Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 17 million (in addition, there are 1.5 million
cellular telephone subscribers) (1997 est.)
Telephone system: fair domestic and international systems;
undergoing modernization and refurbishment programs
domestic: cable; AMPS standard cellular system in Ashkhabad with
plans for expansion
international: 12 satellite earth stations—Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean), Eutelsat, and Inmarsat (Indian and Atlantic Ocean regions);
3 submarine fiber-optic cables (1996); connected internationally by
the Trans-Asia-Europe Fiber-Optic Line that became operational in
1998
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: there are 36 national broadcast stations, 108 regional broadcast stations, and 1,058 local broadcast stations (1996)
Radios: 9.4 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 69 (in addition, there are 476 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 10.53 million (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 10,386 km standard gauge: 10,386 km 1.435-m gauge (1,088 km electrified)