Welayaty (Charjew), Mary Welayaty
note: names in parentheses are administrative centers when name
differs from welayat name

Independence: 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Constitution: adopted 18 May 1992

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Saparmurad NIYAZOV (since NA October 1990);
election last held 21 June 1992 (next to be held NA 2002); results -
Saparmurad NIYAZOV 99.5% (ran unopposed); note - a 15 January 1994
referendum extended NIYAZOV's term an additional five years until 2002
(99.99% approval)
head of government: Prime Minister (vacant); Deputy Prime Ministers
Orazgeldi AYDOGDIYEV (since NA), Babamurad BAZAROV (since NA), Khekim
ISHANOV (since NA), Valeriy OTCHERTSOV (since NA), Yagmur OVEZOV
(since NA), Matkarim RAJAPOV (since NA), Abad RIZAYEVA (since NA),
Rejep SAPAROV (since NA), Boris SHIKHMURADOV (since NA), Batyr
SARJAYEV (since NA)
cabinet: Council of Ministers

Legislative branch: under 1992 constitution there are two
parliamentary bodies, a unicameral People's Council (Halk Maslahaty -
having more than 100 members and meeting infrequently) and a 50-member
unicameral Assembly (Majlis)
Assembly (Majlis): elections last held 11 December 1994 (next to be
held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (50 total)
Democratic Party 45, other 5; note - all 50 preapproved by President
NIYAZOV

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Turkmenistan,
Saparmurad NIYAZOV; Party for Democratic Development, Durdymurat
HOJA-MUKHAMMED, chairman; Agzybirlik, Nurberdy NURMAMEDOV, cochairman,
Hubayberdi HALLIYEV, cochairman
note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small
opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries

Member of: CCC, CIS, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, ILO, IMF,
IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
NACC, OIC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Khalil UGUR
chancery: 1511 K Street NW, Suite 412, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 737-4800
FAX: [1] (202) 737-1152

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph S. HULINGS III
embassy: 6 Teheran Street, Yubilenaya Hotel,