Turkmenistan vs. Uzbekistan
Introduction
| Turkmenistan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Present-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. | Uzbekistan is the geographic and population center of Central Asia. The country has a diverse economy and a relatively young population. Russia conquered and united the disparate territories of present-day Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after the Bolshevik Revolution was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic established in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to the overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, leaving the land degraded and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half-dry. Independent since the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, the country has diversified agricultural production while developing its mineral and petroleum export capacity and increasing its manufacturing base, although cotton remains a major part of its economy. Uzbekistan's first president, Islam KARIMOV, led Uzbekistan for 25 years until his death in September 2016. His successor, former Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV, has improved relations with Uzbekistan's neighbors and introduced wide-ranging economic, judicial, and social reforms. |
Geography
| Turkmenistan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan | Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan, south of Kazakhstan |
| Geographic coordinates | 40 00 N, 60 00 E | 41 00 N, 64 00 E |
| Map references | Asia | Asia |
| Area | total: 488,100 sq km land: 469,930 sq km water: 18,170 sq km | total: 447,400 sq km land: 425,400 sq km water: 22,000 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly more than three times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than California | about four times the size of Virginia; slightly larger than California |
| Land boundaries | total: 4,158 km border countries (4): Afghanistan 804 km, Iran 1148 km, Kazakhstan 413 km, Uzbekistan 1793 km | total: 6,893 km border countries (5): Afghanistan 144 km, Kazakhstan 2330 km, Kyrgyzstan 1314 km, Tajikistan 1312 km, Turkmenistan 1793 km |
| Coastline | 0 km (landlocked); note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km) | 0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline |
| Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | none (doubly landlocked) |
| Climate | subtropical desert | mostly mid-latitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east |
| Terrain | flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west | mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west |
| Elevation extremes | highest 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: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m lowest point: Sariqamish Kuli -12 m |
| Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt | natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum |
| Land use | agricultural 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: 62.6% (2018 est.) arable land: 10.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.8% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 51.7% (2018 est.) forest: 7.7% (2018 est.) other: 29.7% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 19,950 sq km (2012) | 42,150 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | earthquakes; mudslides; droughts; dust storms; floods | earthquakes; floods; landslides or mudslides; avalanches; droughts |
| Environment - current issues | contamination 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; desertification | shrinkage of the Aral Sea has resulted in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification and respiratory health problems; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including DDT |
| Environment - international agreements | party 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, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note | landlocked; 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 | along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world |
| Total renewable water resources | 24.765 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 48.87 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | the most densely populated areas are the southern, eastern, and northeastern oases; approximately 50% of the population lives in and around the capital of Ashgabat | most of the population is concentrated in the fertile Fergana Valley in the easternmost arm of the country; the south has significant clusters of people, while the central and western deserts are sparsely populated |
Demographics
| Turkmenistan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,579,889 (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 | 30,842,796 (July 2021 est.) |
| Age structure | 0-14 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: 23.19% (male 3,631,693/female 3,456,750) 15-24 years: 16.63% (male 2,601,803/female 2,481,826) 25-54 years: 45.68% (male 6,955,260/female 7,006,172) 55-64 years: 8.63% (male 1,245,035/female 1,392,263) 65 years and over: 5.87% (male 768,769/female 1,025,840) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 29.2 years male: 28.7 years female: 29.7 years (2020 est.) | total: 30.1 years male: 29.4 years female: 30.7 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 1.02% (2021 est.) | 0.86% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 17.85 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 15.85 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 5.95 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 5.4 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -1.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | -1.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at 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: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 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: 19.42 deaths/1,000 live births male: 23.13 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 71.54 years male: 68.5 years female: 74.73 years (2021 est.) | total population: 75.03 years male: 71.98 years female: 78.25 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 2.04 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 1.73 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | NA | 0.2% (2020 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Turkmenistani(s) adjective: Turkmenistani | noun: Uzbekistani adjective: Uzbekistani |
