Turkmen of Turkmenistan (PGID: PG024639)

PEOPLE GROUP PROFILE

The Turkmen of Turkmenistan

The Turkmen of Turkmenistan, numbering approximately 5,355,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are described as a Turkic ethnic group indigenous to Central Asia, living mainly in Turkmenistan, northern and northeastern Iran, and northwestern Afghanistan They are an Indigenous people, with Turkmen (Turkmenistan) as their ethnic/kinship group and are in the Turkmen people cluster of the Turkic Peoples. They mostly adhere to Sunni Islam and Turkmen is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash: Turkmen

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Turkic Peoples
Country: Turkmenistan
People Cluster: Turkmen
Primary Language(s): Turkmen (tuk)
Primary Religion(s): Sunni Islam
Population: 5,355,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, Dispersed CP Activity
People Group ID: PG024639
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Pray for the Turkmen of Turkmenistan

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Sunni Islam
Religious Affiliation: Islam

90%

Sunni Islam Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Turkmen
Language Family: Turkic

85%

Turkmen Speakers

Media Resources in Turkmen:

Films:

Title	Link
JESUS	View Film
JESUS	View Film
Magdalena	View Film

3 films

Provided by the Jesus Film Project

View all resources

Bible Resources in Turkmen:

Bible Name (Translation)	Video	Audio	Text
2016 Institute for Bible Translation, Moscow	✓	✓	✓
2016 Turkmen Truth	✓	✓	✓

2 entries

Provided by Faith Comes by Hearing

Or check out the Turkmen bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

View all resources

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Turkmen are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Next steps for the Turkmen:

Continue prayer and fasting for this group

Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group

Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Pray specifically for the Turkmen of Turkmenistan

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
John 11:25

Pray for the many who have never heard about or understood the importance of what Jesus did for them, asking God to make a way for them to hear that the perfect Son of Man suffered, died, and rose again so that they might be saved.

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
Psalm 8:1

Pray that those who have yet to believe will soon recognize the majesty of God's name and raise their voices in praise to the Lord Almighty.

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Colossians 3:2

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will set their minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, as they look to Christ for guidance and strength.

And the King will answer them, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."
Matthew 25:40

Ask God to raise up and send believers who will serve "the least of these" with compassion and energy because they know that in serving those in need, they are serving Christ.

Turkmen Across Countries (ROP3 - 110306) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index

All

Engaged yet Unreached UUPG No Longer Unreached

CountryReligion

9 people groups

People Group ID	Name	Country	Population ▼	Strategic Progress Index	Language	Religion
PG024639	Turkmen	Turkmenistan	5,355,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Turkmen	Sunni Islam
PG042249	Turkmen	Iran	2,780,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Turkmen	Sunni Islam
PG024023	Turkmen	Afghanistan	2,105,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Turkmen	Sunni Islam
PG024598	Turkmen	Turkiye	800,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Turkish	Folk Islam
PG024320	Turkmen	Uzbekistan	227,000	Unengaged and Unreached	Turkmen	Sunni Islam
PG006410	Turkmen	Pakistan	15,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Turkmen	Sunni Islam
PG024533	Turkmen	Tajikistan	15,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Turkmen	Sunni Islam
PG024372	Turkmen	Kyrgyzstan	2,500	Unengaged and Unreached	Turkmen	Sunni Islam
PG047222	Turkmen	United States	200	Unengaged and Unreached	Turkmen	Sunni Islam

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

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