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Türkmenistan
Turkmenistan
Flag of Turkmenistan Coat of arms of Turkmenistan
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: Independent, Neutral, Turkmenistan State Anthem
Location of Turkmenistan
Capital
(and largest city)		 Ashgabat
37°58′N, 58°20′E
Official languages Turkmen
Recognised regional languages Russian, Uzbek, Dari
Demonym Turkmen
Government Single-party state
 -  President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov
Independence from the Soviet Union 
 -  Declared October 27, 1991 
 -  Recognized December 8, 1991 
Area
 -  Total 488,100 km² (52nd)
188,456 sq mi 
 -  Water (%) 4. The flag of Turkmenistan was adopted on January 24, 2001. It is often described as the most detailed National flag in the world The coat of arms of Turkmenistan was created after Turkmenistan gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's Independent Neutral Turkmenistan State Anthem is the title of the national anthem of Turkmenistan. Demographics of Turkmenistan: Population 5097028 (July 2007 est Ashgabat ( Aşgabat in Turkmen) (or formerly Ashkhabad or Poltoratsk is the Capital and largest city of Turkmenistan, a country in An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Turkmen ( Latin script: türkmen Cyrillic: түркмен ISO 639 -1 tk ISO 639-2 tuk is the name of the national language of Turkmenistan A regional language is a Language spoken in an area of a Nation state, whether it be a small area a federal State or Province, or Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Uzbek ( O‘zbek tili or O'zbekcha in Latin script, Ўзбек тили in Cyrillic script; أۇزبېك ﺗﻴﻠی in Arabic A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place This article is about the Turkmen people of Turkmenistan. For the distinct group of Turk peoples of Iraq see Iraqi Turkmen. For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of Party system Government in which a single Political party The politics of Turkmenistan takes place in the framework of a presidential Republic, whereby the President of Turkmenistan is both Head of state and Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhammedow ( Russian name Курбанкули (or Гурбангулы Мяликгулыевич Бердымухаммедов born June While the ancient history of early Turkmenistan is largely shrouded in mystery its past since the arrival of Indo-European Iranian tribes around 2000 BC The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Events 312 - Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here Surface areas between 100000 km² and 1000000 km² This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 9
Population
 -  December 2006 estimate 5,110,023 (113th)
 -  Density 9. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 9/km² (208th)
25. List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² 6/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2006 estimate
 -  Total $45. The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 11 billion (86th)
 -  Per capita $8,900 (95th)
HDI (2007) ▼ 0. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 712 (medium) (109th)
Currency Turkmen Manat (TMM)
Time zone TMT (UTC+5)
 -  Summer (DST) not observed (UTC+5)
Internet TLD .tm
Calling code +993

Turkmenistan (Turkmen: Türkmenistan; also known as Turkmenia) is a Turkic country in Central Asia. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The manat is the Currency of Turkmenistan. It was introduced on November 1, 1993, replacing the Russian ruble at a rate of 1 ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Daylight saving time ( DST A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E Turkmen ( Latin script: türkmen Cyrillic: түркмен ISO 639 -1 tk ISO 639-2 tuk is the name of the national language of Turkmenistan Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south The name Turkmenistan is derived from Persian, meaning "land of the Turkmen". This article is about the Turkmen people of Turkmenistan. For the distinct group of Turk peoples of Iraq see Iraqi Turkmen. The name of its capital, Ashgabat, derived from Persian as well, loosely translating as "the city of love". Ashgabat ( Aşgabat in Turkmen) (or formerly Ashkhabad or Poltoratsk is the Capital and largest city of Turkmenistan, a country in Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Түркменистан Совет Социалистик Республикасы Türkmenistan Sovet Sotsialistik Respublikasy; It is bordered by Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the southwest, Uzbekistan to the northeast, Kazakhstan to the northwest, and the Caspian Sea to the west. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly Kazakhstan, also Kazakstan ( Қазақстан, Qazaqstan, qɑzɑqˈstɑn Казахстан, Kazakhstán,) officially the The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged Sea.

