Turkmenistan
Ashgabat · Central Asia
Turkmenistan is a country in Asia. Its capital city is Ashgabat, the official currency is the Turkmenistan Manat, and the main language is Turkmen.
With a population of roughly 6.5 million people spread over 488,100 km², Turkmenistan is the 108th most populous country in the world and the 52nd largest by area. That works out at about 13 people per square kilometre.
Turkmenistan shares land borders with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Iran — 4 neighbours in all. Its largest urban centres are Ashgabat, Türkmenabat and Daşoguz. The highest point in the country is Aýrybaba, at 3,139 metres.
For scale, it covers almost exactly the same area as Cameroon, while its population is closest to that of Bulgaria.
- Capital
- Ashgabat
- Region
- Central Asia
- Population
- 6,500,000
- Area
- 488,100 km²
- Currency
- Turkmenistan Manat
- Main language
- Turkmen
- Highest point
- Aýrybaba
3,139 m - Land borders
- 4
Turkmenistan: things worth knowing
- The Karakum Desert covers around 70% of Turkmenistan, leaving most of the population along its southern fringe and river oases.
- The Darvaza gas crater, alight since the 1970s, is known as the Door to Hell.
- Ashgabat holds a record for the highest concentration of white marble buildings of any city.
Turkmenistan in context
Asia has 48 sovereign countries in total. Turkmenistan ranks 33rd among them by population.
See the full list of Asia countries, or browse all 195 countries.