World Sites & Apps
Asia · #140 · 2025–2026

Turkmenistan: internet and everyday apps

Turkmenistan has about 1.6 million people online — a penetration rate of 21.6% and rank #140 worldwide. This page walks through the local digital scene, the app categories people lean on, and 12 apps worth knowing.

Internet users 1.6 million Penetration 21.6% World rank #140 Updated 2026-11-12
Language TürkmençeEnglish
TL;DR
  • Turkmenistan has roughly 1.6 million internet users (1,600,000 people) — about 21.6% of the population and rank #140 globally.
  • The apps people open most: WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, VK. They cover Messaging, Social, Video, Mobility, Music, Tools, Maps and more.
  • The one to know first: WhatsApp — The most widely used messenger on earth.

Turkmenistan in numbers

2025–2026
Internet users
1.6 million1,600,000 · #140
Penetration
21.6%#208
Population
7.4 million7,400,000 · #106
GDP
$44B#101
GDP growth
+6.3%#23
GDP per person
$5,973#134
Land area
488.1k km²#53
Capital
Ashgabat
Region
Asia
Official languages
Turkmen

How Turkmenistan goes online

Ashgabat looks unusually quiet online. Facebook, WhatsApp and most international news sites are blocked, so people rely on a small set of state-friendly portals and whatever messages come through closed groups. Türkmentelekom, the state operator, sets the pace for fixed and mobile service, and its packages are not built for heavy browsing. Outside the capital, coverage thins quickly. The result is a country where a shared Wi-Fi password can matter more than a new phone, and where many people simply do not expect the open web to be part of daily life.

Around 21.6%. With a population of about 7.4 million and 1.6 million online, roughly 5.8 million people are still offline — mostly because of rural coverage, device cost and age.

All 12 apps below are grouped by category.

What people actually use

12 Most-used apps

Messaging

2 Most-used apps →
WhatsApp Messaging · Meta · 2009 Telegram Messaging · Telegram FZ-LLC · 2013

Social

3 Most-used apps →
Instagram Social · Meta · 2010 VK Social · VK Company · 2006 OK.ru Social · VK 集团 · 2006

Video

1 Most-used apps →
YouTube Video · Google · 2005

Mobility

2 Most-used apps →
Yandex Go Mobility · Yandex · 2018 inDrive Mobility · inDrive · 2012

Music

1 Most-used apps →
Yandex Music Music · Yandex · 2010

Tools

2 Most-used apps →
Yandex Tools · Yandex · 1997 Google Maps Tools · Google · 2005

Maps

1 Most-used apps →
2GIS Maps · 2GIS · 1999

Websites people in Turkmenistan actually use

7

The 7 sites locals open most often — news, shopping, search, banking and government services. Every link goes to the official site.

News2Telecom2Government1Transport1Banking1
Turkmenistan TodayNewstdh.gov.tmTDH is the state news agency, so everything official starts here. TurkmenportalNewsturkmenportal.comA news portal that carries a lot of official information. TurkmenTelecomTelecomturkmentelecom.tmThe national telecom operator — landline and internet bills, tariffs and service notices in Turkmen. TurkmentelecomTelecomtelecom.tmThe state telephone and internet operator. Turkmenistan.gov.tmGovernmentturkmenistan.gov.tmThe official portal is where decrees and state news appear first. Turkmenistan AirlinesTransportturkmenistanairlines.tmThe state airline’s site — Ashgabat flights to Moscow, Istanbul and Dubai, with the timetable. Central Bank of TurkmenistanBankingcbt.tmThe central bank: manat rates and monetary policy.

2808 websites →

Frequently asked questions

6 Q&A
How many people in Turkmenistan are online?

About 1.6 million (1,600,000 people). That works out to roughly 21.6% of the population, which puts Turkmenistan at #140 in the world for total internet users. Figures come from DataReportal’s Digital 2026, which draws on ITU and national statistics.

Which apps do people in Turkmenistan use most?

Mostly WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, VK — they cover Messaging, Social, Video, Mobility, Music, Tools, Maps. The full list, grouped by category, is further down this page.

What is the leading Messaging app in Turkmenistan?

WhatsApp, Telegram dominate this space. The best-known is WhatsApp — The most widely used messenger on earth.

How high is internet penetration in Turkmenistan?

Around 21.6%. With a population of about 7.4 million and 1.6 million online, roughly 5.8 million people are still offline — mostly because of rural coverage, device cost and age.

Where do these app facts come from?

Usage figures come from DataReportal’s Digital 2026 (Kepios, based on ITU and national statistics); app details come from each product’s official site. Updated 2026-11-12.

Which websites are most popular in Turkmenistan?

The everyday ones are Turkmenistan.gov.tm, Turkmenistan Today, Turkmenistan Airlines, plus the other 7 sites listed above. They cover news, shopping, search, banking and official paperwork, and every link points to the official site.

Sources

Updated 2026-11-12
Cite this pageWorld Sites & Apps. “Turkmenistan: internet and everyday apps”. 2026. https://abcvv.com/c/tm-en.html