ertility rate:
3.82 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Turkmen(s)
adjective:
Turkmen
Ethnic divisions:
Turkmen 73.3%, Russian 9.8%, Uzbek 9%, Kazakhs 2%, other 5.9%
Religions:
Muslim 87%, Eastern Orthodox 11%, unknown 2%
Languages:
Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%
Literacy:
age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
total population:
100%
male:
100%
female:
100%
Labor force:
1.542 million
by occupation:
agriculture and forestry 42%, industry and construction 21%, other 37%
(1990)

*Turkmenistan, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Turkmenistan
conventional short form:
Turkmenistan
local long form:
Tiurkmenostan Respublikasy
local short form:
Turkmanistan
former:
Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic
Digraph:
TX
Type:
republic
Capital:
Ashgabat (Ashkhabad)
Administrative divisions: 5 velayets: Balkan (Nebit Dag), Doshkhovuz (formerly Tashauz), Lebap
(Charjev), Mary, Akhal (Ashgabat)
note:
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)
Constitution:
adopted 18 May 1992
Legal system:
based on civil law system
National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 October (1991)
Political parties and leaders:
ruling party:
Democratic Party (formerly Communist), chairman vacant
opposition:
Party for Democratic Development, Durdymurat HOJA-MUHAMMET, chairman

; Agzybirlik, Nurberdy NURMAMEDOV, cochairman, Hubayberdi HALLIYEV,
cochairman
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

*Turkmenistan, Government

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; note - seats to be reduced
to 50 at next election
Executive branch:
president, prime minister, nine deputy prime ministers, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch:
under 1992 constitution there are two parliamentary bodies, a unicameral
People's Council (Halk Maslahaty - having more than 100 members and meeting
infrequently) and a 50-member unicameral Assembly (Majlis)
Judicial branch:
Supreme C