Turkmenistan

Local name: Turkmenistan Jumhuriyati Surface : 488,100 sq km (188,456 sq miles).  Turkmenistan shares borders with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Iran. To the west is the Caspian Sea. Nearly 80 per cent of the country is taken up by the Kara-Kum (Black Sand) Desert, the largest in the CIS. Population : 4,737,000 inhabitants Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Round two-pin continental plugs are standard Climate: Turkmenistan has an extreme continental climate: temperatures in Ashgabat vary between 46°C (114°F) in summer and -5°C (23°F) in winter, although it has been known to reach -22°C (-8°F) in extremity. Temperatures in the desert in summer can reach 50°C (122°F) during the day before falling rapidly at night. During the winter, it can reach -10° to -15°C (14° to 15°F) PASSPORTS: Valid passport required by all - VISAS: Visa required by all Capital : Ashgabat. Population: 605,000 System : Republic. Gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 - Under the terms of the constitution adopted in 1993, the Turkmen government is headed by an executive president, who is also Chairman of the Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers carries out the day-to-day running of the country. The supreme legislative body is the 50-member Majlis, which is directly elected for 5 years. The Majlis deputies also sit on the Khalk Maslakhaly (literally, People’s Council), which includes 60 other elected representatives, members of the Council of Ministers and is chaired by the president. Languages : Turkmen is the official state language, and is closer to Turkish, Azeri and Crimean Tartar than those of its neighbours Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Religions : Predominantly Sunni Muslim with a small Russian Orthodox minority. Turkmenistan shares the Central Asian Sufi tradition. Money :  1 Manat (TMM) = 100 tenge. Notes are in denominations of TMM10,000, 5000, 1000, 500, 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1. Coins are in denominations of 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 tenge Turkmenistan   + 993 + 5