Foundation Islamic Union
Turkmenistan
TURKMENISTAN
Official Name: Republic of Turkmenistan (TM)
Capital : Ashgabat
Important Cities: 4 regions, 16 provinces: Ahal (Ashgabat), Balkan (Nebitdag), Dashhowuz (former
Tashauz), Lebap (Charjew), Merv, Kyzylavrat, Turkmenbashi.
Area: 488,100 km²
Population : 6,030,000 People.[1]
Ethnicity : Turkmen 87%, Uzbek 9.2%, Russian 2.7%, Kazakhstani 2%, other 5%.
Language: Turkmen (official language) 92%, Russian 02%, Uzbek 4%, other 7%. Turkmenistan mostly uses a language belonging to the southwestern Turkic dialects or Oghuzic group and close to Azeri Turkish and Turkish.
Religion: Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 2%.
Geographical Situation: It is located in Central Asia, on the Caspian Sea coast, between Iran and Kazakhstan. Desert climate is dominant throughout the country. Summers are hot and dry, winters are cold. There are almost no mountainous areas in Turkmenistan. The country generally has a flat geography. There is the Caspian Sea in the west and Afghan Mountains in the south.
Mode of Government: Presidential Republic
Political Parties: The highest administrative body in the country is the Presidency. It is followed by the Turkmenistan Assembly, Prime Ministry, Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministries and State committees. There is a strong central administration and hierarchical structure. In addition, the President is advised by a council of elders consisting of Aksakals (elderly sages). After Turkmenistan declared its independence, Saparmurat Turkmenbashi was elected President in the first general elections held on 21 June 1992, receiving ninety-nine per cent of the vote. On 15 January 1994, in a referendum held with ninety-nine per cent of the votes, the term of the Presidency was re-established as 10 years from the date of his election. In December 1999, Turkmenbashi was elected Eternal President. The Government is headed by the President, with 7 Deputy Prime Ministers, 20 Ministers and 7 Committee Chairmen authorised by the President. The only party in the country is the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan, chaired by President Saparmurat Turkmenbashi. There are a number of political groups outside the country. However, there is no political group within the country that can be an opposition.
History: Turkmen belong to the Oghuz group of Turks. However, it is not possible to keep Turkmens separate from other Central Asian Turks. Turkmens, who were attacked by Iranians especially after the Safavid Turkish ruler Nadir Shah, started to spread towards Merv region after 1835. In 1860, under the leadership of Kushid Khan, they defeated the Persians and declared their independence.
In 1873, the Russians invaded Khiva, but were later defeated. The Turkestan national uprising, which started in 1916, continued, and in 1920 they completely captured Khiva. In 1924, Turkmenistan USSR was established.
Elections were held in Turkmenistan on 7 January 1990 and the official language was accepted as Turkmen. Turkmenistan regained its sovereignty on 22 June 1990 and became a new republic on 27 October 1991.
Islamisation in the Country: Turkmenistan lands, which were under the rule of the Sassanids before Islam, joined the lands of Islam during the conquest activities carried out in Iran and Khorasan regions by commanders such as Abdullah b. Amir, the Governor of Basra, Abdullah b. Hâzim and Ahnef b. Kays in 651 during the reign of Hz. Osman (r.a.). Especially after the capture of the city of Merv, the centre of Khorasan, the conquest campaign in Central Asia was directed and managed from here.
Mosques: The old mosques, of which there are few examples, are analysed in two groups as Friday mosques and prayer mosques. While Friday mosques were built in the centre of settlements, smaller sized prayer mosques were built outside settlements. The main spaces of the mosques mostly consist of a domed or iwan-shaped central volume in front of the mihrab and parts divided by walls or piers on either side. The oldest mosques in the region appear to have multi-supported plan schemes. In the early 13th century, the Friday mosque built by Khwarizmshah Muhammad in Dihistan has a dome in front of the mihrab and brick pâyas and four stages parallel to the mihrab. In the Dihistan Cemetery, there is a structure called Mezâr-ı Şîr Kebîr dating from the late 11th century. This work, which is presumed to be a kind of tomb-masjid, is an advanced example of single-domed mosques in Turkish-Islamic architecture in terms of its period with its dome reaching 11 metres in diameter. It is estimated that mosques usually have a cylindrical minaret adjacent to one of the corners of the building or courtyard. However, only three brick minarets, two in Dihistan and one in Urgench, have survived with their upper parts destroyed.[2]
The Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Turkey has built a cultural centre in Ashgabat, including a mosque with a capacity of seven thousand people. In the 3.500 m2 centre, which also has a library and a conference hall, intensive cultural activities that strengthen the friendship between the two countries are carried out under the supervision of the Turkish Embassy.
