,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
94 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
59 years male, 66 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
4.5 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Turkmen(s); adjective - Turkmen
Ethnic divisions:
Turkmen 72%, Russian 9%, Uzbek 9%, other 10%
Religions:
Islam 85%, Eastern Orthodox 10%, unknown 5%
Languages:
Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%
Literacy:
NA% (male NA%, female NA) age 15 and over can read and write
Labor force:
1,542,000; agriculture and forestry 42%, industry and construction 21%,
other 37% (1990)
Organized labor:
NA

:Turkmenistan Government

Long-form name:
none
Type:
republic
Capital:
Ashgabat (Ashkhabad)
Administrative divisions:
4 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast'); Balkan (Nebit-Dag), Chardzhou,
Mary, Tashauz; note - the rayons around Ashgabat are under direct republic
jurisdiction; all oblasts have the same name as their administrative center
except Balkan Oblast, centered at Nebit-Dag
Independence:
27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union; formerly Turkmen Soviet Socialist
Republic)
Constitution:
adopted 18 May 1992
Legal system:
NA
National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 October (1991)
Executive branch:
president, prime minister, two deputy prime ministers, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch:
Majlis
Judicial branch:
NA
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Saparmurad NIYAZOV (since 21 June 1992)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister (vacant), Deputy Prime Ministers V. G. OCHERTSOV and Atta
CHARYYEV (since NA 1991)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party (formerly Communist), Saparmurad NIYAZOV, chairman
opposition:
Democratic Party, Durdymorad KHODZHA Mukhammed, chairman
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
President:
last held 21 June 1992 (next to be held NA June 1997); results - Saparmurad
NIYAZOV 99.5% (ran unopposed)
Majlis:
last held 7 January 1990 (next to be held NA 1995); results - percent of
vote by party NA; seats - (175 total) elections not officially by party, but
Communist Party members won nearly 90% of seats
Communists:
renamed Democratic Party, 16 December 1990
Other political or pressure groups:
Agzybirlik (Unity) Movement
Member of:
CIS, CSCE, IBRD, IMF, NACC, UN, UNCTAD
Diplomatic