Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Sept. 8 / Trend H. Hasanov /
Turkmenistan's foreign trade turnover increased by 42.8 percent and exceeded $20 billion, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers dedicated to the activity as of the first eight months of 2012, the Turkmen government reported Saturday.
The president said that billions were allocated to implement a program aimed at improving the welfare of the population in the capital and the regions.
"Schools equipped with multimedia equipment, kindergartens, hospitals, numerous facilities of the national tourist zone "Avaza", luxury houses are being built," he said.
Moreover, new factories and plants, roads, water and gas pipelines,
power lines, communication systems and other important objects are being constructed.
Iran, Russia, China, Georgia, Italy, Turkey, Afghanistan and other foreign countries are major exporting countries for Turkmenistan.
Turkey, China, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Iran, France, Germany are dominant importing countries for Turkmenistan.
Turkmenistan signed agreements in the field of trade and economic relations with 27 countries. Around 85 percent of the total volume of foreign trade turnover fall to these countries.
It is planned to achieve the strongest growth of foreign trade in the chemical sphere, textile, food, building materials, agriculture.
Turkmenistan's geographical location promotes the progress of the external economic relations. It has significant opportunities of expanding the transit flows between the two
the largest markets of the world - Europe and South-East Asia.
Turkmenistan is actively working to improve transport and communication infrastructure.