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Turkmenistan vs. Afghanistan

Introduction

TurkmenistanAfghanistan
BackgroundPresent-day Turkmenistan covers territory that has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. The area was ruled in antiquity by various Persian empires, and was conquered by Alexander the Great, Muslim armies, the Mongols, Turkic warriors, and eventually the Russians. In medieval times, Merv (located in present-day Mary province) was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by Russia in the late 1800s, Turkmenistan later figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik movement in Central Asia. In 1924, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic; it achieved independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President for Life Saparmyrat NYYAZOW died in December 2006, and Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW, a deputy chairman under NYYAZOW, emerged as the country's new president. BERDIMUHAMEDOW won Turkmenistan's first multi-candidate presidential election in February 2007, and again in 2012 and in 2017 with over 97% of the vote in both instances, in elections widely regarded as undemocratic.

Turkmenistan has sought new export markets for its extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves, which have yet to be fully exploited. As of late 2019, Turkmenistan exported the majority of its gas to China and small levels of gas were also being sent to Russia. Turkmenistan's reliance on gas exports has made the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in the global energy market, and economic hardships since the drop in energy prices in 2014 have led many Turkmenistanis to emigrate, mostly to Turkey.

Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian Empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in increased democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 communist countercoup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan communist regime, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-communist mujahidin rebels. A series of subsequent civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Usama BIN LADIN.

A UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. In December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan, and the National Assembly was inaugurated the following December. KARZAI was reelected in August 2009 for a second term. The 2014 presidential election was the country's first to include a runoff, which featured the top two vote-getters from the first round, Abdullah ABDULLAH and Ashraf GHANI. Throughout the summer of 2014, their campaigns disputed the results and traded accusations of fraud, leading to a US-led diplomatic intervention that included a full vote audit as well as political negotiations between the two camps. In September 2014, GHANI and ABDULLAH agreed to form the Government of National Unity, with GHANI inaugurated as president and ABDULLAH elevated to the newly-created position of chief executive officer. The day after the inauguration, the GHANI administration signed the US-Afghan Bilateral Security Agreement and NATO Status of Forces Agreement, which provide the legal basis for the post-2014 international military presence in Afghanistan. After two postponements, the next presidential election was held in September 2019.

The Taliban remains a serious challenge for the Afghan Government in almost every province. The Taliban still considers itself the rightful government of Afghanistan, and it remains a capable and confident insurgent force fighting for the withdrawal of foreign military forces from Afghanistan, establishment of sharia law, and rewriting of the Afghan constitution. In 2019, negotiations between the US and the Taliban in Doha entered their highest level yet, building on momentum that began in late 2018. Underlying the negotiations is the unsettled state of Afghan politics, and prospects for a sustainable political settlement remain unclear.

Geography

TurkmenistanAfghanistan
LocationCentral Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and KazakhstanSouthern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Geographic coordinates40 00 N, 60 00 E33 00 N, 65 00 E
Map referencesAsiaAsia
Areatotal: 488,100 sq km

land: 469,930 sq km

water: 18,170 sq km
total: 652,230 sq km

land: 652,230 sq km

water: 0 sq km
Area - comparativeslightly more than three times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Californiaalmost six times the size of Virginia; slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundariestotal: 4,158 km

border countries (4): Afghanistan 804 km, Iran 1148 km, Kazakhstan 413 km, Uzbekistan 1793 km
total: 5,987 km

border countries (6): China 91 km, Iran 921 km, Pakistan 2670 km, Tajikistan 1357 km, Turkmenistan 804 km, Uzbekistan 144 km
Coastline0 km (landlocked); note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claimsnone (landlocked)none (landlocked)
Climatesubtropical desertarid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
Terrainflat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in westmostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
Elevation extremeshighest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m

lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya (Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of Vpadina Akchanaya, the lake has dropped as low as -110 m) -81 m

mean elevation: 230 m
highest point: Noshak 7,492 m

lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m

mean elevation: 1,884 m
Natural resourcespetroleum, natural gas, sulfur, saltnatural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones, arable land
Land useagricultural land: 72% (2018 est.)

arable land: 4.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 67.8% (2018 est.)

forest: 8.8% (2018 est.)

other: 19.2% (2018 est.)
agricultural land: 58.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 11.8% (2018)

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018)

permanent pasture: 46% (2018)

forest: 1.85% (2018 est.)

other: 40.1% (2018)
Irrigated land19,950 sq km (2012)32,080 sq km (2012)
Natural hazardsearthquakes; mudslides; droughts; dust storms; floodsdamaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts
Environment - current issuescontamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals, pesticides; salination, water logging of soil due to poor irrigation methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large share of the flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to that river's inability to replenish the Aral Sea; soil erosion; desertificationlimited natural freshwater resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water pollution in overcrowded urban areas
Environment - international agreementsparty to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - notelandlocked; the western and central low-lying desolate portions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert, which occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateaulandlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor)
Total renewable water resources24.765 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)65.33 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Population distributionthe most densely populated areas are the southern, eastern, and northeastern oases; approximately 50% of the population lives in and around the capital of Ashgabatpopulations tend to cluster in the foothills and periphery of the rugged Hindu Kush range; smaller groups are found in many of the country's interior valleys; in general, the east is more densely settled, while the south is sparsely populated

