page_title: Science and technology in Turkmenistan
section_title: Socio-economic context
hierarchical_section_title: Science and technology in Turkmenistan / Socio-economic context
context_page_description: Science and technology in Turkmenistan examines government policies relative to the promotion of science, technology and innovation in Turkmenistan.
context_section_description: Turkmenistan has been undergoing rapid change − with little social upheaval − since the election of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammadov in 2007 (re-elected in 2012), following the death of ‘president for life’ Sparamurat Niyazov. Turkmenistan has been moving towards a market economy ever since this policy was enshrined in the Constitution in 2008. In parallel, however, the government offers a minimum wage and continues to subsidize a wide range of commodities and services, including gas and electricity, water, wastewater disposal, telephone subscriptions, public transportation (bus, rail and local flights) and some building materials (bricks, cement, slate).
  Economic liberalization policies are being implemented gradually. Thus, as the standard of living has risen, some subsidies have been removed, such as those for flour and bread in 2012. Turkmenistan has one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. By introducing a fixed exchange rate of US$1 to 2.85 Turkmen manat in 2009, the president caused the ‘black’ foreign exchange market to disappear, making the economy more attractive to foreign investment.
  A fledgling private sector is emerging with the opening of the country's first iron and steel works and the development of a chemical industry and other light industries in construction, agro-food and petroleum products. Turkmen gas is now exported to China and the country is developing one of the largest gas fields in the world, Galkinish, with estimated reserves of 26 trillion m3 of gas. Avaz on the Caspian Sea has been turned into a holiday resort, with the construction of dozens of hotels which can accommodate more than 7 000 tourists. In 2014, some 30 hotels and holiday homes were under construction.
  The country has embarked on a veritable building boom, with the construction of 48 kindergartens, 36 secondary schools, 25 sports academies, 16 stadiums, 17 health centres, 8 hospitals, 7 cultural centres and 1.6 million m2 of housing in 2012 alone. Across the country, roads, shopping centres and industrial enterprises are all under construction. Turkmenistan's railway transport and metropolitan trains have been upgraded and the country is buying state-of-the-art aircraft. 
  Schools around the country were being renovated in 2014, with 20-year old textbooks being replaced and modern multimedia teaching methods introduced. All schools, universities and research institutes are being equipped with computers, broadband and digital libraries. Internet has only been available to the public since 2007, which explains why just 9.6% of the population had access to it in 2013, the lowest proportion in Central Asia.
  Movement within the country has become easier with the removal of identity checkpoints – at one time there were no fewer than 10 between Ashgabat and Turkmenabat. This development should facilitate the mobility of scientists around the country.
caption: GDP growth trends in Central Asia, 2000−2013. Source: UNESCO Science Report: towards 2030 (2015), Figure 14.1