Uzbekistan vs Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
Turkmenistan
| Metric | Uzbekistan | Turkmenistan |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | Tashkent | Ashgabat |
| Population | 37,053,428 | 7,618,847 |
| Area (km²) | 448,978 | 488,100 |
| Population density (/km²) | 83 | 16 |
| GDP per capita (USD) | $4,000 | $6,500 |
| Region | Central Asia | Central Asia |
| Currency | UZS | TMT |
| Languages | Uzbek | Turkmen |
| Main religions | Islam | Islam |
| Time zone | UTC+5 | UTC+5 |
Green highlights the higher value (or higher GDP per capita). Figures are approximate.
At a glance
Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are both located in Asia (both in Central Asia). Uzbekistan has the larger population — about 4.9× the population of Turkmenistan, while Turkmenistan covers more land area.
For full geographic detail, see the Uzbekistan map and the Turkmenistan map.
Desert neighbours on the Amu Darya
Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan share a border of roughly 1,800 km, much of it following or running near the Amu Darya river. Turkmenistan is slightly larger in area, but most of it is covered by the Karakum Desert, and Uzbekistan has several times as many people. Turkmenistan has a coastline on the Caspian Sea, which is itself landlocked; Uzbekistan has no coast at all.
Shared Silk Road heritage
The historic region of Khorezm straddles the border. Its old capital, Konye-Urgench, now in Turkmenistan, and the walled city of Khiva in Uzbekistan are both UNESCO World Heritage sites. The ancient city of Merv, near Mary in Turkmenistan, was one of the great cities of the Seljuk era, while Samarkand and Bukhara in Uzbekistan became the jewels of the Timurid world. Both peoples are mainly Sunni Muslim and speak Turkic languages, though Uzbek and Turkmen belong to different branches of the family. Both were Soviet republics until 1991 and switched from Cyrillic to Latin scripts in the 1990s.
Different directions since 1991
Turkmenistan has one of the world's largest natural gas reserves, which dominate its exports, much of it piped to China. Its government declared permanent neutrality, recognised by the UN General Assembly in 1995, and it remains one of the most closed countries in the world, with strict visa rules and tightly controlled media. Uzbekistan was also tightly controlled for decades, but since 2016 it has liberalised its currency, eased visa requirements and grown into a major tourism destination. Cotton has been an important crop in both, and both have faced international criticism over forced labour in cotton harvests, which Uzbekistan says it has ended.
Visiting
Many nationalities can now enter Uzbekistan visa-free, while most visitors to Turkmenistan need a visa arranged in advance, often as part of a guided tour. Travellers who do get in often combine Khiva with Konye-Urgench across the border, or visit the burning Darvaza gas crater in the Karakum Desert.
Frequently asked questions
- Do Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan share a border?
- Yes. They share a border of roughly 1,800 km, much of it near the Amu Darya river.
- Is it easy to visit Turkmenistan compared with Uzbekistan?
- No. Uzbekistan offers visa-free entry to many nationalities, while most visitors to Turkmenistan need a visa arranged in advance, often with a guided tour.