Analysis of Turkmenistan's Hydropolitical Challenges to its Neighbors

Abstract Countries that are inferior to their neighbors in terms of water supply(upstream) are often passive. In particular, if they are unable to obtain the favorable agreement their neighbors (in a shared basin), they will face challenges and conflicts with them. The opposite is also true; sometimes, upstream countries use this situation as a political tool to put pressure on the opponent and gain more points. This research, using a descriptive-analytical method and citing reliable sources, seeks to study and analyze Turkmenistan's hydropolitical bottlenecks in relation to its neighbors. The paper assumes that Turkmenistan's geographical location and hydropolitical situation in terms of water supply is such that the country will face major challenges with its neighbors. Findings show that Turkmenistan is in a downstream position towards most of its neighbors. This issue potentially (Iran) and actually (Afghanistan and the four Central Asian republics) will create grounds for a hydropolitical challenge for Turkmenistan in relation to its neighbors. While the impact of some variables such as climate change and drought persistence, increasing urbanization and lifestyle changes and consequently a sharp increase in water consumption and the need to produce some strategic agricultural products, will intensify the hydropolitical crisis between Turkmenistan and neighbors in the near future.