Turkmenistan

Adventist Members: 82 (probably fewer now)

Adventist Churches: 1

Number of Ordained Ministers: 0

Net Membership Growth Over Past 10 Years: 215%

(Statistics current Dec. 31, 2000)

Official name: Türkmenistan (Turkmenistan).

Head of state and government: President assisted by the People's Council.

Capital: Ashgabat (formerly Ashkhabad).

Official language: Turkmen.

Official religion: none.

Monetary unit: Manat.

Population (2001 est.): 4,603,244.

Urban-rural (1996): urban 44.8%; rural 55.2%.

Ethnic composition (1997): Turkmen 77.0%; Uzbek 9.2%; Russian 6.7%; Kazak 2.0%; Tatar 0.8%; other 4.3%.

Religious affiliation (1995): Muslim (mostly Sunni) 87.0%; Eastern Orthodox 2.4%; other (mostly nonreligious) 10.6%.

Major cities (1991): Ashgabat 416,400; Turkmenabat 166,400; Dashhowuz 117,000; Mary 94,900; Nebitdag 89,100.

Divorce rate per 1,000 population (1994): 1.5.

Life expectancy at birth (2001 est.): male 57.43 years; female 64.76 years; total pop. 61 years.

Population below poverty line: 58% (1999 est.).

Sources:

Encyclopedia Britannica

www.countryreports.org