Demographics

TurkmenistanAfghanistan
Population5,579,889 (July 2021 est.)

note: some sources suggest Turkmenistan's population could be as much as 1 to 2 million people lower than available estimates because of large-scale emigration during the last 10 years
37,466,414 (July 2021 est.)
Age structure0-14 years: 25.44% (male 713,441/female 693,042)

15-24 years: 16.48% (male 458,566/female 452,469)

25-54 years: 44.14% (male 1,214,581/female 1,226,027)

55-64 years: 8.56% (male 221,935/female 251,238)

65 years and over: 5.38% (male 129,332/female 167,996) (2020 est.)
0-14 years: 40.62% (male 7,562,703/female 7,321,646)

15-24 years: 21.26% (male 3,960,044/female 3,828,670)

25-54 years: 31.44% (male 5,858,675/female 5,661,887)

55-64 years: 4.01% (male 724,597/female 744,910)

65 years and over: 2.68% (male 451,852/female 528,831) (2020 est.)
Median agetotal: 29.2 years

male: 28.7 years

female: 29.7 years (2020 est.)
total: 19.5 years

male: 19.4 years

female: 19.5 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate1.02% (2021 est.)2.34% (2021 est.)
Birth rate17.85 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)36.08 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate5.95 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)12.57 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate-1.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sex ratioat birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Infant mortality ratetotal: 38.54 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 46.87 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 29.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
total: 106.75 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 115.21 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 97.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birthtotal population: 71.54 years

male: 68.5 years

female: 74.73 years (2021 est.)
total population: 53.25 years

male: 51.73 years

female: 54.85 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate2.04 children born/woman (2021 est.)4.72 children born/woman (2021 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rateNA<.1% (2020 est.)
Nationalitynoun: Turkmenistani(s)

adjective: Turkmenistani
noun: Afghan(s)

adjective: Afghan
Ethnic groupsTurkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003 est.)Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, other (includes smaller numbers of Baloch, Turkmen, Nuristani, Pamiri, Arab, Gujar, Brahui, Qizilbash, Aimaq, Pashai, and Kyrghyz) (2015)

note: current statistical data on the sensitive subject of ethnicity in Afghanistan are not available, and ethnicity data from small samples of respondents to opinion polls are not a reliable alternative; Afghanistan's 2004 constitution recognizes 14 ethnic groups: Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, Baloch, Turkmen, Nuristani, Pamiri, Arab, Gujar, Brahui, Qizilbash, Aimaq, and Pashai
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDSNA12,000 (2020 est.)
ReligionsMuslim 93%, Christian 6.4%, Buddhist <1%, folk religion <1%, Jewish <1%, other <1%, unspecified <1% (2020 est.)Muslim 99.7% (Sunni 84.7 - 89.7%, Shia 10 - 15%), other 0.3% (2009 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deathsNA<1,000 (2020 est.)
LanguagesTurkmen (official) 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

major-language sample(s):
Dünyä Facebooky, esasy maglumat üçin ayrylmaz bir çesme dir. (Turkmen)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 78% (Dari functions as the lingua franca), Pashto (official) 50%, Uzbek 10%, English 5%, Turkmen 2%, Urdu 2%, Pashayi 1%, Nuristani 1%, Arabic 1%, Balochi 1%, other <1% (2017 est.)

major-language sample(s):

???? ????? ????? ????? ????? ???? ??????? ????? (Dari)

? ???? ? ??????? ????? ?????? ???????? ????? ????? ??????- (Pashto)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

note 1: data represent most widely spoken languages; shares sum to more than 100% because there is much bilingualism in the country and because respondents were allowed to select more than one language

note 2: the Turkic languages Uzbek and Turkmen, as well as Balochi, Pashayi, Nuristani, and Pamiri are the third official languages in areas where the majority speaks them

Literacydefinition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.7%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.6% (2015)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 43%

male: 55.5%

female: 29.8% (2018)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 13 years (2019)
total: 10 years

male: 13 years

female: 8 years (2018)
Education expenditures3.1% of GDP (2012)4.1% of GDP (2017)
Urbanizationurban population: 53% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 2.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
urban population: 26.3% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 3.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Drinking water sourceimproved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 95.9% of population

rural: 61.4% of population

total: 70.2% of population

unimproved: urban: 3.2% of population

rural: 38.6% of population

total: 38.6% of population (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility accessimproved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 83.6% of population

rural: 43% of population

total: 53.2% of population

unimproved: urban: 16.4% of population

rural: 57% of population

total: 46.8% of population (2017 est.)
Major cities - population865,000 ASHGABAT (capital) (2021)4.336 million KABUL (capital) (2021)
Maternal mortality rate7 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)638 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight3.1% (2019)19.1% (2018)
Health expenditures6.6% (2018)9.4% (2018)
Physicians density2.23 physicians/1,000 population (2014)0.28 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
Hospital bed density4 beds/1,000 population (2014)0.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate18.6% (2016)5.5% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth24.2 years (2019)19.9 years (2015 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49
Contraceptive prevalence rate49.7% (2019)18.9% (2018)

note:  percent of women aged 12-49
Dependency ratiostotal dependency ratio: 55.2

youth dependency ratio: 47.8

elderly dependency ratio: 7.4

potential support ratio: 13.5 (2020 est.)
total dependency ratio: 88.8

youth dependency ratio: 75.3

elderly dependency ratio: 4.8

potential support ratio: 21 (2020 est.)

