by Turkmenistan fun facts are very interesting to learn. Turkmenistan, Turkmen Türkmenistan, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan, It is Central Asia’s second-largest state, after Kazakhstan, and the region’s southernmost of the five republics. This article will feature many more Turkmenistan fun facts.
Turkmenistan is the least densely inhabited Central Asian country after Kazakhstan. Much of its arid landscape is uninhabitable for plants and animals. Deserts define its sun-baked sandy landscape, save for oasis in short strips interspersed along the foothills of the Kopet-Dag Range and along the Amu Darya, Morghb, and Tejen rivers. Turkmenistan was the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic from 1925 to 1991, a component (union) republic of the Soviet Union that gained independence on October 27, 1991. Ashgabat (Ashkhabad), the capital, is located on Iran’s southern border. Let’s continue for more Turkmenistan fun facts like this!
Charms: In addition to their primary function, nearly all Turkmen bridal gowns also served as charms. The bride’s attire included a variety of amulets that helped her stay healthy and affluent by protecting her from bad spirits. Even the bridal gown, which was made of traditional red cloth, may stir jealousy and draw a “evil eye,” therefore it was designed to protect the bride in whatever way possible. To protect herself from alien eyes, the bride donned a cloak over her head and amulets and charms that were said to have protective powers.
Because it is mostly made of white marble, the city’s central district, which is brimming with huge structures and beautiful public spaces, actually gleams in the blazing desert heat. In fact, the city was built with so much marble that the Guinness Book of World Records named Ashgabat the city with the largest density of marble structures in the world. The look of it all, like much of Turkmenistan, may be strange and amount to something you couldn’t truly imagine until you saw it for yourself.
Turkmenistan Fun Facts
Let’s learn below some very interesting, Turkmenistan fun facts!
1. Some of the popular food in Turkmenistan: Walnut brittle: irresistibly sweet, Plov: The national dish, Borscht: Aromatic beetroot soup, Shashlik: Crispy meat skewer of lamb, Kefir: refreshing yogurt drink
2. Turkmenistan is bordered on the northwest by Kazakhstan, on the north and east by Uzbekistan, on the southeast by Afghanistan, and on the south and southwest by Iran. It also has a western shore that runs along the Caspian Sea.
3. Turkmenistan has a rich and illustrious history, as well as world-famous ancient sites and stunning alpine landscapes. It is regarded as the ‘Stans’ hermit nation. Due to difficulty obtaining visas in the past and the country’s isolationist posture, Turkmenistan is one of the least visited nations in the world.
4. An Ongoing Economic Recession: During the Soviet Union, Turkmenistan was the poorest country. The country’s GDP per capita is now $6,587, while 10% of the country’s 5.8 million Turkmen live in poverty. However, this is a huge step forward for the country. In 1990, more than a third of the country was living in extreme poverty (less than $1.90 per day), the lowest poverty rate in the country’s history (at 10%).
5. Turkmenistan, a small country in Central Asia, maybe the oddest country in the world, both in terms of design and the bizarre regulations that inhabitants must follow under the President’s strict authority.
6. Turkmen authorities have prohibited a number of websites, including Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, as well as websites that offer VPN services, for years, and have detained people who use such services on their mobile phones.
7. One of the Turkmenistan fun facts is, the country has had free water, electricity, and gas since 1993, which means that the majority of families never turn their stoves off to save money on matches!
8. Even the family of someone who had been unkind to a tourist would have detested him. Bread and salt have long been precious to Turkmen. Stepping on them was considered unlucky.
9. Despite the fact that current and trustworthy tourist data are difficult to come by, Turkmenistan remains one of the world’s least-visited nations, with only 8,900 visitors in 2012. That isn’t owing to a lack of things to do and see, as you’ll see below. Instead, the low visitor numbers are owing to a convoluted visa process that makes obtaining the necessary documentation difficult.
10. Dogs are regarded as part of Turkmenistan’s national heritage and are widely employed by the country’s six million people, many of whom are traditional herders. Berdymukhamedov, 63, is the author of an Alabai dog book and a poem, and he gifted Russian President Vladimir Putin a puppy for his birthday in 2017.
