Turkmenistan Population

Turkmenistan is one of the most closed societies on earth, and its population figures are correspondingly uncertain, with independent reporting suggesting far heavier emigration than official statistics admit. The UN's estimates show moderate fertility and continued growth into the 2070s. Vast natural gas reserves fund the state, but opportunity for the young remains scarce enough to keep people leaving.

Turkmenistan is home to about 7.7 million people in 2026, the 104th largest population of any country. In Central Asia, where it lies, that future is driven by fertility, longevity and the movement of people across its borders. Population density stands at about 16 people for every square kilometre of land.

The defining marker in Turkmenistan's future is its peak, expected around 2079 at about 10.3 million. After that the population eases back toward 10.0 million by 2100, having passed through 9.6 million at mid-century.

Half of Turkmenistan is currently younger than about 27, but by 2100 the median age is projected to reach around 44, while life expectancy, near 70 years, keeps rising. That ageing slowly changes everything from the size of the workforce to the cost of care and pensions.

Fertility is around 2.66 births per woman, above the replacement level, which keeps natural growth positive for now. Net inward migration adds to the population each year and partly offsets the low birth rate.

All of this is a projection, not a prediction. The further out it runs the wider the plausible range becomes, which is why Turkmenistan's charts show a low-to-high band around the central line.