According to CIA World Factbook 2006 figures, Turkmenistan ranks 5th in the world for GDP growth rate. Although it is wealthy in natural resources in certain areas, most of the country is covered by the Karakum (Black Sands) Desert. The Karakum Desert, also spelled Kara-Kum and Gara Gum (“Black Sand” ( Turkmen: Garagum, Russian: Каракумы) It has a single-party system, and was ruled by President for Life Saparmurat Niyazov until 21 December 2006, when he (and his term) expired. A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of Party system Government in which a single Political party President for Life is a Title assumed by some Dictators to remove their Term limit, in the hope that their Authority, legitimacy, and Saparmyrat Ataýewiç Nyýazow (θɑːpɑːrmɯːrɑːt niːjɑːðɒv ( 19 February, 1940, Gypjak, Turkmen SSR, Soviet Union Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Presidential elections were held on 11 February 2007. Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow was declared the winner with 89% of the vote. Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhammedow ( Russian name Курбанкули (or Гурбангулы Мяликгулыевич Бердымухаммедов born June He was sworn in on 14 February 2007.

Contents

History

Main article: History of Turkmenistan

The territory of Turkmenistan has a long and checkered history, as armies from one empire after another decamped there on their way to more prosperous territories. While the ancient history of early Turkmenistan is largely shrouded in mystery its past since the arrival of Indo-European Iranian tribes around 2000 BC The region's written history begins with its conquest by the Achaemenid Empire of ancient Persia, as the region was divided between the satrapies of Margiana, Khwarezm, and Parthia. The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia See also the related deity Satrapes. Satrap (Persian ساتراپ was the name given to the governors of the Provinces of ancient Margu (Greek Margiana) was a Satrapy of the Achaemenid Empire mentioned in the Behistun inscriptions of ca Khwarezm were a series of States centered on the Amu Darya River delta of the Parthia ( Middle Persian: اشکانیان Ashkâniân) was an Iranian civilization situated in the northeastern part of modern Iran

Alexander the Great conquered the territory in the fourth century BCE on his way to South Asia, around the time that the Silk Road was established as a major trading route between Asia and the Mediterranean Region. Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' The Silk Road, or Silk Routes, are an extensive interconnected network of Trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East South and Western Asia with the The Mediterranean Basin refers to the lands around and surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. One hundred and fifty years later, Persia's Parthian Kingdom established its capital in Nisa, now in the suburbs of the capital, Ashgabat. Parthia ( Middle Persian: اشکانیان Ashkâniân) was an Iranian civilization situated in the northeastern part of modern Iran In the seventh century CE, Arabs conquered this region, bringing with them Islam and incorporating the Turkmen into Middle Eastern culture. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The Turkmenistan region soon came to be known as the capital of Greater Khorasan, when the caliph Al-Ma'mun moved his capital to Merv. Greater Khorasan (خراسان بزرگ (also written Khorasaan, Khurasan and Khurasaan) is a modern term for eastern territories of ancient Persia Abu Jafar al-Ma'mun ibn Harun (also spelled Almamon and el-Mâmoûn) ( September 14, 786 &ndash August 9, 833) (المأمون Merv ( Russian: Мерв from Persian: مرو Marv, sometimes transliterated Marw or Mary; cf

Magtymguly Pyragy (imaginary portrait)
Magtymguly Pyragy (imaginary portrait)