11. Turkmenistan ranked third in the world in terms of journalistic freedom, after North Korea and Burma, according to Reporters Without Borders’ 2006 World Press Freedom Index. It is regarded as one of the 10 most censored countries in the world.
12. Men’s traditional attire includes high, shaggy sheepskin caps and scarlet robes worn over white shirts. Long sack dresses are worn by women over skinny trousers (the pants are trimmed with a band of embroidery at the ankle). Silver jewelry is commonly used in female headdresses.
13. Plov (similar to pilaf) is a Turkmen dish made out of mounds of rice combined with meat, carrots, and spices and cooked in a huge skillet. It can be found everywhere in Turkmenistan, from modest family picnics at sacred locations to grand wedding festivities. Turkmen hospitality is such that if a family notices that you are hungry, they would usually offer you a plate of plov to share.
14. Hockey with a puck is the most popular, with tournaments conducted in our country for more than a year. Turkmenistan’s national hockey team has advanced to the international level in recent years. The level of sportsmanship has improved dramatically since the changes began.
15. Turkmenistan contains over 3,000 rivers, although the great majority are less than 10 kilometers long and, with the exception of 40, all are seasonal, which is one of the Turkmenistan fun facts.
16. Turkmen are a nomadic ethnicity that originated in the Ottoman Empire. Anyone from Turkey is referred to as a Turk. Cultural ties are strong, yet they are politically apart. There is no distinction, however, Turkmen is used for Turks who live as citizens of another nation in the east or south of Turkey.
17. It is a sin to tread on a cloth with food on it since it is considered sacred. Everyone should worship the Lord before eating, according to custom. “Every guest is sent by Allah!” they say in the East. It indicates that hospitality is both a responsibility and a sacred obligation for the host.
18. Respect for the elderly is also founded on historical customs. It is deemed improper not to assist them, quarrel with them, scowl at them or express dissatisfaction with their service, wait for their thanks for the delivered service or remind them of it. The customs dictate that parents and elders be respected.
19. Literacy is nearly universal in Turkmenistan. The country’s educational system is 12 years long, although the typical student quits out after 10 or 11 years. Through the Child-Friendly Schools (CFS) concept, the government has worked with UNICEF to continue the growth of its education. This framework strives to assist youngsters not just in their educational pursuits but also in their overall well-being.
Fun Facts about Turkmenistan
20. Turkmenistan has a harsh continental climate with a chilly desert climate. Summers are long (from May to September), hot, and dry, while winters are warm and dry in general, albeit chilly and wet in the north.
21. “Gold and silver do not age, but the father and mother are precious,” says a Turkmen proverb. As the family’s leader, the father has the authority to assess his children’s behavior and is obligated to safeguard them. Children should revere and respect their moms. People should not only condemn but actually halt the slightest manifestation of disrespect or inattention to mother on the spot.
22. Tajikistan’s national dish is qurutob, however, plov is the most popular meal in the country, if not all of Central Asia. In a special kazan cauldron, pieces of beef are cooked in oil and served with rice, onions, and carrots.
23. Turkmen place a strong priority on honor. “My honor is the honor of my family, nation, and people,” they say from time to time. Turkmen have a highly developed sense of kinship.
24. Sincerity has always been valued by Turkmen. “Tell the truth even if it hurts you.” Light-mindedness and garrulity are condemned, but duty and obligation are valued, which is one of the Turkmenistan fun interesting facts.
25. Turkmenistan is a relatively unknown travel location. The rigorous visa process, the magnificent marble capital of Ashgabat, and the blazing gas crater known as the Door to Hell have been the major reasons for going thus far.
26. Wheat (761,300 hectares) and cotton (761,300 hectares) are the two most important crops in terms of planted area (551,100 hectares). In various sections of the nation, citrus fruits, dates, figs, melons, pomegranates, olives, and sugarcane are farmed. Smaller quantities of sesame and pistachios are also farmed.
