Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to the north, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest, and the Caspian Sea to the west. It is one of six independent Turkic states. Ashgabat, the capital, is also its largest city. With over 7 million people, Turkmenistan is the 35th most-populous country in Asia and one of the most sparsely populated nations on the Asian continent.

Historically, Turkmenistan has been a crossroads for many empires and cultures. Merv is one of the oldest oasis-cities in Central Asia and was once among the biggest cities in the world. It was an important stop on the Silk Road and a great city of the Islamic world. The region was annexed by the Russian Empire in 1881 and later became part of the Soviet Union as the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Turkmen SSR). Turkmenistan gained independence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Today, Turkmenistan holds the world's fifth-largest reserves of natural gas. Much of the country is covered by the Karakum Desert. It is an observer state in the Organisation of Turkic States and a founding member of TÜRKSOY, the International Organization of Turkic Culture. Turkmenistan is also a member of the United Nations.

Etymology

The name "Turkmenistan" comes from two parts: "Türkmen" and the ending "-stan," which means "place of" or "country." The word "Türkmen" itself means "almost Turk," showing that the people were close to but not fully part of the main Turkic groups.

Long ago, some writers thought the name came from words meaning "Turk" and "faith," because many people in the area became Muslim around the year 971. When Turkmenistan became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991, its official name was set as Turkmenistan. Before independence, the country was sometimes called Turkmenia.

History

Main article: History of Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan has been home to many groups of people for thousands of years. Its history began when it was taken over by a big empire from ancient Iran. Much later, in the 8th century AD, groups of people who spoke Turkic languages moved into the area from Mongolia. These groups became the ancestors of today’s Turkmen people. By the 10th century, they had started to follow Islam and were part of another empire.

Over time, many different groups and empires ruled the land. In the 19th century, Russian forces began to take control. After a big battle in 1881, Turkmenistan became part of the Russian Empire. Later, during a big change in Russia, Turkmenistan became part of the Soviet Union. In 1991, when the Soviet Union broke apart, Turkmenistan became its own country. The leader at the time, Saparmurat Niyazov, stayed in charge and made many changes in how the country was run. After Niyazov passed away in 2006, another leader, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, took over. In 2022, his son became the new leader of Turkmenistan.

Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Turkmenistan

After spending more than a century as part of the Russian Empire and then the Soviet Union, Turkmenistan became independent on 27 October 1991, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Saparmurat Niyazov, a former official of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, led Turkmenistan from 1985 until his death in 2006. He kept tight control over the country as President after the Soviet Union broke up. In 1999, Niyazov was named President for Life by the parliament, which had just started its term with members chosen only by Niyazov himself. No other candidates were allowed.

The main political party is the former Communist Party, now called the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan. A second party, the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, began in August 2012, and an agrarian party started two years later. Public meetings are only allowed if approved by the government. In 2013, Turkmenistan held its first elections with more than one party, but many thought the elections were not fair. From 1991 to 2012, Turkmenistan was a one-party state; even after other parties formed, they all followed the lead of the Democratic Party. There are no real opposition parties in the Turkmen parliament.

Since Niyazov passed away in December 2006, Turkmenistan has slowly opened up a bit. His successor, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, changed some of Niyazov’s unusual rules, like banning operas and circuses because he thought they were not “Turkmen enough,” though he made other rules, such as banning non-white cars. In schools, Berdimuhamedow’s government made basic education longer, from nine years to ten, and higher education longer, from four years to five. He was succeeded by his son Serdar.

Turkmenistan’s government is a presidential republic, with the President as both head of state and head of government. Under Niyazov, Turkmenistan had a one-party system; but in September 2008, a new Constitution was adopted. This removed the People’s Council and increased the size of Parliament, and allowed more political parties.

Legislature

See also: Assembly of Turkmenistan, People's Council of Turkmenistan, and National Council of Turkmenistan

The Assembly (Turkmen: Mejlis) has been the single-chamber legislature of Turkmenistan since January 2023. Before that, from March 2021 to January 2023, it was the lower house of the now-defunct bicameral National Council of Turkmenistan (Turkmen: Milli Geňeş). It has 125 members, elected for five-year terms in single-seat constituencies.