In the middle of the eleventh century, the Turkoman-ruled Seljuk Empire concentrated its strength in the territory of modern Turkmenistan in an attempt to expand into Khorasan (modern Afghanistan). The Oghuz (variously known as Ghuzz, Guozz, Kuz, Oguz, Oğuz, Okuz, Oufoi, Ouz, Ouzoi, The Seljuq (also Seljuq Turks, Seldjuks, Seldjuqs, Seljuks; in Turkish Selçuklular; in Ṣaljūqīyān; in Greater Khorasan (خراسان بزرگ (also written Khorasaan, Khurasan and Khurasaan) is a modern term for eastern territories of ancient Persia The empire broke down in the second half of the twelfth century, and the Turkmen lost their independence when Genghis Khan took control of the eastern Caspian Sea region on his march west. Genghis Khan ( or;, Chinggis Khaan, ʧiŋgɪs χaːŋ Činggis Qaɣan; 1162–1227 born (meaning "ironworker" was the Mongol founder For the next seven centuries, the Turkmen people lived under various empires and fought constant intertribal wars. Little is documented of Turkmen history prior to Russian engagement. However, from the thirteenth to the sixteenth centuries, Turkmen formed a distinct ethnolinguistic group. As the Turkmen migrated from the area around the Mangyshlak Peninsula in contemporary Kazakhstan toward the Iranian border region and the Amu Darya basin, tribal Turkmen society further developed cultural traditions that would become the foundation of Turkmen national consciousness. Mangyshlak or Mangghyshlaq Peninsula is located in western Kazakhstan. The Amu Darya (formerly Oxus River the Greeks (Ptolemeus called it Oxiana palus) is the longest river in Central Asia.

Between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, control of Turkmenistan was fought over by Persian shahs, Khiva khans, the emirs of Bukhara and the rulers of Afghanistan. The Emirate of Bukhara ( Buxoro Amirligi; Аморати Бухоро was a Central Asian state that existed from 1785 to 1920 During this period, Turkmen spiritual leader Magtymguly Pyragy reached prominence with his efforts to secure independence and autonomy for his people. Magtymguly Pyragy ( Persian: مخدومقلی فراغی Makhdumqoli Faraghi; Turkmen: Magtymguly Pyragy) (1733&ndash1783 was a Turkmen At this time, the vast territory of Central Asia including the region of Turkmenistan was largely unmapped and virtually unknown to Europe and the Western world. The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings Rivalry for control of the area between the British Empire and Tsarist Russia was characterised as The Great Game. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya For the film see The Great Game (film The Great Game was a term used for the strategic rivalry and conflict between the British Empire Throughout their conquest of Central Asia, the Russians were met with the stiffest resistance by the Turkmen. By 1894, however, Russia had gained control of Turkmenistan and incorporated it into its empire. The rivalry officially concluded with the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907. The Anglo-Russian Entente or the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907 was an accord signed on 31 August 1907 in St Slowly, Russian and European cultures were introduced to the area. This was evident in the architecture of the newly-formed city of Ashgabat, which became the capital. Ashgabat ( Aşgabat in Turkmen) (or formerly Ashkhabad or Poltoratsk is the Capital and largest city of Turkmenistan, a country in The October Revolution of 1917 in Russia and subsequent political unrest led to the declaration of the area as the Turkmen SSR, one of the six republics of the Soviet Union in 1924, assuming the borders of modern Turkmenistan. The October Revolution (Октябрьская революция Oktyabrskaya revolyutsiya) also known as the Soviet Revolution The Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Түркменистан Совет Социалистик Республикасы Türkmenistan Sovet Sotsialistik Respublikasy; The Republics of the Soviet Union were according to the Article 76 of the 1977 Soviet Constitution, Sovereign Soviet Socialist states that had united with other The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991

The new Turkmen SSR went through a process of further Europeanization. Europeanisation (or Europeanization) refers to a number of related phenomena and patterns of change The tribal Turkmen people were encouraged to become secular and adopt European-style clothing. The Turkmen alphabet was changed from the traditional Arabic script to Latin and finally to Cyrillic. The Arabic alphabet is the script used for writing several languages of Asia and Africa such as Arabic, Persian, and Urdu. The Cyrillic alphabet (səˈrɪlɪk also called azbuka, from the old name of the first two letters is actually a family of Alphabets, subsets of which are used by However, bringing the Turkmens to abandon their previous nomadic ways in favor of communism was not fully embraced until as late as 1948. Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based Nationalist organizations in the region also existed during the 1920s and the 1930s.