27. There is authoritarian Media in the country. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow keeps a watchful check on daily life in Turkmenistan. All media outlets are regulated by the government, which determines what may and cannot be published. Due to the high cost, only 17.9% of the population utilizes the internet. People have limited access to internet information because authorities have banned websites that are critical of the government. Two journalists (Sapardurdy Khadjiyev and Annakurban Amanklychev) have been imprisoned by the authorities since 2006 for violating official media laws.
28. Turkmenistan’s average salary is US$ 3,100/=. Doctors might earn anything from US$ 71,230/= to US$ 75,000 per year. Teachers would earn from US$ 30,000/= to US$ 35,000/= per year, which is somewhat less than the national average.
29. Dresses is the country is unique. There were just a few “fortunate” days when cutting and sewing a bridal gown was possible. To a large measure, the bride’s well-being depended on it. The fabric donated by the groom was sawn into a dress in the bride’s home. The dress was to be cut by the most respected lady in the area, a mother of many children, as well as the bride’s close acquaintances. They were permitted to carry fabric scraps home as a good luck charm.
Interesting Facts about Turkmenistan
30. Turkmen applied arts include a diverse range of materials and decoration techniques. Ceramics, metal chasing embossing, woodcarving, jewelry manufacturing, silk and gold embroidery, silk weaving, carpet weaving, and leatherwork are among them.
31. Although the Darvaza gas crater appears to be a natural occurrence, it was caused by a mistake committed by a crew of Soviet scientists drilling for natural gas in 1971. After their equipment and transport fell into the hole and gas began to leak, they decided to set it on fire, assuming it would burn out in a matter of days. Given that the crater is still burning after more than 48 years, you could argue their estimate of accessible subsurface gas was a little off.
32. The huge Karakum Desert covers the bulk of the nation, hence desert and sand are notable geological features. The fact that the country’s whole territory was once home to a gigantic sea 30 million years ago is astonishing, difficult to conceive, and crucial to understanding the country’s geologic past.
33. In 1948, an earthquake of a magnitude of 7.3 devastated practically all of Ashgabat, forcing the city to rebuild its structures and infrastructure.
34. One of the Turkmenistan fun facts is that Turkmenistan is mostly Muslim, with the bulk of the population being Sunni from the anaf school.
35. Gender Equality is Increasing: In Turkmenistan, just 40% of women will attend postsecondary school. By the age of 20 or 21, most women have married and will have little possibility to further their education or pursue a profession. Fortunately, the United Nations contributed to the recent presidential order of Turkmenistan’s first national action plan on gender equality, which was issued in 2017. Improved laws, fair access to health care, and data gathering to track progress are all part of this approach.
36. Turkmens have a great sense of morality. They foster hospitality, respect for elders, modesty, nobleness, integrity, honesty, bravery, and real generosity in their outlook on life. “Only a noble person can keep his word,” they say.
37. Health care is not well funded by the government. Turkmens are more inclined than the government to spend more money on health care. In 2017, the typical resident paid $2,052 on health care, compared to $741 spent by the government. Because of a lack of accessible public health care, the average life expectancy is only 67.8 years, with lower respiratory infections being the leading cause of death.
38. The Turkmen alphabet is a variation of the Latin alphabet that is used in Turkmenistan for official reasons. Turkmen was first written in the Arabic alphabet around the turn of the twentieth century, but the Latin script was adopted in 1928.
39. The magnificent boulevards, fountains, huge sculptures, and gleaming white buildings in Turkmenistan’s capital city give it a “Las Vegas meets Pyongyang” image. This is all because former President Saparmurat Niyazov (also known as Turkmenbashi) initiated a construction boom after the country achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Turkmenistan Facts
40. Turkmenistan has a population of 5.8 million people, with 49.2% of the population residing in cities. Cotton, silk, Karakul sheep, and handcrafted carpets and rugs are all important for rural development. The capital city, Ashgabat, is the focal point for business and government authorities. Cars and trains link the country’s cities and communities.
41. Turkmenistan’s economy is mainly reliant on natural gas, oil, petrochemicals, and, to a lesser extent, cotton, wheat, and textiles production and export, which is one of the Turkmenistan fun cool facts.
