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Turkmenistan: TRANSPORTATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Overview: Access to the Caspian Sea makes Turkmenistan’s transportation situation less difficult than that of other Central Asian republics. In the early 2000s, substantial work was done to restore infrastructure, which was in general disrepair, and to extend travel routes. Major new highway and railroad projects were scheduled for completion in 2006.
Roads: In 2001 Turkmenistan had an estimated 22,000 kilometers of roads, of which about 18,000 kilometers were paved. One major highway runs westward from Mary, along the Iranian border through Ashgabat and then to Turkmenbashi on the Caspian Sea; a second runs northwestward from the Afghanistan border through Turkmenabat, along the Uzbekistan border to Dashhowuz. In the early 2000s, major road-building projects improved sections of the highway connecting Ashgabat with Turkmenbashi and Mary A major highway between Ashgabat and Dashhowuz, scheduled for completion in 2006, is part of a plan to link the capital with major points in all five provinces.
Railroads: In 2004 Turkmenistan had 2,440 kilometers of railroad line, most of which runs close to the northern and southern borders. In 1996 a rail line was opened to Iran, providing a link to the Persian Gulf. A 560-kilometer line is scheduled for completion between Ashgabat and Dashhowuz in 2006. Urban transportation systems are being upgraded in Ashgabat, Dashhowuz, and Mary.
Ports: The main port at Turkmenbashi on the Caspian Sea is being renovated. Main shipping lines cross the Caspian to Astrakhan in Russia and Baku in Azerbaijan. Smaller Caspian ports are Alaja, Chekelen, and Ekarem. Plans call for expansion of Ekarem into a second major Caspian port. In 2005 Turkmenistan had seven merchant marine vessels of more than 1,000 tons displacement, of which three were cargo ships, two were oil tankers, one was for refrigerated cargo, and one was a combination ore and oil ship.
Inland Waterways: The main waterways are the Amu Darya River, which runs along the northern border, and the Garagum Canal, which runs from east to west from the Amu Darya near the Afghanistan border through Mary and Ashgabat to Turkmenbashi. The 1,400-kilometer canal, designed mainly for irrigation, is navigable for 450 kilometers from its Caspian terminus. Because water is withdrawn for irrigation, the Amu Darya is navigable only about 250 kilometers downstream from the Afghanistan border to Turkmenabat.
Civil Aviation and Airports: In 2003 Turkmenistan had an estimated 53 airports, of which 23 had paved runways and one (at Ashgabat) had a runway longer than 3,000 meters. In the mid-1990s, the Ashgabat airport was enlarged and modernized. Smaller international airports are located at Dashhowuz and Turkmenabad. Air travel within Turkmenistan on the national carrier, Turkmenistan Airlines, often is unreliable. Flights are available from Ashgabat to Germany, Britain, Russia, Turkey, India, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan.
Pipelines: In 2004 Turkmenistan had 6,549 kilometers of natural gas pipelines and 1,395 kilometers of oil pipelines. The critical export of natural gas has depended on outmoded Soviet-era pipelines. Since the stabilization of Afghanistan in 2003–4, Turkmenistan has sought international funding for the construction of a new pipeline across that country, linking domestic gas lines with ports in Pakistan and reducing dependence on Russian lines. Construction, which would take seven years, could start in 2006.
Telecommunications: Turkmenistan’s long-term (through 2010) economic development plan includes substantial upgrading of the telecommunications system, which has been evaluated as providing poor service. Siemens of Germany and Alcatel of France have been active in this project since 1993. In 2003 some 381,300 main telephone lines were in operation. In 2004 an estimated 52,000 cellular telephones were in use, compared with 8,000 in 2002. International connections are limited. In 2000 the government assumed a monopoly of Internet service provision by revoking all private licenses. In 2005 Turkmenistan had an estimated 36,000 Internet users.