Government

TurkmenistanAfghanistan
Country nameconventional long form: none

conventional short form: Turkmenistan

local long form: none

local short form: Turkmenistan

former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic

etymology: the suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so Turkmenistan literally means the "Land of the Turkmen [people]"
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

conventional short form: Afghanistan

local long form: Jamhuri-ye Islami-ye Afghanistan

local short form: Afghanistan

former: Republic of Afghanistan

etymology: the name "Afghan" originally referred to the Pashtun people (today it is understood to include all the country's ethnic groups), while the suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country"; so Afghanistan literally means the "Land of the Afghans"
Government typepresidential republic; authoritarianpresidential Islamic republic
Capitalname: Ashgabat (Ashkhabad)

geographic coordinates: 37 57 N, 58 23 E

time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: derived from the Persian words "eshq" meaning "love" and "abad" meaning "inhabited place" or "city," and so loosely translates as "the city of love" 
name: Kabul

geographic coordinates: 34 31 N, 69 11 E

time difference: UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time

etymology: named for the Kabul River, but the river's name is of unknown origin
Administrative divisions5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat) and 1 independent city*: Ahal Welayaty (Anew), Ashgabat*, Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dasoguz 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)
34 provinces (welayat, singular - welayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamyan, Daykundi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghor, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabul, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khost, Kunar, Kunduz, Laghman, Logar, Nangarhar, Nimroz, Nuristan, Paktika, Paktiya, Panjshir, Parwan, Samangan, Sar-e Pul, Takhar, Uruzgan, Wardak, Zabul
Independence27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
National holidayIndependence Day, 27 October (1991)Independence Day, 19 August (1919)
Constitutionhistory: several previous; latest adopted 14 September 2016

amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of the total Assembly membership or absolute majority approval in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2020 (changed parliament to bicameral)
history: several previous; latest drafted 14 December 2003 - 4 January 2004, signed 16 January 2004, ratified 26 January 2004

amendments: proposed by a commission formed by presidential decree followed by the convention of a Grand Council (Loya Jirga) decreed by the president; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Loya Jirga membership and endorsement by the president
Legal systemcivil law system with Islamic (sharia) law influencesmixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic (sharia) law
Suffrage18 years of age; universal18 years of age; universal
Executive branchchief of state: President Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 14 February 2007); note - the president is both 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/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 7-year term (no term limits); election last held on 12 February 2017 (next to be held in February 2024)

election results: Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW (DPT) 97.7%, other 2.3%
chief of state: president (vacant); President Ashraf GHANI departed the country on 15 August 2021; CEO Abdullah ABDULLAH, Dr. (since 29 September 2014); First Vice President Abdul Rashid DOSTAM (since 29 September 2014); Second Vice President Sarwar DANESH (since 29 September 2014); First Deputy CEO Khyal Mohammad KHAN; Second Deputy CEO Mohammad MOHAQQEQ; note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: president (vacant); President Ashraf GHANI departed the country on 15 August 2021; CEO Abdullah ABDULLAH, Dr. (since 29 September 2014); First Vice President Abdul Rashid DOSTAM (since 29 September 2014); Second Vice President Sarwar DANESH (since 29 September 2014); First Deputy CEO Khyal Mohammad KHAN; Second Deputy CEO Mohammad MOHAQQEQ

cabinet: Cabinet consists of 25 ministers appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 September 2019

election results: Ashraf GHANI declared winner by the Independent Election Commission on 18 February 2020; Ashraf GHANI 50.6%, Abdullah ABDULLAH, Dr. 39.5%, other 0.9%

note: Ashraf GHANI left the country on 15 August 2021; no new leader has been announced
Legislative branchdescription: note: in September 2020, the Turkmenistan Parliament adopted a constitutional amendment creating an upper chamber, making the Parliament bicameral
bicameral National Council or Khalk Maslakhaty consists of:
People's Council (56 seats; 48 members indirectly elected by provincial councils and 8 members appointed by the president)
Assembly or Mejlis Hakynda (125 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 5-year terms)

elections: People's Council - first held on 25 March 2021 for 48 indirectly elected members (next to be held in 2026); first held on 14 April 2021 for 8 presidentially appointed members (next to be held NA)
Assembly - last held on 25 March 2018 (next to be held in 2026)