The People's Council of Turkmenistan (Turkmen: Halk Maslahaty) is Turkmenistan’s independent “representative body” with supreme constitutional power. It includes members of the legislature but is not considered part of it. Among other powers, it can change the constitution. Its leader is chosen by the president and is called the “National Leader”. State media calls the People’s Council the “supreme organ of government authority”. From 2018 to 2023, it was the upper chamber of the National Council of Turkmenistan.

Outside observers think the Turkmen legislature acts mainly to agree with whatever the president decides. A 2018 report by the OSCE said the March 25 elections lacked important democratic features. The political system is only slightly open and does not give voters real choices. Basic freedoms are limited, so voters cannot freely express their wishes. Even with efforts to look fair, the election results’ honesty is doubted.

Judiciary

See also: Supreme Court of Turkmenistan

The judiciary in Turkmenistan is not independent. The president appoints all judges, including the head of the Supreme Court, and can remove them with the parliament’s agreement. Outside observers think the legislature just agrees with the president, so the judiciary is controlled by the president. The chief justice is part of the government’s executive branch and sits on the State Security Council. The U.S. Department of State said in its 2020 report on Turkmenistan:

The law says the judiciary should be independent, but the president controls it, and it follows the president’s orders. There was no review of the president’s choices for judges. The president alone could dismiss any judge. The judiciary was known to be corrupt and ineffective.

Many of Turkmenistan’s laws are published online by the Ministry of Justice.

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan said it would stay neutral forever, and the United Nations agreed to this in 1995. Former President Saparmurat Niyazov said this neutrality would stop Turkmenistan from joining groups with shared defense, but would allow help from others. This neutral foreign policy is important in the country's constitution. Turkmenistan has diplomatic ties with 139 countries. Turkmenistan is part of the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and many other groups. It is also a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and an observer in the Organisation of Turkic States.

Turkmenistan is the 83rd most peaceful country in the world, according to the 2024 Global Peace Index.

Military

Main article: Armed Forces of Turkmenistan

The Armed Forces of Turkmenistan (Turkmen: Türkmenistanyň Ýaragly Güýçleri), also called the Turkmen National Army (Turkmen: Türkmenistanyň Milli goşun), is Turkmenistan’s national military. It includes the Ground Forces, the Air Force and Air Defense Forces, Navy, and other groups like Border Troops, Internal Troops and National Guard.

Law enforcement

Main article: Law enforcement in Turkmenistan

The main police force in Turkmenistan is mostly run by the Interior Ministry. The Ministry of National Security (KNB) gathers information and works against spies. The Interior Ministry leads the 25,000 police officers, while the KNB handles information and security work.

Human rights

Main article: Human rights in Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan has been criticized for treating people badly and has placed many limits on what its citizens can do outside the country. Some groups of people are treated unfairly. Universities have been told to turn down students with names from other cultures, especially from Russia. It is against the law to teach the customs or language of the Baloch, one of the minority groups. The same happens to Uzbeks, even though the Uzbek language used to be taught in some schools.

According to Human Rights Watch, "Turkmenistan remains one of the world's most repressive countries. The country is almost closed to outside checks, media and religious freedoms are tightly controlled, and people who speak out face threats from the government."

According to Reporters Without Borders, in 2014 Turkmenistan had one of the worst conditions for press freedom in the world. Some religious groups face prison, cannot travel, or have their books taken because of their beliefs. The death penalty was stopped in 1999 and officially ended in 2008.

Restrictions on free and open communication

See also: Telecommunications in Turkmenistan § Censorship

Even after Turkmenistan launched its first communication satellite, the TurkmenSat 1, in April 2015, the Turkmen government banned all satellite dishes the same month. The government said all satellite dishes must be removed or destroyed, even though they had been allowed since 1995. The government wanted to block many international news channels that people could watch.

Internet access is controlled, and websites the government does not like are blocked. This includes news from other countries, YouTube, many social media sites like Facebook, and apps for secret communication. Using special programs to get around these blocks is not allowed.