When the Soviet Union began to collapse, Turkmenistan and the rest of the Central Asian states heavily favored maintaining a reformed version of the state, mainly because they needed the economic power and common markets of the Soviet Union to prosper. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Turkmenistan declared independence on October 27, 1991,[1] one of the last republics to secede. Events 312 - Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar.

In 1991, Turkmenistan became a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, an international organization of former Soviet republics. However, Turkmenistan reduced its status in the organization to "associate member" in August 2005. The reason stated by the Turkmen president was the country's policy of permanent neutrality[2]. It is the only former Soviet state (aside from the Baltic states now in the European Union) without a full membership.

The former Soviet leader, Saparmurat Niyazov, remained in power as Turkmenistan's leader after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Saparmyrat Ataýewiç Nyýazow (θɑːpɑːrmɯːrɑːt niːjɑːðɒv ( 19 February, 1940, Gypjak, Turkmen SSR, Soviet Union The Soviet Union 's collapse into independent nations began early in 1985 Under his post-Soviet rule, Russian-Turkmeni relations greatly suffered. He styled himself as a promoter of traditional Muslim and Turkmen culture (calling himself "Turkmenbashi", or "leader of the Turkmen people"), but he became notorious in the West for his dictatorial rule and extravagant cult of personality. The word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem acc of traditio which means "a giving up delivering up surrendering" and is used in a number of A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion A cult of personality or personality cult arises when a country's leader uses Mass media to create a heroic public image through unquestioning flattery and praise The extent of his power greatly increased during the early 1990s, and in 1999 he became President for Life. President for Life is a Title assumed by some Dictators to remove their Term limit, in the hope that their Authority, legitimacy, and

Niyazov died unexpectedly on December 21, 2006, leaving no heir apparent and an unclear line of succession. Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. A former deputy prime minister rumored to be the illegitimate son of Niyazov, [1] Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow, became acting president, although under the constitution the Chairman of the People's Council, Ovezgeldy Atayev, should have succeeded to the post. Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhammedow ( Russian name Курбанкули (or Гурбангулы Мяликгулыевич Бердымухаммедов born June Öwezgeldi Ataýew (born in 1951 often referred to in the Western media by his Russianized name Овезгелды Атаев Ovezgeldy Atayev) is the former Chairman However, Atayev was accused of crimes and removed from office.

In an election on February 11, 2007, Berdimuhammedow was elected president with 89% of the vote and 95% turnout, although the election was condemned by outside observers as unfair. Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. [2]

For an account of developments since Berdymuhamedow's election, see: Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow's first term as President of Turkmenistan. While the ancient history of early Turkmenistan is largely shrouded in mystery its past since the arrival of Indo-European Iranian tribes around 2000 BC

Politics

Turkmenistan national assembly building in Ashgabat
Turkmenistan national assembly building in Ashgabat
Main article: Politics of Turkmenistan

The politics of Turkmenistan take place in the framework of a presidential republic, with the President both head of state and head of government. Ashgabat ( Aşgabat in Turkmen) (or formerly Ashkhabad or Poltoratsk is the Capital and largest city of Turkmenistan, a country in The politics of Turkmenistan takes place in the framework of a presidential Republic, whereby the President of Turkmenistan is both Head of state and A presidential system is a System of government where an executive branch exists and presides (hence the term separately from the Legislature A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its Leaders of Turkmenistan since 1924 Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (1924-1991 First Secretaries of the Turkmen Communist Party Khalmurad Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State Turkmenistan has a single-party system. A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of Party system Government in which a single Political party

After 69 years as part of the Soviet Union (including 67 years as a union republic), Turkmenistan declared its independence on October 27, 1991. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Events 312 - Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar.

