1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland waterways)
(2006)

Merchant marine:

total: 7
by type: cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Turkmenbasy

Military
Turkmenistan

Military branches:

Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (2007)

Military service age and obligation:

18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year conscript
service obligation (2007)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,316,698
females age 16-49: 1,331,005 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,064,965
females age 16-49: 1,136,553 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 57,615
female: 55,426 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

3.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues
Turkmenistan

Disputes - international:

cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates
water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; field
demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2005, but
Caspian seabed delimitation remains stalled with Azerbaijan, Iran,
and Kazakhstan due to Turkmenistan's indecision over how to allocate
the sea's waters and seabed

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 11,173 (Tajikistan); less than 1,000
(Afghanistan) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and Western
European markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound
for Afghanistan

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

======================================================================

@Turks and Caicos Islands

Introduction
Turks and Caicos Islands

Background:

The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when
they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's
independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965
to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate
governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982,
the policy was reversed and the islands remain a British overseas
territory.

Geography
Turks and Caicos Islands

Location:

Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast
of The Bahamas, north of Haiti

Geographic coordinates:

21 45 N, 71 35 W

Map references:

Ce