| Ethnic groups | Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003 est.) | Uzbek 83.8%, Tajik 4.8%, Kazakh 2.5%, Russian 2.3%, Karakalpak 2.2%, Tatar 1.5%, other 4.4% (2017 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | NA | 58,000 (2020 est.) |
| Religions | Muslim 93%, Christian 6.4%, Buddhist <1%, folk religion <1%, Jewish <1%, other <1%, unspecified <1% (2020 est.) | Muslim 88% (mostly Sunni), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3% |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | NA | <1,000 (2020 est.) |
| Languages | Turkmen (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. | Uzbek (official) 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1% major-language sample(s): Jahon faktlari kitobi, asosiy ma'lumotlar uchun zaruriy manba. (Uzbek) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: in the autonomous Karakalpakstan Republic, both the Karakalpak language and Uzbek have official status |
| Literacy | definition: 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: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2016) |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2019) | total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 12 years (2019) |
| Education expenditures | 3.1% of GDP (2012) | 5.3% of GDP (2017) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 53% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 2.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 50.4% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 1.25% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: 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: 100% of population rural: 96.1% of population total: 97.8% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 3.9% of population total: 2.2% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: 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: 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.) |
| Major cities - population | 865,000 ASHGABAT (capital) (2021) | 2.545 million TASHKENT (capital) (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 7 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 29 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 3.1% (2019) | 2.9% (2017) |
| Health expenditures | 6.6% (2018) | 5.3% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 2.23 physicians/1,000 population (2014) | 2.37 physicians/1,000 population (2014) |
| Hospital bed density | 4 beds/1,000 population (2014) | 4 beds/1,000 population (2014) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 18.6% (2016) | 16.6% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 24.2 years (2019) | 23.7 years (2019 est.) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 55.2 youth dependency ratio: 47.8 elderly dependency ratio: 7.4 potential support ratio: 13.5 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 50.6 youth dependency ratio: 43.4 elderly dependency ratio: 7.2 potential support ratio: 13.9 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Turkmenistan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional 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: Republic of Uzbekistan conventional short form: Uzbekistan local long form: O'zbekiston Respublikasi local short form: O'zbekiston former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: a combination of the Turkic words "uz" (self) and "bek" (master) with the Persian suffix "-stan" (country) to give the meaning "Land of the Free" |
| Government type | presidential republic; authoritarian | presidential republic; highly authoritarian |
| Capital | name: 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: Tashkent (Toshkent) geographic coordinates: 41 19 N, 69 15 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: "tash" means "stone" and "kent" means "city" in Turkic languages, so the name simply denotes "stone city" |
| Administrative divisions | 5 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) | 12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (avtonom respublikasi), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati [Bukhara Province], Farg'ona Viloyati [Fergana Province], Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi), Qoraqalpog'iston Respublikasi [Karakalpakstan Republic]* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati [Samarkand Province], Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri [Tashkent City]**, Toshkent Viloyati [Tashkent Province], Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch) note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) |
| Independence | 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union) | 1 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union) |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 27 October (1991) | Independence Day, 1 September (1991) |
| Constitution | history: 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 adopted 8 December 1992 amendments: proposed by the Supreme Assembly or by referendum; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of both houses of the Assembly or passage in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2017 |