election results: People's Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPT 3, independent 45
Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPT 55, APT 11, PIE 11, independent 48 (individuals nominated by citizen groups); composition - men 94, women 31, percent of women 24.8%
description: bicameral National Assembly consists of:
Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats; 34 members indirectly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed by district councils to serve 3-year terms, 34 indirectly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed by provincial councils to serve 4-year terms, and 34 appointed by the president from nominations by civic groups, political parties, and the public, of which 17 must be women, 2 must represent the disabled, and 2 must be Kuchi nomads; presidential appointees serve 5-year terms)
Wolesi Jirga or House of People (250 seats, including 68 reserved for women; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)

elections: Meshrano Jirga - district councils - within 5 days of installation; provincial councils - within 15 days of installation; presidential appointees - within 2 weeks after the presidential inauguration (last held 10 January 2015); note - in early 2016, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani extended their mandate until parliamentary and district elections are held.
Wolesi Jirga - last held on 20 October 2018) (next to be held in 2023)

election results:
Meshrano Jirga - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 85, women 17, percent of women 16.7%
Wolesi Jirga - percent of vote by party NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 182, women 68, percent of women 27.2%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 24.1%

note: the constitution allows the government to convene a constitutional Loya Jirga (Grand Council) on issues of independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity; it consists of members of the National Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and district councils; a Loya Jirga can amend provisions of the constitution and prosecute the president; no constitutional Loya Jirga has ever been held, and district councils have never been elected; the president appointed 34 members of the Meshrano Jirga that the district councils should have indirectly elected
Judicial branchhighest courts: Supreme Court of Turkmenistan (consists of the court president and 21 associate judges and organized into civil, criminal, and military chambers)

judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president for 5-year terms

subordinate courts: High Commercial Court; appellate courts; provincial, district, and city courts; military courts
highest courts: Supreme Court or Stera Mahkama (consists of the supreme court chief and 8 justices organized into criminal, public security, civil, and commercial divisions or dewans)

judge selection and term of office: court chief and justices appointed by the president with the approval of the Wolesi Jirga; court chief and justices serve single 10-year terms

subordinate courts: Appeals Courts; Primary Courts; Special Courts for issues including narcotics, security, property, family, and juveniles
Political parties and leadersAgrarian Party of Turkmenistan or APT [Basim ANNAGURBANOW]
Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Ata SERDAROW]
Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs or PIE [Saparmyrat OWGANOW]

note: all of these parties support President BERDIMUHAMEDOW; a law authorizing the registration of political parties went into effect in January 2012; unofficial, small opposition movements exist abroad

note - the Ministry of Justice licensed 72 political parties as of April 2019 

International organization participationADB, CIS (associate member, has not ratified the 1993 CIS charter although it participates in meetings and held the chairmanship of the CIS in 2012), EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMOADB, CICA, CP, ECO, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNAMA, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the USchief of mission: Ambassador Meret ORAZOW (since 14 February 2001)

chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500

FAX: [1] (202) 588-1500

email address and website:
turkmenembassyus@verizon.net

https://usa.tmembassy.gov.tm/en
chief of mission: Ambassador Adela RAZ (since July 2021)

chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-6410

FAX: [1] (202) 483-6488

email address and website:
info@afghanembassy.us

https://www.afghanembassy.us/

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York, Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the USchief of mission: Ambassador Matthew S. KLIMOW (since 26 June 2019)

embassy: 9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat 744000

mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, DC 20521-7070

telephone: [993] (12) 94-00-45

FAX: [993] (12) 94-26-14

email address and website:
ConsularAshgab@state.gov

https://tm.usembassy.gov/
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ross WILSON (since 18 January 2020)

embassy: Bibi Mahru, Kabul

mailing address: 6180 Kabul Place, Washington DC  20521-6180

telephone: [00 93] (0) 700-10-8000

FAX: [00 93] (0) 700-108-564

email address and website:
KabulACS@state.gov

https://af.usembassy.gov/
Flag descriptiongreen field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side, containing five tribal guls (designs used in producing carpets) stacked above two crossed olive branches; five white, five-pointed stars and a white crescent moon appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe; the green color and crescent moon represent Islam; the five stars symbolize the regions or welayats of Turkmenistan; the guls reflect the national identity of Turkmenistan where carpet-making has long been a part of traditional nomadic life

note: the flag of Turkmenistan is the most intricate of all national flags
three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), red, and green, with the national emblem in white centered on the red band and slightly overlapping the other 2 bands; the center of the emblem features a mosque with pulpit and flags on either side, below the mosque are Eastern Arabic numerals for the solar year 1298 (1919 in the Gregorian calendar, the year of Afghan independence from the UK); this central image is circled by a border consisting of sheaves of wheat on the left and right, in the upper-center is an Arabic inscription of the Shahada (Muslim creed) below which are rays of the rising sun over the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great"), and at bottom center is a scroll bearing the name Afghanistan; black signifies the past, red is for the blood shed for independence, and green can represent either hope for the future, agricultural prosperity, or Islam

note: Afghanistan had more changes to its national flag in the 20th century - 19 by one count - than any other country; the colors black, red, and green appeared on most of them
National anthemname: "Garassyz, Bitarap Turkmenistanyn" (Independent, Neutral, Turkmenistan State Anthem)

lyrics/music: collective/Veli MUKHATOV

note: adopted 1997, lyrics revised in 2008, to eliminate references to deceased President Saparmurat NYYAZOW
name: "Milli Surood" (National Anthem)

lyrics/music: Abdul Bari JAHANI/Babrak WASA

note: adopted 2006; the 2004 constitution of the post-Taliban government mandated that a new national anthem should be written containing the phrase "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest) and mentioning the names of Afghanistan's ethnic groups
International law organization participationhas not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCthas not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
National symbol(s)Akhal-Teke horse; national colors: green, whitelion; national colors: red, green, black
Citizenshipcitizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Turkmenistan

