The Central Asian Republic of Turkmenistan, also known as Turkmenia, with a population of over 6.7 million in a total area of 488,100 sq km, was a constituent of the erstwhile USSR, as the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Turkmen SSR). Afghanistan lies to its southeast, Iran to the south and southwest, Uzbekistan east and northeast, Kazakhstan north and northwest and the Caspian Sea completes its land-locking to the west. |
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Its capital city is Ashgabat, with a population of 625,000. The Republic gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The official state language is Turkmen, which is closer to Azeri, Turkish and Crimean Tartar than those of its neighbours Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The primary religion is Islam, and it is predominantly Sunni Muslim with a small Russian Orthodox minority. Turkmenistan also upholds the Central Asian Sufi norms.
Turkmenia has a history of consistency throughout the past three thousand years, even though it may have had a different name. This was made possible only through the steady character of a Turkmen and the resoluteness of his soul. Turkmen are known to be courteous and hospitable people, who treat a guest as a messenger of Allah. Hence the proverb: "The guest is higher than the father".
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Turkmenistan has five provinces and one capital city district: Ahal, Balkan, Daşoguz, Lebap and Mary Provinces, and Ashgabat City. The Karakum Desert covers over 80% of Turkmenistan. One of the driest deserts in the world, the average annual rainfall is as low as 12 mm. The highest temperature recorded in Ashkhabad is 48.9° C (120° F). Winters are mild. The country has a poor civil rights record and has tightly controlled media and telephony, with the Internet banned. Turkmenistan follows Russia, Iran and the United States in natural gas reserves, but is still in the process of finding a suitable export route. Long-term prospects are good.
It is recommended to bring along a well equipped first aid kit, as well as items of toiletry, as there is a deficiency of medicines and personal hygiene items. If you wish to take local carpets and jewelry with you when you depart, you need to show an official receipt and registration form from the shop. Recommended dress is light cotton clothing for summer, while warm attire is essential for winter. The heat affects the appetite and the Turkmenistani cuisine is not very different from that of other Central Asian countries. Rice is standard, with vegetables, and various meats, mutton, lamb, poultry and beef, in that order.
The capital, just south of the desert, is a modern city, a replacement of that founded in 1881, which was razed to the ground in an earthquake in 1948 that measured 10.5 on the Richter scale. It has many notable sights, which could occupy one whole day. The other cities of note, Old Nisa,Anau, Chuli, Bakharden,Mary, Dashgouz & Konye-Urgench,Turkmenbashi, etc., are all within excursion distance of the capital. The Tolkuchka bazaar (Sunday market) in Ashgabat is the best place anywhere to buy Turkmen carpets, mistakenly called Bukhara carpets in the West, according to visitors who have been to Turkmenistan.
Visas are a must. Moreover, each visitor is to buy Travel Entry Passes on entering the country. Accommodation is not a problem in any city, for any budget. Turkmenistan has one international airport, Ashgabat, and five domestic airports. Turkmenistan Airlines operates B-757 and B-737 airliners. The local currency is the Manat, and the exchange rate is 1US$= 14,300 Manat. Its time is UTC + 5 hours.
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