| Legal system | civil law system with Islamic (sharia) law influences | civil law system; note - in early 2020, the president signed an amendment to the criminal code, criminal procedure code, and code of administrative responsibility |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief 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 Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (interim president from 8 September 2016; formally elected president on 4 December 2016 to succeed longtime President Islom KARIMOV, who died on 2 September 2016) head of government: Prime Minister Abdulla ARIPOV (since 14 December 2016); First Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Transport Achilbay RAMATOV (since 15 December 2016) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with most requiring approval of the Senate chamber of the Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis) 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; previously a 5-year term, extended by a 2002 constitutional amendment to 7 years, and reverted to 5 years in 2011); election last held on 4 December 2016 (next to be held in 2021); prime minister nominated by majority party in legislature since 2011, but appointed along with the ministers and deputy ministers by the president election results: Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV elected president in first round; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 88.6%, Hotamjon KETMONOV (NDP) 3.7%, Narimon UMAROV (Adolat) 3.5%, Sarvar OTAMURODOV (Milliy Tiklanish/National Revival) 2.4%, other 1.8% |
| Legislative branch | description: 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 Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of: Senate or Senat (100 seats; 84 members indirectly elected by regional governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) Legislative Chamber or Qonunchilik Palatasi (150 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 5-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 16-17 January 2020 (next to be held in 2025) Legislative Chamber - last held on 22 December 2019 and 5 January 2020 (next to be held in December 2024) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 77, women 23, percent of women 23% Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDPU 53, National Revival Democratic Party 36, Adolat 24, PDP 22, Ecological Movement 15; composition - men 83, women, 17, percent of women 17% note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV |
| Judicial branch | highest 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 (consists of 67 judges organized into administrative, civil, criminal, and economic sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: judges of the highest courts nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate of the Oliy Majlis; judges appointed for initial 5-year term and can be reappointed for subsequent 10-year and lifetime terms subordinate courts: regional, district, city, and town courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Agrarian 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 | Ecological Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Ekologik Partivasi) [Boriy ALIKHANOV] Justice (Adolat) Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan [Narimon UMAROV] Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Liberal-Demokratik Partiyasi) or LDPU [Aktam HAITOV] National Revival Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Milliy Tiklanish Demokratik Partiyasi) [Sarvar OTAMURATOV] People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (Xalq Demokratik Partiyas) or PDP [Hotamjon KETMONOV] (formerly Communist Party) |
| International organization participation | ADB, 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, WMO | ADB, CICA, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief 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 Javlon VAKHABOV (since 29 November 2017) chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300 FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804 email address and website: info.washington@mfa.uz https://www.uzbekistan.org/ consulate(s) general: New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief 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 Daniel ROSENBLUM (since 24 May 2019) embassy: 3 Moyqorghon, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, 100093 Tashkent mailing address: 7110 Tashkent Place, Washington DC 20521-7110 telephone: [998] 78-120-5450 FAX: [998] 78-120-6335 email address and website: ACSTashkent@state.gov https://uz.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | green 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 horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a vertical, white crescent moon (closed side to the hoist) and 12 white, five-pointed stars shifted to the hoist on the top band; blue is the color of the Turkic peoples and of the sky, white signifies peace and the striving for purity in thoughts and deeds, while green represents nature and is the color of Islam; the red stripes are the vital force of all living organisms that links good and pure ideas with the eternal sky and with deeds on earth; the crescent represents Islam and the 12 stars the months and constellations of the Uzbek calendar |
| National anthem | name: "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: "O'zbekiston Respublikasining Davlat Madhiyasi" (National Anthem of the Republic of Uzbekistan) lyrics/music: Abdulla ARIPOV/Mutal BURHANOV note: adopted 1992; after the fall of the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan kept the music of the anthem from its time as a Soviet Republic but adopted new lyrics |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| National symbol(s) | Akhal-Teke horse; national colors: green, white | khumo (mythical bird); national colors: blue, white, red, green |
| Citizenship | citizenship 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 be a citizen of Uzbekistan dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
Economy