Independent Online,The death in a Turkmenistan jail of a journalist working for a United States-funded radio station marks a low in the Central Asian state's appalling human ... Siemens of Germany Talks Energy Partnership with Turkmenistan - 24 Oct 2006 NewsCentralAsia,Ashgabat, 23 October 2006 (nCa) --- Siemens, the largest supplier of medical technology to Turkmenistan, seems ready to start participating in the Turkmen ... TURKMENISTAN: Hare Krishna prisoner of conscience freed with ... - 24 Oct 2006 Forum 18,She was jailed on three charges, two of which related to leaving Turkmenistan illegally. The third charge has never been made public ... Nations United on UN Day in Turkmenistan - 24 Oct 2006 NewsCentralAsia,...a dozen countries was so strong that people lent only a quarter of an ear to what Richard Young, resident coordinator of UN system in Turkmenistan or Reshit ... Energy: Experts Ponder Future 'Gas Wars' - 24 Oct 2006 RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty,Pifer sees the most likely disagreement as being between Russia and Turkmenistan. "I do think there is a question, for instance, in ... More on the Curt Weldon Investigaton: Itera - 24 Oct 2006 TPMCafe,So, we were pioneers. Later on, for that purpose ITERA established Turkmenrosgaz, a joint venture company, with Turkmenistan and Gazprom as partners. ... Families of Turkmen Defence ministry personnel move to luxury ... - 24 Oct 2006 Turkmenistan.ru,On the eve of Turkmenistan's Independence Day Turkish contractor companies Bahar, Avrasia and Kylych have commissioned two luxury houses in one of the central ... New trade center and housing estate opened in Turkmen capital - 24 Oct 2006 Turkmenistan.ru,A new trade center and big housing estate have been inaugurated in Ashgabat on the eve of Independence Day of Turkmenistan marked on October 27. ... Wedding Palace "Bagt Koshgi" opened in Ashgabat - 24 Oct 2006 Turkmenistan.ru,Turkmenistan's new Wedding Palace "Bagt Koshgi" has issued first marriage certificates to just-married couples. As the Ashgabat ... Turkey : Organization of Islamic Conference meet today - 24 Oct 2006 Fibre2fashion.com,...representatives from countries like Iran, Malaysia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Mali, Egypt, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Sudan, Syria, Turkmenistan, and Uganda ... Vladimir Putin congratulates Saparmurat Niyazov on Independence of ... - Oct 20, 2006 Turkmenistan.ru,As the Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports with reference to the press service of the head of state, the President of the Russian Federation ... Five new theaters inaugurated at one time in Turkmenistan - Oct 21, 2006 Turkmenistan.ru,As the Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports, five theater crews moved to new buildings built for them in the capital city and administrative ... Calik to Build Power Plant in Turkmenistan - Oct 22, 2006 Zaman Online,Calik Energy, which already employs about 12,000 people in Turkmenistan with its investments in energy, textiles and construction, will construct a new $110 ... Turkmenistan Is For Lovers - Oct 16, 2006 Washington Post,The theme of his latest tome, "Turkmenistan, My Happiness" according to state run media is that "without love and its all-triumphant force a man is comparable ... US Congress Will Consider Resolution On Turkmenistan - Oct 16, 2006 Гундогар,...and Vice Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, today I introduce this resolution on systemic human rights violations in Turkmenistan. ... Turkmenistan to Increase Gas Price for Iran - Oct 20, 2006 NewsCentralAsia,Ashgabat, 20 October 2006 (nCa) --- Turkmenistan may soon raise the price of natural gas it supplies to Iran. Currently we are supplying ... Turkmenistan to Release Some of the Coup Plotters of 2002 - Oct 16, 2006 NewsCentralAsia,Ashgabat, 17 October 2006 (nCa) --- Under the annual amnesty programme, Turkmenistan would set free nearly 55% of the prison population this week. ... Turkmenistan says Trans Afghan Pipeline is a Humanitarian Project - Oct 20, 2006 NewsCentralAsia,...at our borders.â€?. Niyazov underlined that as a rule, Turkmenistan does not get involved in transit problems. Gazprom buys Turkmen ... Marble and Granite Plant Commissioned in Turkmenistan - Oct 17, 2006 NewsCentralAsia,Ashgabat, 18 October 2006 (nCa) --- A marble and granite processing plant came into service Tuesday in Turkmenistan. Bouygues of ... Turkmenistan has Excellent Relations with All Neighbours - Oct 20, 2006 NewsCentralAsia,Ashgabat, 20 October 2006 (nCa) --- President Niyazov said Friday that Turkmenistan enjoys excellent relations with all of its neighbours. ... Journalists Get New Office Complex in Turkmenistan - Oct 17, 2006 NewsCentralAsia,Ashgabat, 18 October 2006 (nCa) --- A 10-storey building was opened Tuesday in Turkmenistan that would house all the major publications and news services of ... Cable Car System Inaugurated in Turkmenistan - Oct 17, 2006 NewsCentralAsia,Ashgabat, 18 October 2006 (nCa) --- A cable car system and related recreational