Turkmenistan is a country in South-central Asia. It has borders with Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
The name "Turkmen" was first applied to Oghuz groups of nomads that accepted Islam and began to occupy present-day Turkmenistan in the tenth century.
The Silk Road, a caravan route used for trade with China until the mid-15th century, went through Turkmenistan.
Merv was a major oasis-city in Central Asia, on the historical Silk Road. In medieval times, Merv was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and it may have been the world's largest city around 1150. Arab and Persian geographers termed it "the mother of the world", and the capital of the eastern Islamic world. Written sources attest to a large library and madrasa founded by Nizam al-Mulk in the 11th century as well as many other major cultural institutions.
The nomadic tribes of the area were subdued by Russia in the early 1880s. In 1881, the last significant resistance in Turkmen territory was crushed at the Battle of Geok Tepe, and shortly thereafter Turkmenistan was annexed into the Russian Empire.
In 1925, Turkmenistan became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Turkmen SSR).
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| Map of Turkmenistan |
HISTORY
The name "Turkmen" was first applied to Oghuz groups of nomads that accepted Islam and began to occupy present-day Turkmenistan in the tenth century.
The Silk Road, a caravan route used for trade with China until the mid-15th century, went through Turkmenistan.
Merv was a major oasis-city in Central Asia, on the historical Silk Road. In medieval times, Merv was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and it may have been the world's largest city around 1150. Arab and Persian geographers termed it "the mother of the world", and the capital of the eastern Islamic world. Written sources attest to a large library and madrasa founded by Nizam al-Mulk in the 11th century as well as many other major cultural institutions.
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| Aerial view of Merv. By Mark and Delwen |
The nomadic tribes of the area were subdued by Russia in the early 1880s. In 1881, the last significant resistance in Turkmen territory was crushed at the Battle of Geok Tepe, and shortly thereafter Turkmenistan was annexed into the Russian Empire.
In 1925, Turkmenistan became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Turkmen SSR).
Turkmenistan became independent upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. October 27th is celebrated each year as the country's Independence Day.
The national flag of Turkmenistan features a white crescent (symbol of Islam) and five stars; those stars represent the five regions of the country. They are placed upon a green field along with a symbolic representation of the country's famous carpet industry. It was introduced as the flag of Turkmenistan on September 27, 1992 to replace the Soviet-era flag.
Turkmenistan was ruled by President for Life Saparmurat Niyazov (also known as Turkmenbashi) for 15 years after independence from the Soviet Union until his death in 2006.
Between 2001-2008, ballet was banned in Turkmenistan for being alien to Turkmen culture.
In 2002, Saparmurat Niyazov renamed January after himself, and April after his mother.
Turkmenistan has no ocean coastline, but is on the Caspian Sea. The Turkmen shore along the Caspian Sea is 1,768 kilometers (1,099 mi) long.
With the Karakum desert covering 80 per cent of Turkmenistan, the population of country is 5.6 million, the lowest of the Central Asian republics. The population density is only 10 people per square kilometer.
50.1C is the highest temperature recorded at Repetek Reserve. It is recognized as the highest temperature ever recorded in the whole former Soviet Union.
The capital of Turkmenistan is Ashgabat, which means "City of Love" or "City of Devotion". It has a population of 727,700.
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| Parade celebrating the 20th anniversary of Turkmenistan's independence. By Kerri-Jo Stewart from Vancouver, Canada |
The national flag of Turkmenistan features a white crescent (symbol of Islam) and five stars; those stars represent the five regions of the country. They are placed upon a green field along with a symbolic representation of the country's famous carpet industry. It was introduced as the flag of Turkmenistan on September 27, 1992 to replace the Soviet-era flag.
Turkmenistan was ruled by President for Life Saparmurat Niyazov (also known as Turkmenbashi) for 15 years after independence from the Soviet Union until his death in 2006.
Between 2001-2008, ballet was banned in Turkmenistan for being alien to Turkmen culture.
In 2002, Saparmurat Niyazov renamed January after himself, and April after his mother.
FUN TURKMENISTAN FACTS
Turkmenistan has no ocean coastline, but is on the Caspian Sea. The Turkmen shore along the Caspian Sea is 1,768 kilometers (1,099 mi) long.
With the Karakum desert covering 80 per cent of Turkmenistan, the population of country is 5.6 million, the lowest of the Central Asian republics. The population density is only 10 people per square kilometer.
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| Karakum Desert. By David Stanley |
50.1C is the highest temperature recorded at Repetek Reserve. It is recognized as the highest temperature ever recorded in the whole former Soviet Union.
The capital of Turkmenistan is Ashgabat, which means "City of Love" or "City of Devotion". It has a population of 727,700.
Only white cars are allowed in the capital. Cars that are not white are forbidden from the streets of Ashgabat, the non-white vehicles taken from the owners as hostages and forcibly painted white no matter what.
The only country whose one-word common name in English is longer than that of Turkmenistan is Liechtenstein.
Serdar Gurbangulyýewiç succeeded his father, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, as the country's President on March 19, 2022. At 14 letters, he has the longest surname of all the world's presidents.
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, was his predecessor's dentist.
Almost 90 per cent of Turkmen workers are employed by the country's government.
Water, electricity and gas was free of charge in Turkmenistan between 1993 and 2017.
Turkmenistan exports over 41 billion cubic metros of gas every year. The country is the world’s 11th largest exporter of this valuable resource.
Russia, Iran, Qatar, United States, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia are the only countries with more natural gas reserves than Turkmenistan.
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, was his predecessor's dentist.
Almost 90 per cent of Turkmen workers are employed by the country's government.
Water, electricity and gas was free of charge in Turkmenistan between 1993 and 2017.
Turkmenistan exports over 41 billion cubic metros of gas every year. The country is the world’s 11th largest exporter of this valuable resource.
Russia, Iran, Qatar, United States, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia are the only countries with more natural gas reserves than Turkmenistan.
While oil and gas production is a large part of Turkmenistan's economy, there are only two oil refineries in Turkmenistan.
"The Gates of Hell" in Turkmenistan is a 230 feet (70 metres) wide hole that's been burning since 1971 after a Soviet drilling accident.
Turkmens are famous for making Turkmen rugs. These elaborate and colorful carpets help indicate the distinction between the various Turkmen clans.
There is a carpet museum in the capital, Ashgabat, with over 1,000 different carpets.
Until 1929 Turkmen was written in Arabic script; from 1929-1938 they used the Latin alphabet; from 1939-1991 Cyrillic (Russian) was used, and since 1991, a Latin alphabet again.
Turkmenistan is the only former Soviet Republic that has never won an Olympic medal.
Source Daily Express
Turkmens are famous for making Turkmen rugs. These elaborate and colorful carpets help indicate the distinction between the various Turkmen clans.
There is a carpet museum in the capital, Ashgabat, with over 1,000 different carpets.
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| Turkmen carpet (1920) |
Until 1929 Turkmen was written in Arabic script; from 1929-1938 they used the Latin alphabet; from 1939-1991 Cyrillic (Russian) was used, and since 1991, a Latin alphabet again.
Turkmenistan is the only former Soviet Republic that has never won an Olympic medal.
Source Daily Express
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