President for Life Saparmurat Niyazov, a former bureaucrat of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, ruled Turkmenistan from 1985, when he became head of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR, until his death in 2006. President for Life is a Title assumed by some Dictators to remove their Term limit, in the hope that their Authority, legitimacy, and Saparmyrat Ataýewiç Nyýazow (θɑːpɑːrmɯːrɑːt niːjɑːðɒv ( 19 February, 1940, Gypjak, Turkmen SSR, Soviet Union The Communist Party of the Turkmenistan was the ruling Communist party of the Turkmen SSR, and a part of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. He retained absolute control over the country after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union 's collapse into independent nations began early in 1985 On December 28, 1999, Niyazov was declared President for Life of Turkmenistan by the Mejlis (parliament), which itself had taken office a week earlier in elections that included only candidates hand-picked by President Niyazov. Events 1065 - Westminster Abbey is Consecrated. 1308 - The reign of Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) President for Life is a Title assumed by some Dictators to remove their Term limit, in the hope that their Authority, legitimacy, and No opposition candidates were allowed.

The current President of Turkmenistan is Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow, who took control following Niyazov's 2006 death. Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhammedow ( Russian name Курбанкули (or Гурбангулы Мяликгулыевич Бердымухаммедов born June

The former Communist Party, now known as the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan, is the only one legally-permitted to operate. The Democratic Party of Turkmenistan (Türkmenistanyň Demokratik partiýasy is the only political party in Turkmenistan. Political gatherings are illegal unless government sanctioned.

Human rights

Main article: Human rights in Turkmenistan

Human rights are generally not respected by many authorities in Turkmenistan, although some human rights are guaranteed in the Constitution of Turkmenistan, such as social equality, sex equality, freedom from cruel and unusual punishment, and freedom of movement. Human rights in Turkmenistan are severely restricted There is no Political opposition allowed and government treatment of religious activity ranges from tightly restricted to Human rights refers to the "basic Rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled The Constitution of Turkmenistan is meant to be the supreme law of the former-Soviet state of Turkmenistan. Social equality is a social state of affairs in which all people within a specific society or isolated group have the same status in a certain respect Gender equality (also known as gender equity, gender egalitarianism, or sexual equality) is the goal of the Equality of the Genders Freedom of movement, mobility rights or the right to travel is a Human rights concept which is respected in the Constitutions of numerous Other social and economic rights include the right to work, the right to rest, and the right to education. The Right to work is the concept that people have a human right to work and may not be prevented from doing so The right to education is recognised as a human right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 26 and the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural

However, there are freedom of religion and freedom of sexuality issues. Freedom of religion is the freedom of an individual or community in public or private to manifest religion or belief in teaching practice worship and observance The countries of the world have a wide variety of laws relating to sexual relations between people of the same sex - everything from full legal recognition of Same-sex marriage Any act of homosexuality in Turkmenistan is punishable by up to five years in prison. According to Forum 18, despite international pressure, the authorities keep a close watch on all religious groups. Forum 18 is a Norwegian Human rights organization that promotes Religious freedom. The legal framework is so constrictive that many prefer to exist underground rather than pass through the official processes, which act as barriers. Protestant Christian adherents are affected, in addition to groups such as Jehovah's Witnesses, Bahá'ís, and the followers of the Hare Krishna movement. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Jehovah's Witnesses is a restorationist, millenialist Christian denomination The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind The Hare Krishna Mantra, also referred to reverentially as the Maha Mantra ("Great Mantra" is a sixteen-word Vaishnava mantra made well Hare Krishna followers are not allowed to seek donations at the country's main airport, Ashgabat. Ashgabat Airport, also known as Ashkhabad Airport, is the only international airport in Turkmenistan.

According to the 2007 Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index, Turkmenistan had the third-worst restrictions on the freedom of the press in the world. Freedom Constitutional or statutory protections pertaining to freedom of the press

In addition, according to the BBC, the new president enforced a ban on satellite dishes, a measure often threatened under Niyazov, but never acted upon. Satellite television is Television delivered by the means of Communications satellites as compared to conventional Terrestrial television and Cable

Provinces and districts

Main articles: Provinces of Turkmenistan and Districts of Turkmenistan
Provinces of Turkmenistan
Provinces of Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is divided into five provinces or welayatlar (singular - welayat) and one independent city:

