Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of Turkmenistan: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna grade (MCC, ranked #129 of 195).
Turkmenistan is a presidential republic; authoritarian in Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan. The country's capital is Ashgabat (Ashkhabad); it covers 488,100 sq km. Independence: 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union). 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. Climate: subtropical desert. Population: 5.7 million (2024 estimate). Population growth: +0.88% per year. Median age: 31.6 years. Life expectancy: 72.4 years (2024 est.). Languages: Turkmen (official) 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7% Religions: Muslim 93%, Christian 6.4%, Buddhist <1%, fol…
| Capital | Ashgabat (Ashkhabad) |
|---|---|
| Population | 5,744,151 (2024 est.) |
| GDP (PPP) | $134.555 billion (2024 est.) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | $18,000 (2024 est.) |
| Real GDP growth | 2.3% (2024 est.) |
| Inflation | 11.5% |
| Unemployment | 4.4% |
| Public debt | 24.1% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Exports | $13.111 billion (2023 est.) |
| Imports | $7.563 billion (2023 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 72.4 years (2024 est.) |
| Median age | 31.6 |
| Urbanization | 54% of total population (2023) |
| Government | presidential republic; authoritarian |
| Independence | 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union) |
| Languages | Turkmen (official) 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7% |
MCC · 44/100 — The Magna grade is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — five dimensions, 100+ indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.
Momentum 0 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).
No single event defined Jul–Sep 2026. The country's position is the product of long-cycle forces — geography, trade, neighbours — all of which held steady.
Momentum at zero is not stagnation; it is the accurate record of a quarter without a catalyst.
Oil, Natural gas, Sulfur, Salt.
Serdar Berdimuhamedow — President. President Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV (since 19 March 2022)
Turkmenistan maintains 30 embassies and 9 consulates abroad. The breadth of a diplomatic network is a direct measure of diplomatic power — it shows how far a country’s influence, alliances and interests reach.
| Embassies abroad | 30 |
|---|---|
| Consulates abroad | 9 |
Source: Outbound: Consular Affairs Center (Yonsei Univ.), diplomatic & consular networks database, March 2026 report (Zenodo).
Transport networks are economic power made physical — ports, runways, railways and pipelines decide what a country can move, sell and defend.
| Sea access | Landlocked — no seacoast; exports move through transit corridors across neighbouring countries. |
|---|---|
| Airports (total) | 23 + 25 heliports (registration prefix EZ) |
| Railways | 5113 km |
| Pipelines | 7,500 km gas, 1501 km oil (2013) |
Ashgabat International Airport (ASB) — Ashgabat; Dashoguz International Airport (TAZ) — Daşoguz; Türkmenabat International Airport (CRZ) — Türkmenabat; Balkanabat International Airport (BKN) — Balkanabat; Mary International Airport (MYP) — Mary; Turkmenbaşy International Airport (KRW) — Turkmenbaşy.
Sources: OurAirports public-domain extract (2026-10-02); per-entry Wikipedia links included; CIA World Factbook via cia_factbook snapshot (2026-09-28); theodora.com CIA mirror (CIA World Factbook Transportation section), scraped 2026-10-02
| Political system | authoritarian rule |
|---|---|
| Next election | No election currently scheduled. |
MCC · 44 Ranked #129 of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for Turkmenistan.
Historical timeline of Turkmenistan
