LocationCentral Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan Geographic coordinates40 00 N, 60 00 E Map referencesAsia Areatotal: 488,100 sq km Area - comparativeslightly larger than California Land boundariestotal: 3,736 km Coastline0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km) Maritime claimsnone (landlocked) Climatesubtropical desert Terrainflat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west Elevation extremeslowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note - 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) Natural resourcespetroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt Land usearable land: 4.51% Irrigated land18,000 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources60.9 cu km (1997) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)total: 24.65 cu km/yr (2%/1%/98%) Natural hazardsNA 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; desertification Environment - international agreementsparty to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection 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 plateau |
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Source: CIA World Factbook | |