| Turkmenistan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in which 51% of the population lives in urban settlements; the agriculture-rich Fergana Valley, in which Uzbekistan's eastern borders are situated, has been counted among the most densely populated parts of Central Asia. Since its independence in September 1991, the government has largely maintained its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production, prices, and access to foreign currency. Despite ongoing efforts to diversify crops, Uzbek agriculture remains largely centered on cotton; Uzbekistan is the world's fifth-largest cotton exporter and seventh-largest producer. Uzbekistan's growth has been driven primarily by state-led investments, and export of natural gas, gold, and cotton provides a significant share of foreign exchange earnings. Recently, lower global commodity prices and economic slowdowns in neighboring Russia and China have hurt Uzbekistan's trade and investment and worsened its foreign currency shortage. Aware of the need to improve the investment climate, the government is taking incremental steps to reform the business sector and address impediments to foreign investment in the country. Since the death of first President Islam KARIMOV and election of President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV, emphasis on such initiatives and government efforts to improve the private sector have increased. In the past, Uzbek authorities accused US and other foreign companies operating in Uzbekistan of violating Uzbek laws and have frozen and seized their assets. As a part of its economic reform efforts, the Uzbek Government is looking to expand opportunities for small and medium enterprises and prioritizes increasing foreign direct investment. In September 2017, the government devalued the official currency rate by almost 50% and announced the loosening of currency restrictions to eliminate the currency black market, increase access to hard currency, and boost investment. |
| 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 | $235.021 billion (2019 est.) $222.634 billion (2018 est.) $211.134 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 6.5% (2017 est.) 6.2% (2016 est.) 6.5% (2015 est.) | 5.3% (2017 est.) 7.8% (2016 est.) 7.9% (2015 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $14,845 (2018 est.) $18,200 (2017 est.) $14,205 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars | $6,999 (2019 est.) $6,755 (2018 est.) $6,519 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 7.5% (2017 est.) industry: 44.9% (2017 est.) services: 47.7% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 17.9% (2017 est.) industry: 33.7% (2017 est.) services: 48.5% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 0.2% (2012 est.) | 14.1% (2013 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 31.7% (1998) | lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 29.6% (2003) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 8% (2017 est.) 3.6% (2016 est.) | 12.5% (2017 est.) 8% (2016 est.) note: official data; based on independent analysis of consumer prices, inflation reached 22% in 2012 |
| Labor force | 2.305 million (2013 est.) | 13.273 million (2018 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 48.2% industry: 14% services: 37.8% (2004 est.) | agriculture: 25.9% industry: 13.2% services: 60.9% (2012 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 11% (2014 est.) 10.6% (2013) | 5% (2017 est.) 5.1% (2016 est.) note: official data; another 20% are underemployed |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 40.8 (1998) | 36.8 (2003) 44.7 (1998) |
| Budget | revenues: 5.657 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 6.714 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 15.22 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 15.08 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing | textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, mining, hydrocarbon extraction, chemicals |
| Industrial production growth rate | 1% (2017 est.) | 4.5% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | milk, wheat, cotton, tomatoes, potatoes, watermelons, grapes, sugar beet, beef, rice | milk, wheat, potatoes, carrots/turnips, cotton, tomatoes, vegetables, grapes, onions, watermelons |
| Exports | $7.458 billion (2017 est.) $6.987 billion (2016 est.) | $11.48 billion (2017 est.) $11.2 billion (2016 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | natural gas, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, cotton fibers, fertilizers (2019) | gold, natural gas, cotton fibers, copper, ethylene polymers (2019) |
| Exports - partners | China 82% (2019) | Switzerland 19%, United Kingdom 17%, Russia 15%, China 14%, Kazakhstan 9%, Turkey 8%, Kyrgyzstan 5% (2019) |
| Imports | $4.571 billion (2017 est.) $5.215 billion (2016 est.) | $11.42 billion (2017 est.) $10.92 billion (2016 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | iron products, harvesting machinery, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment, tractors (2019) | cars and vehicle parts, packaged medicines, refined petroleum, aircraft, construction vehicles (2019) |
| Imports - partners | Turkey 25%, Russia 18%, China 14%, Germany 6% (2019) | China 23%, Russia 18%, South Korea 11%, Kazakhstan 9%, Turkey 6%, Germany 5% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $539.4 million (31 December 2017 est.) $425.3 million (31 December 2016 est.) | $16.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $16.76 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Exchange rates | Turkmenistani 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.) | Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar - 3,906.1 (2017 est.) 2,966.6 (2016 est.) 2,966.6 (2015 est.) 2,569.6 (2014 est.) 2,311.4 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Public debt | 28.8% of GDP (2017 est.) 24.1% of GDP (2016 est.) | 24.3% of GDP (2017 est.) 10.5% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $24.91 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $25.05 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $16 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $14 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | -$4.359 billion (2017 est.) -$7.207 billion (2016 est.) | $1.713 billion (2017 est.) $384 million (2016 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $40.819 billion (2018 est.) | $57.789 billion (2019 est.) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 14.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 31.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -2.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household 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: 59.5% (2017 est.) government consumption: 16.3% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 25.3% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 3% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 19% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -20% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 23.9% of GDP (2017 est.) 24.3% of GDP (2016 est.) 18.9% of GDP (2015 est.) | 40.1% of GDP (2019 est.) 41.3% of GDP (2018 est.) 36.3% of GDP (2017 est.) |
