Central Asian Republics

Europe & Eurasia

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T U R K M E N I S T A N

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Country Profile

The Country Profile below contains the Country Profile, Overview of USAID’s Focus in Turkmenistan, and USAID/Turkmenistan Contact Information.

Adobe Acrobat PDF (65kb file)

Background

Turkmenistan borders both Iran and Afghanistan on the south, and the Caspian Sea on the west. Mainly a desert country, the Kara Kum, or Black Sand Desert, covers the central part of the republic. The Kopet Dag mountains lie in the south, along the Iranian border. It has vast reserves of natural gas and oil, and is a leading cotton producer.

Of the Central Asian Republics, Turkmenistan remains the most closed and least reformist - essentially a one-man state. The U.S. has a strong interest in development of Turkmenistan's energy potential, but its continued self-isolationism limits U.S. involvement and opportunities in this regard. It has the longest border with Afghanistan, and its supportive role in supplying humanitarian relief for Afghanistan has been essential: it facilitated over 30% of food aid for Afghanistan. Notwithstanding this cooperation, there appears little change in a regime characterized by patronage and corruption, a highly restrictive visa regime, suspicion of civic action and the media, and state-control over and distortion of the economy, as well as unsustainable water use.

To read more, see the Turkmenistan Country Profile (Adobe Acrobat PDF, 65kb file).

Links

Many internet resources provide information on Turkmenistan. In addition to those noted on this page, check the following reference. Websites for Turkmenistan and the Central Asia Region