HowStuffWorks "Maps of Turkmenistan"

maps of turkmenistan

Country (long form)	none
Capital	Ashgabat
Total Area	188,456.46 sq mi 488,100.00 sq km (slightly larger than California)
Population	4,603,244 (July 2001 est.)
Estimated Population in 2050	9,626,193
Languages	Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%
Literacy	98.0% total, 99.0% male, 97% female (1989 est.)
Religions	Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%
Life Expectancy	57.43 male, 64.76 female (2001 est.)
Government Type	republic
Currency	1 Turkmen manat (TMM) = 100 tenesi
GDP (per capita)	$4,300 (2000 est.)
Industry	natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing
Agriculture	cotton, grain; livestock
Arable Land	3%
Natural Resources	petroleum, natural gas, coal, sulfur, salt

Turkmenistan or Turkmenia, a country in Central Asia. It is bordered by the Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Iran.

In 1869 the Russians established the port of Krasnovodsk (now Turkmenbashi) and began their penetration into the area that is now Turkmenistan.