Turkmenistan, a country rich in gas reserves, is facing a severe economic crisis. Despite ranking fourth in the world for gas reserves, the country is on the verge of famine due to catastrophic unemployment, lack of money, and strict authoritarian rule. The government has canceled free utilities, and the national currency is unstable. Prices of essential goods have skyrocketed, and people are struggling to access basic necessities like food and medicine.
The government has spent billions of dollars on large-scale projects, but these have not benefited the majority of the population. The country has also lost key buyers of hydrocarbons, including Russia, and is now heavily reliant on China. However, even this relationship is not without issues, as China pays for gas with loans rather than cash.
The economic crisis has led to widespread poverty, hunger, and migration. The government has responded by restricting travel abroad, particularly for citizens under 40, and limiting the validity of foreign passports. However, these measures may have the opposite effect and lead to increased unrest and protest activity. The secular opposition in the country has been destroyed, leaving room for religious extremists to potentially lead protests.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Turkmenistan ranks fourth in the world in terms of gas reserves.
2. The country is experiencing a severe economic crisis, with widespread poverty, unemployment, and shortages of essential goods.
3. Residents are fleeing the country in search of a better life.
4. The government has canceled free utilities, including gasoline, electricity, gas, and water.
5. The national currency, the Turkmen manat, is extremely unstable and has a large disparity between the official rate and the black market rate.
6. Food prices have increased sharply, with a kilogram of beef tenderloin costing 38 manats and a kilo of boiled sausage costing 37 manats.
7. There are state-owned stores with fixed prices, but the shelves are often empty, and people have to line up early in the morning to buy goods.
8. Cigarettes are scarce, and a pack costs 70 manats (about 1,1330 rubles).
9. Government services are becoming more expensive, with postal tariffs increasing by 60% since October 1.
10. Pensioners are having trouble receiving their pensions, which are transferred to a bank card, due to a lack of money in the ATMs.
11. Unemployment is estimated to be around 60%, with unofficial data suggesting it may be even higher.
12. The country has invested heavily in large-scale projects, including a new airport, the Asian Games, and a seaport, but these projects have not improved the living standards of the population.
13. Turkmenistan has quarreled with key buyers of hydrocarbons, including Russia, Iran, and China, leading to a significant decline in gas exports.
14. The country has a foreign trade deficit of around $10 billion.
15. According to unofficial data, around $23 billion from Turkmenistan have been accumulated in various accounts in Germany.
16. The government has banned citizens under 40 from traveling outside the republic and has restricted cashing out money abroad.
17. The population of Turkmenistan is around 5.5 million people.
18. The government is considering limiting the validity of a foreign passport to one year.