Division ISO 3166-2 Capital City Area (km²) Area (sq. mi) Pop (1995) Key
Ashgabat Ashgabat 604,000
Ahal Province TM-A Annau 95,000 36,680 722,800 1
Balkan Province TM-B Balkanabat　 138,000 53,280 424,700 2
Daşoguz Province TM-D Daşoguz 74,000 28,570 1,059,800 3
Lebap Province TM-L Turkmenabat 94,000　 36,290 1,034,700 4
Mary Province TM-M Mary 87,000 33,590 1,146,800 5

Geography

Map of Turkmenistan
Map of Turkmenistan
Main article: Geography of Turkmenistan

At 188,457 mi² (488,100 km²), Turkmenistan is the world's 52nd-largest country. Turkmenistan is divided into 5 provinces or welayatlar (singular Welayat) and one independent city ( şäher) See also The provinces ( velayets) of Turkmenistan are divided into Districts ( etraplar, sing A wilāyah (ولاية or vilâyet (in Persian and Ottoman Turkish) is an administrative division usually ISO 3166-2 is the second part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Ashgabat ( Aşgabat in Turkmen) (or formerly Ashkhabad or Poltoratsk is the Capital and largest city of Turkmenistan, a country in Ahal Province (Ahal welaýaty Ахал велаяты is one of the Welayatlar (provinces of Turkmenistan. Anau (also spelled Annau, Änew Turkmenistan, capital of Ahal Province, is a town 8 kilometers southeast of Ashgabat. Balkan Province ( Balkan welaýaty / Балкан велаяты) is one of the Welayatlar (provinces of Turkmenistan. Balkanabat (Балканабат formerly Nebit Dag, is a city in western Turkmenistan, and the capital of Balkan Province. Daşoguz Province ( Daşoguz welaýaty / Дашогуз велаяты) (formerly Daşhowuz / Дашховуз) is one of the Welayatlar (provinces Lebap Province ( Lebap welaýaty / Лебап велаяты) is one of the Welayatlar (provinces of Turkmenistan. Türkmenabat ( Cyrillic Turkmen: Түркменабат formerly Chardzhou also spelled as Chardjui Charjou Chardzhev Charjev Chärjew or Charjew Cyrillic Turkmen Mary Province ( Mary welaýaty / Мары велаяты) is one of the Welayatlar (provinces of Turkmenistan. Mary (pronounced Mur-ree is a city of Turkmenistan, capital of the Mary Province. Turkmenistan is a Landlocked country of Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of It is slightly smaller than Spain, and somewhat larger than the US state of California. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean.

The Caspian Sea at Türkmenbaşy
The Caspian Sea at Türkmenbaşy

Over 80% of the country is covered by the Karakum Desert. The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged Sea. Türkmenbaşy is a city in Turkmenistan, part of the Balkan Province, on the Krasnovodsk Gulf of the Caspian Sea. The Karakum Desert, also spelled Kara-Kum and Gara Gum (“Black Sand” ( Turkmen: Garagum, Russian: Каракумы) The center of the country is dominated by the Turan Depression and the Karakum Desert. The Turan Depression, Turan Lowland or Turanian Basin is a vast low-lying Desert basin region stretching from southern Turkmenistan The Kopet Dag Range, along the southwestern border, reaches 2,912 meters (9,553 ft). The Kopet Dag, Köpet Dag ( Koppeh Dagh) is a Mountain range on the frontier between Turkmenistan and Iran, extending about 650 km A mountain range is a chain of Mountains bordered by highlands or separated from other mountains by passes or valleys A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The Turkmen Balkan Mountains in the far west and the Kugitang Range in the far east are the only other significant elevations. Rivers include the Amu Darya, the Murghab, and the Tejen. The Amu Darya (formerly Oxus River the Greeks (Ptolemeus called it Oxiana palus) is the longest river in Central Asia. For the other river of the same name see Murgab River (Afghanistan. The Hari River (Persian Rudkhaneh-ye Hari Rud sometimes Harirud) is a River flowing 1100 kilometers from the mountains of central Afghanistan

