5%, 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 write
total population: 98.8%
male: 99.3%
female: 98.3% (1999 est.)

Education expenditures:

3.9% of GDP (1991)

Government
Turkmenistan

Country name:

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turkmenistan
local long form: none
local short form: Turkmenistan
former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside
the executive branch

Capital:

name: Ashgabat (Ashkhabad)
geographic coordinates: 37 57 N, 58 23 E
time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat) and 1 independent
city*: Ahal Welayaty (Anew), Ashgabat*, Balkan Welayaty
(Balkanabat), Dashoguz Welayaty, Lebap Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary
Welayaty
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)

Independence:

27 October 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Constitution:

adopted 18 May 1992

Legal system:

based on civil law system and Islamic law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 14
February 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 14
February 2007)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held on 11 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
election results: Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW elected president;
percent of vote - Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW 89.2%, Amanyaz ATAJYKOW
3.2%, other candidates 7.6%

Legislative branch:

two parliamentary bodies, a People's Council or Halk Maslahaty
(supreme legislative body of about 2,500 delegates, some elected by
popular vote and some appointed; meets at least yearly) and a
National Assembly or Mejlis (50 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year ter