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years
citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must have been born in - and continuously lived in - Afghanistan

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Economy

TurkmenistanAfghanistan
Economy - overview

Turkmenistan is largely a desert country with intensive agriculture in irrigated oases and significant natural gas and oil resources. The two largest crops are cotton, most of which is produced for export, and wheat, which is domestically consumed. Although agriculture accounts for almost 8% of GDP, it continues to employ nearly half of the country's workforce. Hydrocarbon exports, the bulk of which is natural gas going to China, make up 25% of Turkmenistan's GDP. Ashgabat has explored two initiatives to bring gas to new markets: a trans-Caspian pipeline that would carry gas to Europe and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. Both face major financing, political, and security hurdles and are unlikely to be completed soon.

Turkmenistan's autocratic governments under presidents NIYAZOW (1991-2006) and BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 2007) have made little progress improving the business climate, privatizing state-owned industries, combatting corruption, and limiting economic development outside the energy sector. High energy prices in the mid-2000s allowed the government to undertake extensive development and social spending, including providing heavy utility subsidies.

Low energy prices since mid-2014 are hampering Turkmenistan's economic growth and reducing government revenues. The government has cut subsidies in several areas, and wage arrears have increased. In January 2014, the Central Bank of Turkmenistan devalued the manat by 19%, and downward pressure on the currency continues. There is a widening spread between the official exchange rate (3.5 TMM per US dollar) and the black market exchange rate (approximately 14 TMM per US dollar). Currency depreciation and conversion restrictions, corruption, isolationist policies, and declining spending on public services have resulted in a stagnate economy that is nearing crisis. Turkmenistan claims substantial foreign currency reserves, but non-transparent data limit international institutions' ability to verify this information.

Prior to 2001, Afghanistan was an extremely poor, landlocked, and foreign aid-dependent country. Increased domestic economic activity occurred following the US-led invasion, as well as significant international economic development assistance. This increased activity expanded access to water, electricity, sanitation, education, and health services, and fostered consistent growth in government revenues since 2014. While international security forces have been drawing down since 2012, with much higher U.S. forces' drawdowns occurring since 2017, economic progress continues, albeit uneven across sectors and key economic indicators. After recovering from the 2018 drought and growing 3.9% in 2019, political instability, expiring international financial commitments, and the COVID-19 pandemic have wrought significant adversity on the Afghan economy, with a projected 5% contraction.

Current political parties' power-sharing agreement following the September 2019 presidential elections as well as ongoing Taliban attacks and peace talks have led to Afghan economic instability. This instability, coupled with expiring international grant and assistance, endangers recent fiscal gains and has led to more internally displaced persons. In November 2020, Afghanistan secured $12 billion in additional international aid for 2021-2025, much of which is conditional upon Taliban peace progress. Additionally, Afghanistan continues to experience influxes of repatriating Afghanis, mostly from Iran, significantly straining economic and security institutions.

Afghanistan's trade deficit remains at approximately 31% of GDP and is highly dependent on financing through grants and aid. While Afghan agricultural growth remains consistent, recent industrial and services growth have been enormously impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns and trade cessations. While trade with the People's Republic of China has rapidly expanded in recent years, Afghanistan still relies heavily upon India and Pakistan as export partners but is more diverse in its import partners. Furthermore, Afghanistan still struggles to effectively enforce business contracts, facilitate easy tax collection, and enable greater international trade for domestic enterprises.

Current Afghan priorities focus on the following goals:

  • Securing international economic agreements, many of which are contingent on Taliban peace progress;
  • Increasing exports to $2 billion USD by 2023;
  • Continuing to expand government revenue collection;
  • Countering corruption and navigating challenges from the power-sharing agreement; and
  • Developing a strong private sector that can empower the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity)$86.858 billion (2018 est.)

$103.7 billion (2017 est.)

$81.787 billion (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
$78.557 billion (2019 est.)

$75.6 billion (2018 est.)

$74.711 billion (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP - real growth rate6.5% (2017 est.)

6.2% (2016 est.)

6.5% (2015 est.)
2.7% (2017 est.)

2.2% (2016 est.)

1% (2015 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)$14,845 (2018 est.)

$18,200 (2017 est.)

$14,205 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
$2,065 (2019 est.)

$2,034 (2018 est.)

$2,058 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP - composition by sectoragriculture: 7.5% (2017 est.)

industry: 44.9% (2017 est.)

services: 47.7% (2017 est.)
agriculture: 23% (2016 est.)

industry: 21.1% (2016 est.)

services: 55.9% (2016 est.)

note: data exclude opium production
Population below poverty line0.2% (2012 est.)54.5% (2016 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage sharelowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)
lowest 10%: 3.8%

highest 10%: 24% (2008)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)8% (2017 est.)

