Executive branch:
chief of state: President Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990,
when the first direct presidential election occured) was elected to
a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 21 June
1992 (next to be held NA 2002); results - Saparmurad NIYAZOV 99.5%
(ran unopposed); note - a 15 January 1994 referendum extended
NIYAZOV's term an additional five years until 2002 (99.99% approval)
head of government: Prime Minister (vacant); Deputy Prime Ministers
Mukhamed ABALAKOV (since NA), Babamurad BAZAROV (since NA), Hekim
ISHANOV (since NA), Valeriy OTCHERTSOV (since NA), Yagmur OVEZOV
(since NA), Matkarim RAJAPOV (since NA), Pirkuly ODEYEV (since NA),
Rejep SAPAROV (since NA), Boris SHIKHMURADOV (since NA), Batyr
SARJAYEV (since NA), Amannazar ILAMANOV (since NA), Ilaman SHYKHYYEV
(since NA) were appointed by the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president
note: NIYAZOV has been asked by various local groups, most recently
on 26 October 1995 at the annual elders meeting, to be "president
for life," but that would require an amendment to the constitution
Legislative branch: under the 1992 constitution, there are two parliamentary bodies, a unicameral People's Council (Halk Maslahaty - having more than 100 members and meeting infrequently) and a 50-member unicameral Assembly (Majlis) Assembly (Majlis): elections last held 11 December 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (50 total) Democratic Party 45, other 5; note - all 50 preapproved by President NIYAZOV
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat NIYAZOV; Party for Democratic Development, Durdymurat HOJA-MUHAMEDOV, chairman; Agzybirlik, Nurberdy NURMAMEDOV, cochairman, Hubayberdi HALLIYEV, cochairman note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries
International organization participation: CCC, CIS, EBRD, ECE,
ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat
(nonsignatory user), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE,
PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Halil UGUR
chancery: 1511 K Street NW, Suite 412, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 737-4800
FAX: [1] (202) 737-1152
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael W. COTTER
embassy: 9 Pushkin Street, Ashgabat
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [7] (3632) 35-00-45, 35-00-46, 35-00-42, Tie Line [8]
962-0000
FAX: [7] (3632) 51-13-05
Flag: green field, including a vertical stripe on the hoist side, with a claret vertical stripe in between containing five white, black, and orange carpet guls (an asymmetrical design used in producing rugs) associated with five different tribes; a white crescent and five white stars in the upper left corner to the right of the carpet guls
Economy ———-
Economic overview: Turkmenistan is largely desert country with nomadic cattle raising, intensive agriculture in irrigated oases, and huge gas and oil resources. One-half of its irrigated land is planted in cotton making it the world's tenth largest producer. It also has the world's fifth largest reserves of natural gas and substantial oil resources. Until the end of 1993, Turkmenistan had experienced less economic disruption than other former Soviet states because its economy received a boost from higher prices for oil and gas and a sharp increase in hard currency earnings. In 1994, Russia's refusal to export Turkmen gas to hard currency markets and mounting debts of its major customers in the former USSR for gas deliveries contributed to a sharp fall in industrial production and caused the budget to shift from a surplus to a slight deficit. The economy remained depressed through 1995 while inflation soared. Furthermore, with an authoritarian ex-communist regime in power and a tribally based social structure, Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to economic reform, hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its inefficient economy. For 1996, Turkmenistan will face continuing constraints on its earnings because of its customers' inability to pay for their gas and a below average cotton crop in 1995. Turkmenistan is working hard to open new gas export channels through Iran and Turkey, but these will take many years to realize.