Within the Mahtumkulu University Campus, there is a Faculty of Theology and Theological High School built by the Turkish Religious Foundation.
Economy: Turkmenistan is a country with rich underground resources and high economic potential. The political stability prevailing in Turkmenistan supports the development of the country. Turkmenistan's development strategy is based on the policy of 'abadism'. The major economic and social changes realised in accordance with the policy of 'Abadism' are the first steps that have taken Turkmenistan forward. In line with the objectives of 'Abadism', it is planned to increase the natural gas extracted in Turkmenistan to 120 billion cubic metres. In line with the same project, it is aimed to get rid of the country's dependence on foreign sources of food by 2002. 1 million 600 thousand tonnes/year cotton production reached two million tonnes in 2002. In the new period, Turkmenistan aims to further intensify its foreign economic relations and open up to new world markets. Legal guarantees have been established to encourage investments of foreign companies in Turkmenistan and protect their rights.
Currency: Turkmen Manat (TM)
National Income per Capita: USD 9,032[3]
Export products: Gas 33%, oil 30%, cotton fabric 18%, textiles 8%
Export partners: Ukraine, Iran, Turkey, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan
Import products: Machinery and parts 60%, foodstuffs 15%
Import partners: Ukraine, Turkey, Russia, Germany, Germany, USA, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan
Industry: Food industry production in the country is not to be underestimated with 13-14 per cent share. Meat, milk and flour products take the first places in food industry production. Turkmenistan's main industrial facilities are based on oil and cotton. In recent years, oil refineries, gas extraction, chemical industry, electrical industry and machinery manufacturing products, as well as the increase in nitrogen fertilisers, carpets and textile products have revitalised the industrial sector. The industrial sector is largely based on energy, other natural resources and cotton. There are two large refineries in the country, Turkmenbashi and Turkmenabat. The capacity of the Turkmenbashi Refinery, which processes domestically produced oil, is 5.5 million tonnes/year. The production of 61 textile factories in the country constitutes one third of the total industrial production. Chemical plants processing other minerals mined in the country are well developed. The chemical industry accounts for one third of the total industry.
Construction investments are generally related to large industrial projects and the completion and modernisation of inadequate infrastructure. The machinery industry is concentrated on petroleum machinery, pumps, ventilators, bulldozers and cables. The construction sector accounts for a quarter of the national income.
Energy: Turkmenistan has valuable mineral resources. Especially oil and natural gas are the most important underground resources. The quality of the extracted oil is very high and there are large oil fields that have not yet been processed. In addition to natural gas and oil resources, Turkmenistan also has significant mineral resources, although natural resources have not been sufficiently recognised and differentiated. Turkmenistan's underground resources include mineral deposits of various types (oil, gas, sulphur, potassium, rock salts, some rare metals, etc.). Turkmenistan's mining industry is mainly dependent on natural gas and oil production. Other mineral production includes sodium sulphate and sodium compounds, sulphur, table and potassium salts, iodine, bromine, gypsum, clay and building stones.
Turkmenistan has reserves of 21 trillion cubic metres of natural gas, including the Caspian self, and 6.8 billion tonnes of oil. While oil is generally found in and near the Caspian Sea, natural gas is found on the shores of the Caspian Sea and mostly in the northern and eastern regions of the country.
Turkmenistan has the largest natural gas reserves among the Turkic Republics. Turkmenistan's natural gas is transported to other countries in the region through Soviet-era pipelines. In addition to natural gas exports, 40% of the 15 billion kW/h of electricity produced annually is exported to other Central Asian countries.
Turkmenistan's natural gas can be used both in Turkey and transported to Europe via a new natural gas pipeline.
Electricity exports: 4.1 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity imports: 1.1 billion kWh (1999)
Transportation: Railways: 2,187 km ; Roads: 22,000 km; Pipelines: Crude oil 250 km; petroleum products 4,400 km; Ports: Turkmenbashi
Airfields: 1.
Education: Author rate: 98.8%.
International organisations and institutions of which it is a member: CIS, FAO G-77, ICAO ), IDB ILO, IMF Interpol, OSCE, UN , UNESCO UNIDO, WHO, OIC[4].
[1] www.ticaret.gov.tr (November-2021 Access)
[2] Encyclopaedia of Islam, TDV.
[3] www.ticaret.gov.tr (November-2021 Access)
[4] www.0ic-oci.org
