TM
Republic of Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
Summary
Official Name
Republic of Turkmenistan
International Conventions
CSICH (2011), ICCPR (1997), UNCRPD (2008)
Population
6,031,000
Principal Languages
Turkmen
Literacy Rate
100% (2015 World Factbook)
General References
Sebeok 1963
Language Counts
The number of established languages listed for Turkmenistan is 9. Of these, 8 are living and 1 is extinct. Of the living languages, 2 are indigenous and 6 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 1 is institutional, 4 are developing, and 3 are vigorous. Also listed are 29 unestablished languages.
Languages
- Aimaq aiq
- Users: 255,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: 5* (Developing). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Persian
- Armenian, Western hyw
- Major cities. Users: 84,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Armenian
- Azerbaijani, North azj
- Scattered. Users: 50,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Southern, Azerbaijani
- Balochi, Western bgn
- Mary province: 2 areas, one northeast of capital, the other on Murgap river upstream from Mary city. Users: 49,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Baloci, Baluchi, Baluci Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Balochi
- Bashkort bak
- Users: 7,900 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Western, Uralian
- Belarusian bel
- Users: 5,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019a). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East
- Brahui brh
- Users: 1,200 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Dravidian, Northern
- Chagatai chg
- Users: No known L1 speakers. The last speaker probably died in the 1600s (Boeschoten and Vandamme 1998). Status: 10 (Extinct). Alternate Names: Chaghatai, Chaghatay, Jagatai, Tschagataisch Classification: Turkic, Eastern
- Chechen che
- Users: 1,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Nakh-Daghestanian, Nakh, Chechen-Ingush
- Chinese, Mandarin cmn
- Users: 2,900 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
- Chuvash chv
- Users: 3,500 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Bolgar
- Crimean Tatar crh
- Users: 1,600 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Southern
- Dargwa dar
- Users: 3,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Alternate Names: Dargan Medz Classification: Nakh-Daghestanian, Dargi
- Erzya myv
- Users: 3,900 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Uralic, Mordvin
- Georgian kat
- Users: 1,800 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Kartvelian, Georgian
- German, Standard deu
- Users: 1,900 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, East Middle German
- Karakalpak kaa
- Users: 5,600 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Western, Aralo-Caspian
- Kazakh kaz
- Users: 29,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Western, Aralo-Caspian
- Korean kor
- Scattered. Users: 1,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Koreanic
- Kurdish, Northern kmr
- Ahal province: mainly Ashgabat area. Users: 49,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Khorasani, Khorasani Kurmanji, Kurmancî, Kurmanji Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Kurdish
- Kyrgyz kir
- Users: 1,400 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Western, Aralo-Caspian
- Lak lbe
- Users: 4,400 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Nakh-Daghestanian, Lak
- Lezgi lez
- Users: 18,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Nakh-Daghestanian, Lezgic, Nuclear Lezgic, East Lezgic
- Ossetic oss
- Users: 3,800 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Eastern, Northeastern
- Pashto, Northern pbu
- Users: 9,900 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Eastern, Southeastern, Pashto
- Pashto, Southern pbt
- Users: 1,500 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Eastern, Southeastern, Pashto
- Persian, Iranian pes
- Ashgabat. Users: 16,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Persian
- Romanian ron
- Users: 3,200 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Eastern
- Russian rus
- Major cities. Users: 900,000 in Turkmenistan (Arefyev 2012), all users. L1 users: 724,000 (2020). Ethnic population: 241,000 (2020). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East
- Russian Sign Language rsl
- Scattered. Users: 18,000 in Turkmenistan (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated 12,000–24,000 deaf signers, assuming 0.2%–0.4% of total population. Status: 6a (Vigorous). Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
- Tajik tgk
- Ahal province: Ashgabat area; Balkan, Lebap, and Mary provinces. Users: 10,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Persian
- Tatar tat
- Users: 81,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Western, Uralian
- Turkish tur
- Users: 53,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Southern, Turkish
- Turkmen tuk
- Widespread. Users: 4,340,000 in Turkmenistan (2020 World Factbook). Ethnic population: 5,100,000 (2020). Total users in all countries: 7,623,060. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1992, Constitution, Article 13). Alternate Names: Trukhmen, Trukhmeny, Turkmani, Turkmanian, Turkmenian, Turkmenler, Turkomans, Türkmen dili Autonym: Türkmençe, түркменче (Türkmençe) Classification: Turkic, Southern, Turkmenian
- Ukrainian ukr
- Ashgabat and other urban centers. Users: 22,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East
- Uyghur uig
- Users: 2,300 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Eastern
- Uzbek, Northern uzn
- Dasoguz province: Dashhowuz area; scattered elsewhere. Users: 543,000 in Turkmenistan (2020). Ethnic population: 302,000 (2020). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: oʻzbek, oʻzbek tili, oʻzbekcha Classification: Turkic, Eastern
- Yiddish, Eastern ydd
- Users: 3,100 in Turkmenistan (2002 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, Yiddish
Languages by Status
Turkmen
[tuk] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1992, Constitution, Article 13). 4,340,000 in Turkmenistan (2020 World Factbook). Ethnic population: 5,100,000 (2020). Total users in all countries: 7,623,060.
Armenian, Western
[hyw] 5* (Dispersed). 84,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity.
Russian
[rus] 5* (Dispersed). 900,000 in Turkmenistan (Arefyev 2012), all users. L1 users: 724,000 (2020). Ethnic population: 241,000 (2020).
Uzbek, Northern
[uzn] 5* (Dispersed). 543,000 in Turkmenistan (2020). Ethnic population: 302,000 (2020).
Aimaq
[aiq] 5* (Developing). 255,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity.
Balochi, Western
[bgn] 6a* (Vigorous). 49,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity.
Kurdish, Northern
[kmr] 6a* (Vigorous). 49,000 in Turkmenistan (Leclerc 2019b). , based on ethnicity.
Russian Sign Language
[rsl] 6a (Vigorous). 18,000 in Turkmenistan (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated 12,000–24,000 deaf signers, assuming 0.2%–0.4% of total population.
Chagatai
[chg] 10 (Extinct). No known L1 speakers. The last speaker probably died in the 1600s (Boeschoten and Vandamme 1998).
Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
Language Vitality Profile
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Language Status Profile
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