Energy
| Turkmenistan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 21.18 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 55.55 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 15.09 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 49.07 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 3.201 billion kWh (2015 est.) | 13 billion kWh (2014 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2016 est.) | 10.84 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 244,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 41,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 420 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 67,790 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 27,000 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 600 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 594 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 7.504 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) | 1.841 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 77.45 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 52.1 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 39.31 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 43.07 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 38.14 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 9.401 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 4.001 million kW (2016 est.) | 12.96 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 86% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 191,100 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 61,740 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 160,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) | 60,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 53,780 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 3,977 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) | electrification - total population: 100% (2020) |
Telecommunications
| Turkmenistan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 648,223 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11.85 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 3,553,310 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11.73 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 8,908,821 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 162.86 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 33.38 million subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110.15 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .tm | .uz |
| Internet users | total: 1,149,840 percent of population: 21.25% (July 2018 est.) | total: 15,705,402 percent of population: 52.31% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general 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: land-locked, authoritarian state with government grip on ICT technology and no integrated plan; government plans to develop infrastructure to improve geographical disparities in service; increased investment in infrastructure, with aims of expanding subscriber base and rising revenue; some villages have no connectivity, and 70% have 2G with development of 3G and 4G; free WiFi spots across country to boost tourism; Russian operator invested in joint venture on mobile services; government in discussion with Huawei on additional ventures; digital exchanges in large cities and some rural areas; fixed-line is underdeveloped due to preeminence of mobile market; introduction of prepaid Internet has contributed to home Internet usage; consumers largely reliant on terrestrial links and VSAT networks; media controlled by state; importer of broadcasting equipment from China (2021) (2020) domestic: fixed-line 11 per 100 person and mobile-cellular 101 per 100; the state-owned telecommunications company, Uzbek Telecom, owner of the fixed-line telecommunications system, has used loans from the Japanese government and the China Development Bank to upgrade fixed-line services including conversion to digital exchanges; mobile-cellular services are provided by 2 private and 3 state-owned operators with a total subscriber base of 22.8 million as of January 2018 (2019) international: country code - 998; linked by fiber-optic cable or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; the country also has a link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; Uzbekistan has supported the national fiber-optic backbone project of Afghanistan since 2008 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 subscriptions | total: 4,000 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2017 est.) | total: 4,597,265 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15.17 (2019 est.) |
| Broadcast media | broadcast 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 dishes | the government controls media; 17 state-owned broadcasters - 13 TV and 4 radio - provide service to virtually the entire country; about 20 privately owned TV stations, overseen by local officials, broadcast to local markets; privately owned TV stations are required to lease transmitters from the government-owned Republic TV and Radio Industry Corporation; in 2019, the Uzbek Agency for Press and Information was reorganized into the Agency of Information and Mass Communications and became part of the Uzbek Presidential Administration with recent appointment of the Uzbek President's elder daughter as it deputy director (2019) |
Transportation
| Turkmenistan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 5,113 km (2017) broad gauge: 5,113 km 1.520-m gauge (2017) | total: 4,642 km (2018) broad gauge: 4,642 km 1.520-m gauge (1,684 km electrified) (2018) |
| Roadways | total: 58,592 km (2002) paved: 47,577 km (2002) unpaved: 11,015 km (2002) | total: 86,496 km (2000) paved: 75,511 km (2000) unpaved: 10,985 km (2000) |
| Waterways | 1,300 km (Amu Darya River and Kara Kum Canal are important inland waterways) (2011) | 1,100 km (2012) |
| Pipelines | 7500 km gas, 1501 km oil (2013) | 13,700 km gas, 944 km oil (2016) |
| Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Caspian Sea - Turkmenbasy | river port(s): Termiz (Amu Darya) |
