Turkmenistan

 TURKMENISTAN

A. THE COUNTRY

Turkmenistan is a country in Asia that is 80% desert.  In 2006, the
death of their dictator brought new government and constitution which
guarantees human rights and religious freedoms.  There are awkward
relationships with Russia, Iran, Afghanistan and China.  While famed for
its carpets, horses, camels and desert, oil and gas production are the
major sources of wealth.  Cotton is also a source of income.  The
country is dangerously dependent on water from the Amu Darya River,
which is already over-exploited and polluted.

B. THE PEOPLE

The population is ~5,177,000 and official language Turkmen.
~94.5% are Turkic, ~3% Eurasian, ~2.2% Iranian Median, ~0.3% Other.

C. RELIGIONS AND CHRISTIANITY/PENTECOSTALISM

Freedom of religion is limited to Sunni Islam or Russian Orthodoxy.  All
other forms of Islam and minority faith expressions are subject to
severe repression and harassment.  ~96.16% are Muslim, ~2%
Non-religious, ~1.83% claim to be Christian, ~0.01% Jewish.
In the Christian category:
~1.64% are Orthodox, ~0,02% Protestant, ~0.02% Independent, ~0.01%
Unaffiliated.
Evangelicals, charismatics and Pentecostals each represent <0.1% of the
population.

Donna Siemens

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org

Operation World, Jason Mandryk. Colorado Springs: Biblica Publishing, 2010.