As of May 2026, the population of Turkmenistan is 6.7 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 75 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 1.14%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 24.6 years in 2016 to 27 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 69.9 years and population density is 14.4 inhabitants per square kilometer.
The population growth rate of Turkmenistan peaked in 1961, reaching around 3.47% annually, but has since declined to approximately 1.11% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 105.89 thousand in 1992 to nearly 74.66 thousand in 2026.
In Turkmenistan, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 66.5 years in 2006 to 69.9 years in 2026, representing an increase of more than 3 years over the past 2 decades.
The cities of Turkmenistan are mostly small, but 4 stand out with more than 100 thousand inhabitants. The most populous city is Ashgabat, con una diferencia significativa sobre las demás, alcanzando approximately 1 million inhabitants. It is followed by Türkmenabat, Lebap with 230.9 thousand and Daşoguz, Dasoguz with 201.1 thousand.
These are the 20 most populous cities in Turkmenistan:
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashgabat | 1,030,063 |
| 2 | Türkmenabat, Lebap | 230,861 |
| 3 | Daşoguz, Dasoguz | 201,142 |
| 4 | Mary | 167,027 |
| 5 | Türkmenbaşy, Balkan | 91,745 |
| 6 | Balkanabat, Balkan | 87,822 |
| 7 | Bayramaly, Mary | 70,376 |
| 8 | Tejen, Ahal | 67,488 |
| 9 | Gyzylarbat, Balkan | 48,558 |
| 10 | Magdanly, Lebap | 44,508 |
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Arkadag, Ahal | 40,524 |
| 12 | Boldumsaz, Dasoguz | 39,532 |
| 13 | Abadan, Ahal | 39,481 |
| 14 | Yolöten, Mary | 37,705 |
| 15 | Bäherden, Ahal | 37,588 |
| 16 | Köneürgenç, Dasoguz | 37,176 |
| 17 | Yylanly, Dasoguz | 36,594 |
| 18 | Gökdepe, Ahal | 33,381 |
| 19 | Kaka, Ahal | 33,315 |
| 20 | Kerki, Lebap | 33,242 |