| Airports | total: 26 (2013) | total: 53 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 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: 33 (2013) over 3,047 m: 6 (2013) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2013) under 914 m: 4 (2013) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 5 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013) under 914 m: 4 (2013) | total: 20 (2013) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2013) under 914 m: 18 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number 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: 2 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 34 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 3,056,558 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 89.43 million mt-km (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | EZ | UK |
Military
| Turkmenistan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Armed Forces of Turkmenistan: National Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces; Federal Border Guard Service (2021) | Armed Forces of Uzbekistan: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces; National Guard; Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Security Troops (2021) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18-27 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) | 18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; 1-year conscript service obligation for males (conscripts have the option of paying for a shorter service of one month while remaining in the reserves until the age of 27); Uzbek citizens who have completed their service terms in the armed forces have privileges in employment and admission to higher educational institutions (2019) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.8% of GDP (2017) 1.7% of GDP (2016) 1.5% of GDP (2015) 1.3% of GDP (2014) 1.2% of GDP (2013) | 4% of GDP (2018) 3.5% of GDP (2010) |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | information varies; estimated 35,000 active troops (est. 30,000 National Army; 1,000 Navy; 4,000 Air and Air Defense Forces) (2020) | information varies; approximately 50-60,000 total active troops (2021) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the 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) | the Uzbek Armed Forces use mainly Soviet-era equipment, although since 2010 they have received weapons and aircraft from a variety of sources, including China, France, Russia, Spain, Turkey, and the US (2020) |
Transnational Issues
| Turkmenistan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | prolonged drought and cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan created water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2004; border delimitation of 130 km of border with Kyrgyzstan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other areas |
| Illicit drugs | transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and Western European markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan | transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for domestic consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by government crop eradication program; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | stateless persons: 3,924 (2020) | stateless persons: 69,791 (2020) |
| Trafficking in persons | current 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: Uzbekistan is a source country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking; adults are victims of government-organized forced labor during Uzbekistan's annual cotton harvest; local officials in some instances force teachers, students (including children), private businesses employees, and others to work in construction and other forms of non-cotton agriculture and to clean parks, streets, and buildings; traffickers exploit Uzbek women and children in sex trafficking in the Middle East, Eurasia, and Asia, and internally in brothels, clubs, and private residences; traffickers subject Uzbek men, and to a lesser extent women, to forced labor in Kazakhstan, Russia, Moldova, Turkey, and in other Asian, Middle Eastern, and European countries in the construction, oil and gas, agricultural, retail, and food sectors tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Uzbekistan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; government efforts included addressing the use of forced adult labor during the cotton harvest by increasing pay to laborers and improving working conditions for voluntary workers and ceasing the forced use of students, teachers, and health care workers; third-party monitors were allowed access to the harvest to view changes; the government created a National Commission on Trafficking chaired by the regional governor in every area of the country; however, reports continued of corrupt officials requiring public sector employees to pick cotton or pay for a replacement worker with extorted penalties paid to them; fewer cases of traffickers were investigated and prosecuted, fewer victims of trafficking were identified, and fewer convictions carried a prison sentence; authorities conducted no investigations against corrupt officials extorting money during the cotton harvest (2020) |
Environment
| Turkmenistan | Uzbekistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | particulate 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: 25.29 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 91.81 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 96.16 megatons (2020 est.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 755 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 839 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 26.36 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 2.41 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 2.13 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 54.36 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0.06% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 500,000 tons (2013 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 4 million tons (2016 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