complex were inaugurated Tuesday in Turkmenistan. ... The authorities of Turkmenistan break up mixed families and deport ... - Oct 20, 2006 Ferghana.ru,Women from the Khorezm region of Uzbekistan who married citizens of Turkmenistan after 1992 are sent back to their native country with the stamp "Deported" in ... Museum of fine arts of Turkmenistan gets unique specimen - Oct 16, 2006 Turkmenistan.ru,Ancient abacuses discovered during excavation works at the famous monument Gonur Depe in Mary province of Turkmenistan were transferred to the Museum of Fine ... Turkmenistan announces winners of first art contest among folk ... - Oct 19, 2006 Turkmenistan.ru,As the Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports, the results of the first art contest "Live puppets" among folk puppet theatres have been summed up in ... OSCE Urged to Press Turkmenistan on Human Rights - Oct 19, 2006 Institute for War and Peace Reporting,Although Turkmenistan’s human rights record came under scrutiny at a recent meeting of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, NBCentralAsia ... Turkmenistan : Turkmen earns US$38 million & Manat24 billion in ... - Oct 17, 2006 Fibre2fashion.com,Afghanistan, Ukraine and Azerbaijan bought lint cotton, ulyuk, technical, sewing and wool cotton along with purified waste of cotton spinning from Turkmenistan ... Turkmenistan: Informed Observers Spot Soviet Legacies In Ashgabat - Oct 16, 2006 RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty,PRAGUE, October 16, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- RFE/RL sponsored a roundtable on Turkmenistan on the sidelines of the OSCE's annual Human Dimension Implementation Meeting ... Turkmenistan creates national genetic bank of cultivated plants - Oct 9, 2006 Turkmenistan.ru,As the Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports, a genetic bank of cultivated plants has been inaugurated in the National Museum of White Wheat Ak ... President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov signs decree on "Id ... - Oct 14, 2006 Turkmenistan.ru,As the Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports referring to the press service of the head of state, Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov signed the ... Turkmenistan and UN review cooperation over 15 years of ... - Oct 13, 2006 NewsCentralAsia,Ashgabat, 13 October 2006 (nCa) --- The Government of Turkmenistan is hosting the international Conference on results of the Government-UN Agencies ... Turkmenistan announces winners of museum contest - Oct 12, 2006 Turkmenistan.ru,As the Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports, the results of a contest which was organized by the Ministry of culture and TV and Radio broadcast ... TV news presenters awarded title of honored artist of Turkmenistan - Oct 13, 2006 Turkmenistan.ru,By the decree of President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov, editors of Watan news of "Altyn Asyr: Turkmenistan" TV channel, who are also presenters of Watan ... Turkmenistan condemns North Korean nuclear test - Oct 11, 2006 Turkmenistan.ru,..."Turkmenistan joins the international community ... In this regard, Turkmenistan supports the UN Security Council's efforts on drawing up the relevant resolution. ... Turkmenistan Joins World Community in Condemning North Korea - Oct 11, 2006 NewsCentralAsia,The press release of the foreign office of Turkmenistan says, “Turkmenistan joins the world community and condemns the actions of North Korea connected with ... Turkmenistan to build Drama Theater in Balkan province - Oct 13, 2006 Turkmenistan.ru,As the Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports referring to the press service of the head of state, Saparmurat Niyazov signed a special resolution on ... Turkmenistan : Niyazov signs legal order for trade center - Oct 12, 2006 Fibre2fashion.com,Saparmurat Niyazov, President of Turkmenistan, signed a legal order which empowers Ministry of Textile Industry and Ministry of Trade and Consumer Cooperation ... Turkmenistan marks anniversary with conference - Oct 18, 2006 Turkish Daily News (subscription),Turkmenistan marked 15 years of independence with an international conference on the country's national and foreign policy and cooperation with the United ... This series of profiles of foreign nations is part of the Country Studies Program, formerly the Army Area Handbook Program. The profiles offer brief, summarized information on a country’s historical background, geography, society, economy, transportation and telecommunications, government and politics, and national security. In addition to being featured in the front matter of published Country Studies, they are now being prepared as stand-alone reference aides for all countries in the series, as well as for a number of additional countries of interest. The profiles offer reasonably current country information independent of the existence of a recently published Country Study and will be updated annually or more frequently as events warrant. |
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