Languages spoken in Turkmenistan
Ashgabat
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The main language spoken in Turkmenistan is:
Turkmen - the sole official language, spoken by ~72% of the population; a member of the Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages.
Russian - spoken by ~12%.
Uzbek - spoken by ~9%.
Turkmen is the sole official language of Turkmenistan.
| Geography |
Location: Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan
Map references: Central Asia
Land boundaries:
border countries: Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan
Terrain: most of the country consists of oases scattered amid the uninhabitable Karakum Desert
Climate: subtropical desert, hot summers and mild winters
Natural resources: significant petroleum and natural gas reserves (fourth-largest natural gas reserves in the world), alongside sulfur and salt
| People |
Population: 5.74-7.7 million (varies significantly by source; 2024-2026 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.5%
15-64 years: 68.6%
65 years and over: 6.9% (2024 est.)
Median age: 31.6 years (2025 est.)
Nationality:
noun/adjective: Turkmen(s)
Ethnic groups: Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003 est.)
Religions: Muslim 93%, Christian 6.4%, other minority faiths (2020 est.)
Languages: Turkmen (official) 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%
Population distribution: most densely populated areas are the southern, eastern, and northeastern oases; approximately 50% of the population lives in and around the capital, Ashgabat
| Government |
Country name:
conventional short form: Turkmenistan
Data code: TX
Government type: presidential republic; widely characterized as authoritarian
National capital: Ashgabat (Ashkhabad); lies in an oasis at the northern foot of the Kopet-Dag Range, near the Karakum Desert and the Iranian border; known for its striking white marble architecture
Independence: 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
| Economy |
Economy - overview: upper-middle-income Central Asian economy; houses the world''s fourth-largest natural gas reserves and is rich in natural resources; authoritarian and dominated by state-owned enterprises; challenges include an overvalued currency, high inflation risk, and lack of economic diversification due to heavy state control and bureaucracy
GDP (purchasing power parity): $158.97 billion (2026f)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.3% (2025-2027f)
GDP - per capita: $23,542 PPP (2026 est.)
Inflation rate: 8% (2020)
Unemployment rate: 4.3-4.4% (2024-2025)
Population below poverty line: 0.2% (2018)
Currency: Turkmenistan manat (TMT)
| Military |
Military branches: Armed Forces of Turkmenistan (Turkmen National Army): Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy; Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Troops, Turkmen National Police, Federal/State Border Guard Service (2025)
| Transnational Issues |
Trafficking in persons - tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List (2025)