The climate mostly consists of an arid subtropical desert, with little rainfall. The subtropics are the zones of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropic zone which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Winters are mild and dry, with most precipitation falling between January and May. The area of the country with the heaviest precipitation is the Kopet Dag range. The Kopet Dag, Köpet Dag ( Koppeh Dagh) is a Mountain range on the frontier between Turkmenistan and Iran, extending about 650 km

The Turkmen shore along the Caspian Sea is 1768 km long. The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged Sea. The Caspian Sea is entirely landlocked, with no access to the ocean. The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged Sea.

The major cities include Ashgabat, Türkmenbaşy (formerly Krasnovodsk) and Daşoguz. Ashgabat ( Aşgabat in Turkmen) (or formerly Ashkhabad or Poltoratsk is the Capital and largest city of Turkmenistan, a country in Türkmenbaşy is a city in Turkmenistan, part of the Balkan Province, on the Krasnovodsk Gulf of the Caspian Sea.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Turkmenistan
Turkmenbashi Palace in Ashgabat
Turkmenbashi Palace in Ashgabat

Half of the country's irrigated land is planted with cotton, making the country the world's tenth-largest producer of it. Turkmenistan is largely Desert country with nomadic Cattle raising intensive Agriculture in irrigated oases and huge gas and oil Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp It possesses the world's fifth-largest reserves of natural gas and substantial oil resources. Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, In 1994, the Russian government's refusal to export Turkmen gas to hard currency markets and mounting debts of its major customers in the former Soviet Union for gas deliveries contributed to a sharp fall in industrial production and caused the budget to shift from a surplus to a slight deficit. The politics of Russia ( the Russian Federation) take place in a framework of a federal presidential Republic. Hard currency or strong currency, in Economics refers to a globally traded Currency that can serve as a reliable and stable Store of value.

Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to economic reform, hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its economy. In 2004, the unemployment rate was estimated to be 60%; the percentage of the population living below the poverty line was thought to be 58% a year earlier. [3] Privatization goals remain limited. Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of business from the Public sector (government to the Private sector (business Between 1998 and 2002, Turkmenistan suffered from the continued lack of adequate export routes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive short-term external debt. In Economics, an export is any good or Commodity, Transported from one country to another country in a Legitimate fashion Debt is that which is owed usually referencing Assets owed but the term can cover other obligations At the same time, however, the value of total exports has risen sharply because of increases in international oil and gas prices. Economic prospects in the near future are discouraging because of widespread internal poverty and the burden of foreign debt. Poverty (also called penury) is deprivation of common necessities that determine the quality of life including food clothing shelter and safe Drinking water, and

A bazaar in Ashgabat
A bazaar in Ashgabat

President Niyazov spent much of the country's revenue on extensively renovating cities, Ashgabat in particular. Ashgabat ( Aşgabat in Turkmen) (or formerly Ashkhabad or Poltoratsk is the Capital and largest city of Turkmenistan, a country in Corruption watchdogs voiced particular concern over the management of Turkmenistan's currency reserves, most of which are held in off-budget funds such as the Foreign Exchange Reserve Fund in the Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt, according to a report released in April 2006 by London-based non-governmental organization Global Witness. Global Witness is an international NGO established in 1993 that works to break the links between natural resource exploitation conflict Poverty, corruption According to the decree of the Peoples' Council of 14 August 2003,[4] electricity, natural gas, water and salt will be subsidized for citizens up to 2030; however, shortages are frequent. Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. Salt is a Dietary mineral composed primarily of Sodium chloride that is essential for Animal life but toxic to most land plants On September 5, 2006, after Turkmenistan threatened to cut off supplies, Russia agreed to raise the price it pays for Turkmen natural gas from $65 to $100 per 1,000 cubic meters. Events 1590 - Alexander Farnese 's army forces Henry IV of France to raise the siege of Paris. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Two-thirds of Turkmen gas goes through the Russian state-owned Gazprom. Public ownership (also called government ownership, state ownership or state property) refers to Government Ownership of any OJSC Gazprom, (Газпром long version Открытое Aкционерное Oбщество Газпром sometimes transcribed as Gasprom is the largest Russian company [5]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Turkmenistan
Further information: Islam in Turkmenistan
Turkmen girl
Turkmen girl

