midyearestimates. 62013. 7Imports c.i.f.; exports f.o.b. 8Estimate of the ILO Employment Trends Unit. 9Subscribers.

Internet resource for further information:• Asia Development Bank: Turkmenistan

www.adb.org/countries/turkmenistan/main

Structure of gross domestic product and labour force2008 20135

in value % of total labour % of labourU.S.$’000,000 value force force

Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1,846.6 22.6 728,000 28.6Mining and quarryingManufacturing 3,069.2 37.6Public utilitiesConstruction 353.8 4.3Transp. and commun. 259.7 3.2Trade, hotels 169.2 2.1 1,814,000 71.4Finance, real estatePublic administration,

defense 2,470.7 30.2ServicesOther TOTAL 8,169.2 100.0 2,542,000 100.0

Communications units unitsnumber per 1,000 number per 1,000

Medium date in ’000s persons Medium date in ’000s persons

TelephonesCellular 2015 7,8429 1,4599

Landline 2015 648 121

Internet users 2012 364 72Broadband 2015 3.09 0.69

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