Corruption

Main article: Corruption in Turkmenistan

Transparency International in 2021 said Turkmenistan was one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Reports describe widespread corruption. In 2019, the top police leader was arrested and put in prison for corruption. In 2020, a top education leader was removed for not stopping cheating in schools.

Administrative divisions

Further information: Districts of Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is divided into five regions or welayatlar (singular welayat) and one capital city district. These areas are divided into smaller parts called districts (etraplar, sing. etrap), which can be counties or cities. According to the Constitution of Turkmenistan, some cities can have the status of welaýat (province) or etrap (district).

As a unitary state, power is centered in the national government.

Geography

Main articles: Geography of Turkmenistan and List of mountains of Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia. It is the 52nd largest country in the world, with an area of 488,100 km². Over 80% of the land is covered by the Karakum Desert. The country is bordered by the Caspian Sea to the west, and has several mountain ranges including the Kopet Dag in the south.

Turkmenistan has a dry desert climate with very little rain. Winters are mild and dry, while summers can be extremely hot, with temperatures sometimes reaching above 50°C. The country has many different types of landscapes, including deserts, plateaus, and mountain ranges. Major cities include Ashgabat, Türkmenbaşy, Balkanabat, Daşoguz, Türkmenabat, and Mary.

Economy

Main articles: Economy of Turkmenistan and Agriculture in Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan has a lot of natural gas and oil, making it one of the richest countries in these resources. The country uses these to support its economy, though it has faced challenges like debt and low prices for its exports.

Natural gas and export routes

Main articles: Economy of Turkmenistan § Natural gas, and Pipelines in Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan has huge reserves of natural gas, second only to one other field in the world. The country has been working to find new ways to sell this gas, building pipelines to reach markets in China and other places. China is now the biggest buyer of Turkmenistan's gas.

Oil

Main article: Economy of Turkmenistan § Oil

See also: Pipelines in Turkmenistan

Oil has been known in Turkmenistan for a long time. The country has many oil fields, and it refines much of its oil for use at home and some for export. Turkmenistan also works with other countries to develop oil fields in the Caspian Sea.

Energy

See also: Economy of Turkmenistan § Power generation

Turkmenistan built its first power plant over a hundred years ago. Today, it has many power plants that use natural gas to make electricity. The country exports some of this electricity to nearby countries.

Agriculture

Main article: Agriculture in Turkmenistan

After becoming independent, Turkmenistan changed how its farms worked. The biggest crops are wheat and cotton. Many people help pick the cotton each year.

Tourism

Main article: Tourism in Turkmenistan

Not many tourists visit Turkmenistan each year. Visitors need special permission to enter the country. There are tours to see historical places and beautiful spots like the Caspian Sea. Recently, the government decided to put out a famous burning crater for environmental reasons.

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Turkmenistan

Transportation in Turkmenistan includes roads, air travel, ships, and trains.

Automobile transport

Before 1917, Turkmenistan had only three cars, all in the capital city of Ashgabat. There were no paved roads between towns. After that, roads were built to connect important places. Today, major highways link cities like Ashgabat and Turkmenabat. New roads are being built to make travel easier.

Air transport

See also: List of airports in Turkmenistan and List of Turkmenistan Airlines destinations

Air travel in Turkmenistan began in 1927 with small planes. Today, airports in cities like Ashgabat and Dashoguz have regular flights. The country’s airline, Turkmenistan Airlines, uses modern planes and flies to many cities around the world.

Maritime transport

The port at Turkmenbashy offers ferry services to places like Baku in Azerbaijan. In 2018, the port was expanded to handle more ships and passengers.

Railway transport

Main article: Rail transport in Turkmenistan

Main article: Türkmendemirýollary

Rail travel started in Turkmenistan in 1880. Today, the country has many miles of track. Trains carry passengers and goods across the nation and to nearby countries. New rail lines are being built to connect with Afghanistan.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Turkmenistan

The last full census was in 1995. Since then, detailed results have been kept secret, but a total number for the 2022 census was shared. Most people in Turkmenistan are ethnic Turkmens, with smaller groups of Uzbeks and Russians. There are also smaller groups like Kazakhs, Tatars, Ukrainians, Kurds, Armenians, Azeris, Balochs, and Pashtuns. The number of ethnic Russians has dropped a lot over the years. In 2003, it was estimated that 85% were Turkmen, 5% Uzbek, 4% Russian, and 6% other groups. By 2001, 91% were Turkmen, 3% Uzbek, and 2% Russian. The number of Turkmens doubled between 1989 and 2001, while the number of Russians dropped a lot. As of 2021, there were about 100,000 Russians in Turkmenistan.