3.6% (2016 est.)
5% (2017 est.)

4.4% (2016 est.)
Labor force2.305 million (2013 est.)8.478 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupationagriculture: 48.2%

industry: 14%

services: 37.8% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 44.3%

industry: 18.1%

services: 37.6% (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate11% (2014 est.)

10.6% (2013)
23.9% (2017 est.)

22.6% (2016 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index40.8 (1998)29.4 (2008)
Budgetrevenues: 5.657 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 6.714 billion (2017 est.)
revenues: 2.276 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 5.328 billion (2017 est.)
Industriesnatural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processingsmall-scale production of bricks, textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, apparel, food products, non-alcoholic beverages, mineral water, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper
Industrial production growth rate1% (2017 est.)-1.9% (2016 est.)
Agriculture - productsmilk, wheat, cotton, tomatoes, potatoes, watermelons, grapes, sugar beet, beef, ricewheat, milk, grapes, vegetables, potatoes, watermelons, melons, rice, onions, apples
Exports$7.458 billion (2017 est.)

$6.987 billion (2016 est.)
$784 million (2017 est.)

$614.2 million (2016 est.)

note: not including illicit exports or reexports
Exports - commoditiesnatural gas, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cotton fibers, fertilizers (2019)gold, grapes, opium, fruits and nuts, insect resins, cotton, handwoven carpets, soapstone, scrap metal (2019)
Exports - partnersChina 82% (2019)United Arab Emirates 45%, Pakistan 24%, India 22%, China 1% (2019)
Imports$4.571 billion (2017 est.)

$5.215 billion (2016 est.)
$7.616 billion (2017 est.)

$6.16 billion (2016 est.)
Imports - commoditiesiron products, harvesting machinery, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment, tractors (2019)wheat flours, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, rolled tobacco, aircraft parts, synthetic fabrics (2019)
Imports - partnersTurkey 25%, Russia 18%, China 14%, Germany 6% (2019)United Arab Emirates 23%, Pakistan 17%, India 13%, China 9%, United States 9%, Uzbekistan 7%, Kazakhstan 6% (2019)
Debt - external$539.4 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$425.3 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$284 million (FY10/11)
Exchange ratesTurkmenistani manat (TMM) per US dollar -

4.125 (2017 est.)

3.5 (2016 est.)

3.5 (2015 est.)

3.5 (2014 est.)

2.85 (2013 est.)
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar -

7.87 (2017 est.)

68.03 (2016 est.)

67.87 (2015)

61.14 (2014 est.)

57.25 (2013 est.)
Fiscal yearcalendar year21 December - 20 December
Public debt28.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

24.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
7% of GDP (2017 est.)

7.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold$24.91 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$25.05 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$7.187 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$6.901 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
Current Account Balance-$4.359 billion (2017 est.)

-$7.207 billion (2016 est.)
$1.014 billion (2017 est.)

$1.409 billion (2016 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)$40.819 billion (2018 est.)$20.24 billion (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues14.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)11.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)-2.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)-15.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end usehousehold consumption: 50% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 10% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 28.2% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 26.2% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -14.3% (2017 est.)
household consumption: 81.6% (2016 est.)

government consumption: 12% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 17.2% (2016 est.)

investment in inventories: 30% (2016 est.)

exports of goods and services: 6.7% (2016 est.)

imports of goods and services: -47.6% (2016 est.)
Gross national saving23.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

24.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

18.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
22.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

25.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

21.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

Energy

TurkmenistanAfghanistan
Electricity - production21.18 billion kWh (2016 est.)1.211 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption15.09 billion kWh (2016 est.)5.526 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports3.201 billion kWh (2015 est.)0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - imports0 kWh (2016 est.)4.4 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Oil - production244,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Oil - imports0 bbl/day (2015 est.)0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Oil - exports67,790 bbl/day (2015 est.)0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Oil - proved reserves600 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves7.504 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)49.55 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
Natural gas - production77.45 billion cu m (2017 est.)164.2 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption39.31 billion cu m (2017 est.)164.2 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports38.14 billion cu m (2017 est.)0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports0 cu m (2017 est.)0 cu m (2017 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity4.001 million kW (2016 est.)634,100 kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)45% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)52% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)4% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production191,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption160,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)35,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports53,780 bbl/day (2015 est.)0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports0 bbl/day (2015 est.)34,210 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Electricity accesselectrification - total population: 100% (2020)electrification - total population: 99% (2018)

electrification - urban areas: 100% (2018)

electrification - rural areas: 98% (2018)

Telecommunications

TurkmenistanAfghanistan
Telephones - main lines in usetotal subscriptions: 648,223

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11.85 (2019 est.)
total subscriptions: 134,636

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellulartotal subscriptions: 8,908,821

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 162.86 (2019 est.)
total subscriptions: 22,580,071

