Turkmenistan | History, Capital, Language, Flag, Facts & Geography of Turkmenistan
History of Turkmenistan:
Since the beginning of time, people have lived in Turkmenistan. Armies frequently passed through the region en route to Central Europe or Asia. Alexander the Great seized control of the region in the fourth century BC. The Parthian Kingdom later conquered the region, and in the seventh century, the Arabs took control.
The Seljuk Empire began to take shape in the eleventh century, and Turkish influence grew there until Genghis Khan and the Mongols arrived and took over.
The Russian Empire had incorporated Turkmenistan in 1894. In 1924, Turkmenistan joined the Soviet Union as a republic following the Russian Revolution. In 1991, the nation attained complete freedom after the fall of the Soviet Union. Saparmyrat Niyazov, who was elected as the first president, was given a lifetime term in office.
Information about Turkmenistan:
| Capital | Ashgabat (Ashkhabad) |
| Population | 6,531,946(Source: 2023 worldometer) |
| Major Cities | Ashgabat, Mary, Turkmenabat, Köneürgench, Dasoguz, Türkmenbaşy, Balkanabat, Tejen, Bayramaly |
| Borders | Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north and east, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south, and the Caspian Sea to the west |
| Gross Domestic Product (GDP) | $45,610,571,429 (2020 worldometer) |
| Currency | Turkmen manat (TMM) |
Flag of Turkmenistan:
Turkmenistan Economy Key Industries:
Turkmenistan Major Industries: natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing
Turkmenistan Agricultural Products: cotton, grain; livestock
Turkmenistan Natural Resources: petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt
Turkmenistan Major Exports: gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, cotton fiber, textiles
Turkmenistan Major Imports: machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs
The Geography of Turkmenistan:
Total Size of Turkmenistan: 331,690 km² (source: wikipedia)
Geographical Low Point of Turkmenistan: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note – Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water leve
Geographical High Point of Turkmenistan: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m
Climate of Turkmenistan: subtropical desert
General Terrain of Turkmenistan: flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west
World Region or Continent of Turkmenistan: Asia
Geographical Coordinates: 40 00 N, 60 00 E
The People of Turkmenistan & Culture
Turkmenistan Government Type: republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch
Turkmenistan Nationality: Turkmen(s)
Turkmenistan National Holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1991)
Turkmenistan Independence: 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Turkmenistan National Symbol: Akhal-Teke horse
Turkmenistan National Anthem or Song: Garassyz, Bitarap Turkmenistanyn (Independent, Neutral, Turkmenistan State Anthem)
Turkmenistan Languages Spoken: Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%
Turkmenistan Religions: Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%
Interesting Facts about Turkmenistan:
Since 1991, Turkmenistan has been free of the Soviet Union.
One of the least traveled nations in the world is Turkmenistan.
Turkmenistan contains 70% desert.
It was a human error to construct Turkmenistan’s Gate of Hell.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan’s capital, is home to a Guinness World Record.
In Turkmenistan, men who were older than 70 could maintain a beard.
National Melon Day is a national holiday in Turkmenistan.
The only nation in Central Asia where eating horse flesh is prohibited is Turkmenistan.
The only officially neutral nation in the world is Turkmenistan.
Traditional carpets are well-known in Turkmenistan.
The name Turkmenistan translates as The Turkmen’s Place.
Plov is Turkmenistan’s national dish.
Turkmenistan has a number of peculiar laws.
“Telpek” is the name of the national Turkmen hat.
“Ruhnama” is the most read book in Turkmenistan.
In 2005, the Turkmen book Ruhnama won the space race.
Turkmenistan shares borders with Uzbekistan to the northeast, Kazakhstan to the northwest, Iran and Afghanistan to the south.