42. Turkmen, also known as Turkmen-Turkic or Turkmen-Turkish, is a Turkic language spoken by Turkmens primarily in Turkmenistan, Iran, and Afghanistan.
43. In wedding ceremonies, a kerchief was very important. On the day of the “gelin toi” (bride’s wedding), ladies from all over the country presented their bridal presents and sweets wrapped in kerchiefs. They got their kerchiefs back full with gifts equal to those they had brought just as they were ready to leave. A large kerchief was considered a gift in and of itself. During men’s competitions, the most valued reward was a kerchief.
44. It’s difficult to think that such a dry and arid environment could produce such delicious, juicy, and huge melons. Turkmen melons are so popular that they have their own national festival dedicated to them. Turkmenistan’s melons are famed across the area, having historically supplied most of the Soviet Union.
45. Turkmens are derived from nomadic Oghuz tribes that settled in the area in the seventh century. Turkmen people still identify with the five main nomadic tribes. The telpek, a big sheepskin hat worn by males, is one of the symbols of this nomadic history and culture. The telpek, like other similar nomadic headgear seen elsewhere in Central Asia, is meant to keep a constant body temperature in a variety of climatic conditions, from scorching summer days to chilly winter nights in the desert.
46. Turkmen place a high emphasis on friendship and affection, and preserve cordial relationships with their neighbors. “First and foremost, take care of your neighbor,” “A neighbor next door is better than a brother far away,” “If your neighbor is happy, you will be happy as well,” “If your neighbor is happy, you will be happy as well,” “If your neighbor is happy, you will be happy as well,” “If your neighbor is happy, you will be happy as well,” “If your neighbor is happy, you will be happy as well,” “If your neighbor is happy, you will be happy as well,” “If your neighbor
47. All types of religious and political expression that the government does not approve of are severely punished. Information access is rigorously regulated, and no independent monitoring organizations are permitted. Hundreds of victims of enforced disappearance are thought to be imprisoned in Turkmen jails.
48. Wedding Rituals: Weddings are a melting pot of Turkmen traditions and customs, with many rituals and ceremonials to learn from. Clothes played one of the key parts in them. They were even supposed to have magical abilities of protection and purification.
49. Individual Internet access was originally granted in 2008, and it has subsequently been expanded. Turkmenistan is one of the world’s most restrictive and insular societies. The Internet is strictly restricted and only a tiny percentage of the population has access to it. Censorship is pervasive and widespread.
Facts Turkmenistan
50. While official poverty estimates in Turkmenistan are low, at 0.2 percent, the nation has a number of challenges in terms of its economy, as well as its social and political position.
51. UNESCO World Heritage Site Kunya-Urgench, a Silk Road City on the border with Uzbekistan, was a center of culture, learning, and significance in the 11th and 12th centuries. It was originally the Samanid Empire’s second-biggest city, with a distinct architectural style that may still be found in Iran and Afghanistan today. After rebelling against the Mongols and being destroyed, it was rebuilt in the 13th century, only to be destroyed again by Tamerlane in the 14th century because he saw it as a competitor to Samarkand.
52. Geometric motifs in bright reds, browns, and greens are woven into Turkoman carpets, which frequently feature webbed fringes at the ends. Caucasian rugs contain vivid geometric designs with well-defined lines.
53. The Darvaza gas crater, one of Turkmenistan’s most popular tourist attractions, burns continuously in the middle of the desert. The gas crater, also known as the “gate of hell,” gives the impression of peering into hell, especially at night when its red flames burst out against the blackness of the desert night.
54. Low Unemployment Rate is very common in the country. The last of the top ten statistics concerning Turkmen’s living circumstances is employment. The nation has a low GDP and a monthly minimum salary of 535 Turkmenistani ($152.55). It does, however, have a relatively low unemployment rate. In 2018, just 3.8 percent of the population was jobless, significantly lower than the 4 percent unemployment rate in the United States.
55. Turkmen melons are now difficult to get by outside of the nation. On the other hand, if you time your vacation to Turkmenistan to coincide with the 2nd Sunday in August, you’ll be able to gorge yourself on melons on the official Melon Day national holiday.