The majority of Turkmenistan's citizens are ethnic Turkmens who predominately adhere to Islam with sizeable minorities of Uzbeks and Russians. Demographics of Turkmenistan: Population 5097028 (July 2007 est Traditionally the Turkmen of Turkmenistan, like their kin in Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, are Sunni Muslims. This article is about the Turkmen people of Turkmenistan. For the distinct group of Turk peoples of Iraq see Iraqi Turkmen. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Uzbeks (Self designation sg O‘zbek, pl O‘zbeklar) are a Turkic people of Central Asia. The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries Smaller minorities include Kazakhs, Azeris, Persians, Balochis, Armenians, Koreans, and Tatars. The Kazakhs (also spelled Kazaks, Qazaqs; Kazakh: Қазақтар qɑzɑqtɑr Russian: Казахи the English name is transliterated The Azerbaijanis are an Ethnic group mainly in the Republic of Azerbaijan and northwestern Iran. layout and formatting it should ensure no clashes with the top of the infobox The Baloch ( بلوچ; alternative transliterations Baluch Balouch Bloach Balooch Balush Balosh Baloosh Baloush) are an Iranian people inhabiting The Armenians (Հայեր Hayer) are a Nation and Ethnic group originating in the Caucasus and in the Armenian Highlands A large Koryo-saram (Корё сарам Hangul: 고려사람 is the name which ethnic Koreans in the Post-Soviet states use to refer to themselves Tatars ( Tatar: Tatarlar/Татарлар sometimes spelled Tartars, are a Turkic -speaking ethnic group or multiple ethnic groups A small number of Bukharian Jews used to live in Turkmenistan but almost none are left now. Bukharan Jews, also Bukharian Jews or Bukhari Jews, ( בוכרים, Bukharim) are Jews from Central Asia who speak Turkmen is the official language of Turkmenistan, though Russian still is widely spoken in cities as a "language of inter-ethnic communication" (per the 1992 Constitution). Turkmen ( Latin script: türkmen Cyrillic: түркмен ISO 639 -1 tk ISO 639-2 tuk is the name of the national language of Turkmenistan An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages

Culture

Main article: Culture of Turkmenistan

Education is universal and mandatory through the secondary level, the total duration of which was earlier reduced from 10 to 9 years, with the new President it has been decreed that the 2007 - 2008 school year will be of 10 years as will all subsequent years. The Turkmen people have traditionally been Nomads and Horsemen, and even today after the fall of the USSR attempts to urbanize but the Turkmens have not

Miscellaneous topics

Further reading

References

  1. ^ Tribe, Class, and Nation in Turkmenistan, page 1 Tribal Nation: The Making of Soviet Turkmenistan
  2. ^ Turkmenistan Reduces Ties To ‘Associate Member' Radio Free Europe, August 29, 2005
  3. ^ CIA World Factbook. The New Yorker is an American Magazine that publishes reportage commentary criticism essays fiction satire cartoons and poetry Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The World Factbook ( ISSN; also known as the CIA World Factbook) is an annual publication of the Central Intelligence Agency of the U. S. government publication. Central Intelligence Agency (19 December 2006). near as long as it used to be several months ago It has been actively summarized and split into sub-articles and there is a dynamic talk page discussion of all Events 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Retrieved on December 21, 2006.
  4. ^ Resolution of Khalk Maslahati (Peoples' Council of Turkmenistan) N 35 (14. 08. 2003)
  5. ^ BBC NEWS | Business | Russia reaches Turkmen gas deal

External links

Dictionary

Turkmenistan

-proper noun

  1. Country in Central Asia. Official name: Turkmenistan.
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