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 63.18 (2019 est.)
Internet country code.tm.af
Internet userstotal: 1,149,840

percent of population: 21.25% (July 2018 est.)
total: 4,717,013

percent of population: 13.5% (July 2018 est.)
Telecommunication systemsgeneral assessment:

stagnant economy, rural geography, and authoritarian rule limit development of the telecom sector; in cooperation with Russian-based partners, operators have installed high-speed fiber-optic lines and upgraded most of the country's telephone switch centers with digital technology; some rural areas lack fixed-line coverage; mobile broadband is in the early stages of development; services are extremely slow, though Trans-Caspian cable will provide international Internet capacity and improvement in services; freedom of press and expression restricted through monitoring, media interruption, and removal of receivers from households; importer of broadcasting equipment from UAE (2021)

(2020)

domestic: fixed-line 12 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 163 per 100 persons; first telecommunication satellite was launched in 2015 (2019)

international: country code - 993; linked by fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; an exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat (2018)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

general assessment:

despite decades of war, Afghanistan has successfully rebuilt infrastructure to create a functional telecom sector that covers nearly all of the population; due to mountainous geography, country relies on its mobile network; mobile broadband penetration growing, but is still low compared to other countries in Asia; operator launched LTE in Kabul; World Bank and other donors support development of a nationwide fiber backbone; terrestrial cable connectivity to five neighboring countries; work on the `Wakhan Corridor Fiber Optic Survey Project' to connect to China is nearing completion; major importer of broadcasting equipment from UAE (2020)

(2020)

domestic: less than 1 per 100 for fixed-line teledensity; 59 per 100 for mobile-cellular; an increasing number of Afghans utilize mobile-cellular phone networks (2019)

international: country code - 93; multiple VSAT's provide international and domestic voice and data connectivity (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

 

Broadband - fixed subscriptionstotal: 4,000

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2017 est.)
total: 19,683

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2018 est.)
Broadcast mediabroadcast media is government controlled and censored; 7 state-owned TV and 4 state-owned radio networks; satellite dishes and programming provide an alternative to the state-run media; officials sometimes limit access to satellite TV by removing satellite dishesstate-owned broadcaster, Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), operates a series of radio and television stations in Kabul and the provinces; an estimated 174 private radio stations, 83 TV stations, and about a dozen international broadcasters are available (2019)

Transportation

TurkmenistanAfghanistan
Roadwaystotal: 58,592 km (2002)

paved: 47,577 km (2002)

unpaved: 11,015 km (2002)
total: 34,903 km (2017)

paved: 17,903 km (2017)

unpaved: 17,000 km (2017)
Waterways1,300 km (Amu Darya River and Kara Kum Canal are important inland waterways) (2011)1,200 km (chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT) (2011)
Pipelines7500 km gas, 1501 km oil (2013)466 km gas (2013)
Ports and terminalsmajor seaport(s): Caspian Sea - Turkmenbasyriver port(s): Kheyrabad, Shir Khan
Airportstotal: 26 (2013)total: 46 (2020)
Airports - with paved runwaystotal: 21 (2013)

over 3,047 m: 1 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013)
total: 29 (2020)

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 3
Airports - with unpaved runwaystotal: 5 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)

under 914 m: 4 (2013)
total: 17 (2020)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 5
Heliports1 (2013)1 (2020)
National air transport systemnumber of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 27

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,457,474 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 16.92 million mt-km (2018)
number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 13

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,722,612 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 29.56 million mt-km (2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefixEZYA

Military

TurkmenistanAfghanistan
Military branchesArmed Forces of Turkmenistan: National Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces; Federal Border Guard Service (2021)prior to August 2021, the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) were comprised of military, police, and other security elements:

Ministry of Defense: Afghan National Army ((ANA), Afghan Air Force, Afghan Army Special Security Forces (ASSF; includes ANA Special Operations Command, General Command Police Special Units (GCPSU), and the Special Mission Wing (SMW)), Afghanistan National Army Territorial Forces (ANA-TF, lightly-armed local security forces); Afghan Border Force (ABF); Afghan National Civil Order Force (ANCOF)

Ministry of Interior: Afghan Uniform (National) Police (AUP); Public Security Police (PSP); Afghan Border Police (ABP); Afghan Anti-Crime Police; Afghan Local Police; Afghan Public Protection Force; Special Security Forces

National Directorate of Security ((NDS), intelligence service) (2021)
Military service age and obligation18-27 years of age for compulsory male military service; 2-year conscript service obligation; 20 years of age for voluntary service; males may enroll in military schools from age 15 (2019)not available
Military expenditures - percent of GDP1.8% of GDP (2017)

1.7% of GDP (2016)

1.5% of GDP (2015)

1.3% of GDP (2014)

1.2% of GDP (2013)
1.2% of GDP (2019)

1% of GDP (2018)

0.9% of GDP (2017)

1% of GDP (2016)