56. The Karakum Canal (also known as the Qaraqum Canal, Kara Kum Canal, or Garagum Canal; Russian: aракумски канал, Karakumskiy Kanal, Turkmen: Garagum kanaly, араум канал) is one of the world’s biggest irrigation and water delivery canals.
57. Turkmenistan’s Silk Road attractions may not be as well-known as those of its neighbor, Uzbekistan, but they are nevertheless stunning in their own right since they are distinct, real, and unspoiled. They weave a compelling tale about the region’s importance as a trading center along the Silk Road from the eighth to the thirteenth century.
58. The country’s picture of prison brutality is pitiful. Turkmen prisoners, particularly political detainees, are frequently assaulted. Although the precise number of political prisoners imprisoned by the government is unknown, Prove They Are Alive, an international group dedicated to reducing disappearances in Turkmenistan, reports that 121 persons have been forcefully removed. Ovadandepe is the most notorious prison, and it is where former government official Begmurad Otuzov died. Mr. Otuzov’s body, which had been missing for 15 years and weighed just 99 pounds, was delivered to his family.
59. Enacting legislation to change the names of the days of the week to reflect the names of his family members. Or prohibiting smoking in public places because he was attempting to quit smoking and didn’t want to be around other people while doing so.
60. Cotton grew on about half of the cultivated area, and cereals and fodder crops grew on 45 percent of the acreage. Sheep were the mainstay of livestock farming, notably for the production of Karakul wool.
61. The flat Garagum (or Kara Kum) Desert (north to south), a sandy, scrubby, dry swath of terrain with very limited agricultural potential, dominates the landscape of Turkmenistan, as seen on the physical map.
Turkmenistan Interesting Facts
62. President Saparmurat Niyazov, Turkmenistan’s first president from 1991 to 2006, was well-known — perhaps notorious — for enacting a series of strange legislation throughout his term. Some of these regulations have been explained with the goal of preserving traditional Turkmen culture. No opera, gold teeth, or spandex, for example.
63. Turkmenistan is a landlocked country with no coastlines. It does, however, have a western boundary that runs for 1,768 kilometers along the Caspian Sea (1,096 miles). The Caspian Sea is the world’s biggest inland body of water and a saltwater lake.
64. The economy of Turkmenistan is heavily reliant on hydrocarbon resources. In 2016, the country was the world’s fourth-largest natural gas distributor, with 265 trillion cubic feet of reserves. China, Russia, and Iran are among its most important customers. Petrofac is one of the country’s leading energy producers, employing over 1,700 people around the country.
65. Turkmenistan lacks renewable energy sources, and 13.9 percent of the population lacks access to safe drinking water. UNICEF, on the other hand, devised a plan in 2017 to assist the government in promoting sustainable practices. Through instruction in schools, the initiative strives to create awareness of environmental sustainability.
66. “The one who gossips with thee, can chatter about thee as well,” Turkmen society has long said about poisonous gossip. Cowardice and ingratitude were also considered bad characteristics.
67. Turkmenistan’s economy is mainly reliant on natural gas, oil, petrochemicals, and, to a lesser extent, cotton, wheat, and textiles production and export, which is one of the Turkmenistan fun facts.
68. The government forcibly evicted 50,000 individuals from their houses in the capital in 2015. People were evicted from their homes by the authorities in order to construct new structures for the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games. In Turkmenistan, forced evictions are a widespread and ongoing problem. Amnesty International is fighting the housing crisis by bringing attention to the homes that are still being destroyed.
69. Plov (pilaf) is a common, everyday dish that is often eaten on special occasions. Mutton pieces, carrots, and rice are cooked in a huge cast-iron pot resembling a Dutch oven. Manti are beef dumplings with onions or pumpkin filling.
70. Merv, with a population of a million people in the 11th and 12th centuries, was the greatest Silk Road city, dwarfing the now-famous Bukhara and Samarkand in Uzbekistan. This oasis city served as the capital of the Great Seljuk kingdom until 1221 when it was ravaged by Genghis Khan’s Mongol army and never fully recovered.
Hopefully, you have enjoyed these Turkmenistan fun facts!
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