Migration

See also: Demographics of Turkmenistan § Demographic trends

In 2019, many people from Turkmenistan moved to other countries, mostly to Turkey. Some also returned home. Between 2008 and 2018, many people left Turkmenistan permanently to find work. In 2022, many people said they were not counted in the census, or were only contacted by phone instead of being visited.

Turkmen tribes

Main article: Turkmen tribes

Turkmen society has a strong tribal background. The main tribes today are Teke, Yomut, Ersari, Chowdur, Gokleng, and Saryk. The Teke are the largest group.

Languages

Further information: Turkmenization

Turkmen is the official language of Turkmenistan. The government has worked to reduce the use of Russian. In 1993, the country switched to the Latin alphabet, and in 1996, Russian lost its role as a common language for all ethnic groups. By 1999, 72% of people spoke Turkmen, 12% spoke Russian, 9% spoke Uzbek, and 7% spoke other languages.

Religion

Further information: Religion in Turkmenistan and Islam in Turkmenistan

Most people in Turkmenistan are Muslim, making up about 93% of the population. About 6% follow the Eastern Orthodox Church, and 1% have no religion or follow other beliefs. During the Soviet time, religious practices were restricted, but since 1990, there has been a revival of religious activities. The former president introduced his own religious book that was taught in schools and mosques alongside the Quran.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Turkmenistan

The Turkmen people have a rich cultural history. Traditionally, they were nomads and skilled horse riders. Even today, many still live in a way that connects them to these traditions. Turkmens are known for creating beautiful, hand-knotted knotted Turkmen carpets, often called Bukhara rugs in other parts of the world. These carpets are colorful and help show the differences between the various Turkmen clans. Many people in the region live in yurts, which are round homes with dome-shaped roofs made from wood covered in felt.

Traditional clothing varies between men and women. Men often wear large black or white sheepskin hats called telpek along with red robes over white shirts. Women typically wear long dresses over pants, with silver jewelry and bracelets.

Mass media

Main article: Mass media in Turkmenistan

Further information: Telecommunications in Turkmenistan

Newspapers and magazines in Turkmenistan are controlled by the government and mostly written in the Turkmen language. The main daily newspaper is called Türkmenistan, and there are also online news sites such as Turkmenportal and Parahat.info. Some people get news from outside sources, like Radio Free Europe's Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty service.

Turkmenistan has several national TV channels, such as Altyn Asyr and Turkmenistan Sport, but there are no private TV stations. Many people use satellite dishes to watch foreign programs, especially from Turkey.

Holidays

Main article: Public holidays in Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan celebrates several holidays, both international and local. International holidays include New Year's Day, Nowruz, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha. Special holidays in Turkmenistan are Melon Day, Turkmen Woman's Day, and the Day of Remembrance for Saparmurat Niyazov.

Education

Main article: Education in Turkmenistan

Education in Turkmenistan is required for all children. Students go to school for 12 years, split into three stages: elementary school, lower secondary school, and upper secondary school. Many students also study or train in other countries.

Architecture

See also: Ashgabat § Architecture

The capital city, Ashgabat, has many impressive buildings made of white marble. These grand structures were built in recent years under the direction of former President Berdimuhamedow. The city features unique places like the Alem Entertainment Center, which has the world's largest indoor Ferris wheel, and the Wedding Palace, a golden and white building with a large globe on top.

Sports

Further information: Sports in Turkmenistan

Football is the most popular sport in Turkmenistan. The national team has played in the AFC Asian Cup but has not yet qualified for the FIFA World Cup. Other popular sports include archery. Turkmenistan has also hosted international events like the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games and the 2018 World Weightlifting Championships.