Turkmenistan
| Flag of Turkmenistan Emblem of Turkmenistan | |
| Capital | Ashgabat |
|---|---|
| Largest city | Ashgabat |
| Official language | Turkmen |
| Government | Unitary presidential republic |
| President | Serdar Berdimuhamedov |
| Area | 491,210 km2 (189,660 sq mi) |
| Population (est.) | 7,050,000 |
| Currency | Turkmenistan manat (TMT) |
| Time zone | UTC+05:00 (TMT) |
| Calling code | +993 |
| Internet TLD | .tm |
Turkmenistan (Template:Lang-tk), also known as Turkmenia, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. It is bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east, and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest, and the Caspian Sea to the west. Its capital and largest city is Ashgabat.
Turkmenistan possesses the world's fourth-largest reserves of natural gas. Most of the country is covered by the Karakum Desert (Black Sand Desert). Since gaining independence following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Turkmenistan has maintained a policy of permanent neutrality, which was officially recognized by the United Nations in 1995.
History
Ancient and Medieval Era
The region of Turkmenistan has a long inhabited history along the ancient Silk Road. Important historical centers include Merv, one of the greatest oasis cities of the medieval Islamic world and a major cultural and commercial hub. In the 11th century, the Seljuk Empire emerged from the Turkmen tribes, eventually spanning from Central Asia to Anatolia.
Russian Imperial Rule and USSR
In the late 19th century, the Russian Empire incorporated the Turkmen territories after the Siege of Geok Tepe (1881). Following the Russian Revolution, the territory became part of the Soviet Union, established as the Turkmen SSR in 1924. Turkmenistan declared its independence on 27 October 1991.
Geography
Spanning 491,210 square kilometers, Turkmenistan is the 52nd-largest country in the world. Approximately 80% of the land area is covered by the Karakum Desert. The Kopet Dag mountain range runs along its southern border with Iran. A notable geographical feature is the Darvaza gas crater (popularly known as the "Door to Hell"), a burning natural gas field in the middle of the desert.
Climate
Turkmenistan features a subtropical desert climate with extremely hot summers and short, cold winters. Rainfall is minimal across most of the nation, with highest precipitation occurring in the Kopet Dag mountain range.
Economy
Turkmenistan's economy is heavily dependent on intensive agriculture and the extraction and export of natural gas and petroleum. The country contains the massive Galkynysh Gas Field, one of the largest natural gas deposits in the world. Key agricultural outputs include cotton and wheat, heavily supported by irrigation from the Karakum Canal.
Demographics
- **Population:** ~7 million inhabitants.
- **Ethnic groups:** Turkmens (approx. 85%), followed by Uzbeks, Russians, and Kazakhs.
- **Religions:** Predominantly Islam (approx. 89–93%, primarily Sunni) and Eastern Orthodoxy (~6%).
- **Languages:** Turkmen is the official state language; Russian remains widely spoken in urban areas and for interethnic communications.
See also
References
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