Turkmenistan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Turkmenistan Türkmenistan  (Turkmen)
Flag Emblem
Motto: Türkmenistan Bitaraplygyň watanydyr ("Turkmenistan is the motherland of Neutrality")
Anthem: Garaşsyz Bitarap Türkmenistanyň Döwlet Gimni ("State Anthem of Independent, Neutral Turkmenistan")
Location of  Turkmenistan  (red)
Capital and largest city	Ashgabat 37°58′N 58°20′E / 37.967°N 58.333°E / 37.967; 58.333
Official languages	Turkmen
Language of inter-ethnic communication	Russian
Other languages	Uzbek • Kazakh • Eastern Armenian • Azerbaijani • Baluji • Kurmanji • Ukrainian • Persian and others
Ethnic groups (2012)	78.6% Turkmens 9.3% Uzbeks 3.2% Russians 2.7% Kazakhs 1.1% Tatars 1.0% Armenians 0.7% Azerbaijanis 0.4% Balujs 0.3% Kurds 0.2% Ukrainians 0.2% Persians 0.1% Lezgins 0.1% Bashkirs 2.1% Others
Religion	93.7% Muslims 6.1% Christians 0.2% Unknown
Demonym(s)	Turkmenistani Turkmen Turkmenian
Government	Unitary dominant-party presidential republic
• President	Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow
• Vice President	Raşit Meredow
• Chairman of the Assembly	Gülşat Mämmedowa
Legislature	Assembly (Mejlis)
Independence from Russia
• Conquest	1879
• Soviet rule	13 May 1925
• Declared state sovereignty	22 August 1990
• From the Soviet Union	27 October 1991
• Recognized	26 December 1991
• Current constitution	18 May 1992
Area
• Total	491,210 km2 (189,660 sq mi) (52nd)
• Water (%)	4.9
Population
• 2020 estimate	6,031,187 (113th)
• Density	10.5/km2 (27.2/sq mi) (221st)
GDP (PPP)	2018 estimate
• Total	$112.659 billion
• Per capita	$19,526
GDP (nominal)	2018 estimate
• Total	$42.764 billion
• Per capita	$7,411
Gini (1998)	40.8 medium
HDI (2019)	0.715 high · 111th
Currency	Turkmen new manat (TMT)
Time zone	UTC+05 (TMT)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+993
ISO 3166 code	TM
Internet TLD	.tm

Turkmenistan ( or Turkmen: Türkmenistan), also known as Turkmenia, is a country in South-Central Asia. It has borders with Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan. It has no ocean but it is on the Caspian Sea to the west. The capital of Turkmenistan is Ashghabat. The majority of the country is Muslim at 93%.

Turkmenistan is a non-aligned and fully neutral country.

History

Turkmenistan was a part of the Soviet Union since its creation, in 1922. At first, Turkmenistan was an autonomous republic within Russian SFSR. In 1925 it was promoted to a Soviet republic. Turkmenistan is an independent country since 1991, after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Saparmurat Niyazov became Turkmenistan’s first president in 1991.

Provinces

Turkmenistan is divided into five provinces and one capital city district. The provinces are divided into districts which may be either counties or cities.

Climate

Turkmenistan is one of the driest desert areas in the world. Some places have an average annual precipitation of only 12 mm (0.47 in). The highest temperature recorded in Ashgabat is 48.0 °C (118.4 °F). Kerki, an extreme inland city located on the banks of the Amu Darya river, recorded 51.7 °C (125.1 °F) in July 1983, but this value is unofficial. 50.1C is the highest temperature recorded at Repetek Reserve, recognized as the highest temperature ever recorded in the whole former Soviet Union.

Geography

Turkmenistan is the world's 52nd-largest country. It is slightly smaller than Spain and somewhat larger than the US state of California. Over 80% of the country is covered by the Karakum Desert.

The Turkmen shore along the Caspian Sea is 1,768 kilometres (1,099 mi) long. The Caspian Sea is entirely landlocked, with no access to the ocean.

The major cities include Aşgabat, Türkmenbaşy (formerly Krasnovodsk) and Daşoguz.

Turkmenistan has a humid climate. Annual rainfall is low, particularly in summer. Winters are dry and mild. The wettest region in Turkmenistan is Köýtendağ Range. Köýtendağ is situated in southeastern Turkmenistan on the borders with Uzbekistan.

Images for kids

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  Turkmen helmet (15th century)

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  City of Chardzhou in Russian Turkestan, 1890

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  A Turkmen man of Central Asia in traditional clothes. Photo by Prokudin-Gorsky between 1905 and 1915.

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  Golden statue of Saparmurat Niyazov atop the Monument of Neutrality in Ashgabat

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  President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with the then U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

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  Map of Turkmenistan

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  Graphical depiction of Turkmenistan's product exports in 28 color-coded categories

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  Bazaar in Daşoguz

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  Saparmurat Hajji Mosque featured on the obsolete 10,000 manat banknote.

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  Panorama of the site of the Darvaza gas crater

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  Gurbanguly Hajji Mosque

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  Turkmenistan Airlines Boeing 767-300ER

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  Workers in the service of Maritime and River Transport of Turkmenistan

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  Turkmen Diesel locomotive

See also

In Spanish: Turkmenistán para niños