1% of GDP (2015)
Military and security service personnel strengthsinformation varies; estimated 35,000 active troops (est. 30,000 National Army; 1,000 Navy; 4,000 Air and Air Defense Forces) (2020)not available; prior to August 2021, the ANDSF had approximately 300,000 personnel (180,000 Ministry of Defense; 120,000 Ministry of Interior)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitionsthe inventory for Turkmenistan's military is comprised almost entirely of older Russian and Soviet-era weapons systems, although in recent years, Turkmenistan has opened itself up to equipment from other countries; since 2010, China, Russia, and Turkey are the leading arms suppliers to Turkmenistan (2020)prior to August 2021, the Afghan military inventory was mostly a mix of Soviet-era and more modern US and other foreign equipment; since 2010, the US was the leading supplier of arms to Afghanistan, followed by Russia (2021)

Transnational Issues

TurkmenistanAfghanistan
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; bilateral talks continue with Azerbaijan on dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian

Afghan, Coalition, and Pakistan military meet periodically to clarify the alignment of the boundary on the ground and on maps and since 2014 have met to discuss collaboration on the Taliban insurgency and counterterrorism efforts; Afghan and Iranian commissioners have discussed boundary monument densification and resurvey; Iran protests Afghanistan's restricting flow of dammed Helmand River tributaries during drought; Pakistan has sent troops across and built fences along some remote tribal areas of its treaty-defined Durand Line border with Afghanistan which serve as bases for foreign terrorists and other illegal activities; Russia remains concerned about the smuggling of poppy derivatives from Afghanistan through Central Asian countries

Illicit drugstransit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and Western European markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistanworld's largest producer of opium; poppy cultivation increased 63 percent, to 328,304 hectares in 2017; while eradication increased slightly, it still remains well below levels achieved in 2015; the 2017 crop yielded an estimated 9,000 mt of raw opium, a 88% increase over 2016; the Taliban and other antigovernment groups participate in and profit from the opiate trade, which is a key source of revenue for the Taliban inside Afghanistan; widespread corruption and instability impede counterdrug efforts; most of the heroin consumed in Europe and Eurasia is derived from Afghan opium; Afghanistan is also struggling to respond to a burgeoning domestic opiate addiction problem; a 2015 national drug use survey found that roughly 11% of the population tested positive for one or more illicit drugs; vulnerable to drug money laundering through informal financial networks; illicit cultivation of cannabis and regional source of hashish (2018)
Refugees and internally displaced personsstateless persons: 3,924 (2020)refugees (country of origin): 72,191 (Pakistan) (2019)

IDPs: 3.547 million (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in the south and west due to natural disasters and political instability) (2020)
Trafficking in personscurrent situation: Turkmenistan is a source, and to a much lesser degree, destination country for men, women, and children who are subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Turkmen in search of work in other countries are forced to work in textile sweatshops, construction, and domestic service; some Turkmen women and girls are sex trafficked abroad; Turkey is the primary trafficking destination, followed by Russia, India, and other countries in the Middle East, South and Central Asia, and Europe; labor trafficking occurs within Turkmenistan, particularly in the construction industry; government officials require employees in private sector institutions, soldiers, and public sector workers to pick cotton without payment under the threat of penalty, such as dismissal, reduced work hours, or salary deductions to meet government-imposed quotas for the cotton harvest

tier rating: Tier 3 - Turkmenistan does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government approved the 2020-2022 national action plan, continued anti-trafficking awareness campaigns, worked with international organizations on combating trafficking, provided training to its diplomatic corps on human trafficking, and identified potential trafficking victims at the international airport; however, the  government used forced labor in the cotton harvest and public works projects; no officials were held accountable for their role in trafficking crimes; authorities did not prosecute or convict any traffickers; no victims were identified and offered protection or assistance programs (2020)
current situation: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims and returning Afghan migrants and exploit Afghan victims abroad; internal trafficking is more prevalent than transnational trafficking; traffickers exploit men, women, and a large number of children domestically; victims are subjected to forced labor in agriculture, brick kilns, carpet weaving, domestic servitude, commercial sex, begging, poppy cultivation and harvesting, salt mining, transnational drug smuggling, and truck driving; Afghan security forces and non-state armed groups, including the pro-government militias and the Taliban, continue to unlawfully recruit and use child soldiers; sexual exploitation of boys remains pervasive nationwide, and traffickers subject some boys to sexual exploitation abroad

tier rating:

Tier 3 - Afghanistan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking in persons and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government decreased law enforcement efforts against civilian and official perpetrators of trafficking, and officials complicit in recruitment and use of child soldiers and the sexual exploitation of boys continued to operate with impunity; authorities continued to arrest, detain, and penalize many trafficking victims, including punishing sex trafficking victims for "moral crimes"; the judiciary remained underfunded, understaffed, and undertrained (2020)

Environment

TurkmenistanAfghanistan
Air pollutantsparticulate matter emissions: 19.02 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 70.63 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 52.09 megatons (2020 est.)
particulate matter emissions: 53.17 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 8.67 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 90.98 megatons (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawalmunicipal: 755 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 839 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 26.36 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
municipal: 203.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 169.5 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 20 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Revenue from forest resourcesforest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)forest revenues: 0.2% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coalcoal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)coal revenues: 0.45% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recyclingmunicipal solid waste generated annually: 500,000 tons (2013 est.)municipal solid waste generated annually: 5,628,525 tons (2016 est.)

Source: CIA Factbook