A desert land in Central Asia, Turkmenistan became an independent country in 1991. For many centuries before that date it had been ruled by foreign powers, the last being the Soviet Union. Turkmenistan is known around the world for its handicrafts, especially its beautiful carpets. The capital is Ashgabat. GeographyTurkmenistan is on the southeastern coast of the Caspian Sea. It borders Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north and east, Afghanistan to the southeast, and Iran is to the south. Turkmenistan covers an area of 188,500 square miles (488,100 square kilometers). Almost all of Turkmenistan is flat desert. The sandy Karakum Desert covers more than 70 percent of the country's land area. Southern Turkmenistan has some mountains and hills, including the Kopet-Dag Mountains along the border with Iran. The highest point in the country is Mount Ayrybaba in the east, which stands 10,298 feet (3,139 meters). Turkmenistan sometimes is shaken by major earthquakes. Turkmenistan has a very dry climate with great extremes of temperature. During summer days the temperature seldom is lower than 95° F (35° C), but in winter the temperature can drop to -27° F (-33° C). Rainfall amounts are very low, which means that the country depends heavily on irrigation to provide water for farming. The Amu Darya, a major river that flows through eastern Turkmenistan, is used extensively for irrigation. The Karakum Canal runs 870 miles (1,400 kilometers) between the Amu Darya and the Caspian Sea. It is one of the world's largest irrigation and shipping canals. Plants and animals - Drought-resistant plants in the Repetek Preserve in the southeastern Karakum Desert, Turkmenistan.
Only plants that need little water can survive in the deserts of Turkmenistan. They include various types of grass, small shrubs, bushes, and trees. Plant life is most common in the few fertile areas known as oases and in the southern mountains. Pistachio and walnut groves grow on the mountain slopes, and almonds, figs, and walnuts grow in the valleys. The desert is home to such animals as foxes, wildcats, cobras, scorpions, tarantulas, monitor lizards, gazelles, and sand rats. Leopards and porcupines live in the hills. People and cultureTurkmenistan is named after its main ethnic group, the Turkmen. More than 75 percent of the population is Turkmen. Their language, also called Turkmen, is similar to that spoken by the people of Turkey. Most of the Turkmen are Muslims. Uzbeks, Russians, and Kazakhs make up most of the rest of the population. The Russian and Uzbek languages are widely spoken in the country. Turkmenistan's people live mainly in oasis regions in the south and along the rivers in the east. These areas have an adequate water supply and land that is suitable for farming. Ashgabat, the capital and largest city, is the economic and cultural center of an oasis along the northern edge of the Kopet-Dag Mountains. The next largest cities in Turkmenistan are Turkmenabat (formerly Chardzhou), Dashhowuz, and Mary, all of which are in oases. Until the 20th century the Turkmen were largely nomads, or wanderers. They raised livestock and moved seasonally to favorable pasture lands. After the area came under Soviet control, many of the people settled in villages. But nomadic traditions are still part of life in Turkmenistan. Some Turkmen continue to live in traditional circular tents known as yurts. They decorate these dwellings with carpets that they weave themselves. Turkmen carpets are greatly valued as works of art. EconomyThe economy of Turkmenistan depends largely on agriculture and the production of natural gas and oil. The introduction of farm machinery and widespread irrigation during the Soviet period greatly expanded farming in the area. In the early 21st century more than 40 percent of the country's workers still were employed in agriculture. Cotton growing and livestock raising are the most important agricultural activities. Cotton is a major export, and the wool from Karakul sheep is used to make carpets. Grain is the other major farm product. Natural gas and oil were discovered in Turkmenistan during the Soviet period. Today they make up more than half of the country's exports. Factories in Turkmenistan produce metals, machinery, and chemicals. Food processing, rug making, and the production of silk, cotton, and wool fabrics are also important activities. HistoryPeople have lived in what is now Turkmenistan since ancient times. Over the centuries the land was invaded and ruled by several foreign powers. By the 6th century BC the territory was part of the Persian Empire. Alexander the Great conquered the land in the 4th century BC. The Parthian and Sasanian empires that next ruled the area were based in present-day Iran. They controlled the territory until Arabs conquered it in the 7th century AD. The Arabs brought Islam to the region. The nomadic Turkmen probably entered the area in the 11th century. In the 13th century Genghis Khan led the Mongols in their conquest of the territory. After the decline of the Mongol Empire in the 14th century, local tribes fought for control of the land. Russian conquest and Soviet ruleRussia became interested in the Turkmenistan region because it wanted to control trade routes that crossed the land. The first Russian attempt to take over the area, in 1717, was unsuccessful. In the late 1860s and the 1870s, however, Russia invaded again. By 1881 Russia had defeated the Turkmen and all of present-day Turkmenistan was part of the Russian Empire. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, the region came under the control of the newly formed Soviet Union. In 1924 it was named the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic. A year later it officially became a republic of the Soviet Union. Modern-day Turkmenistan was transformed under Soviet rule. Many of the nomads settled in villages, new industries were developed, and agriculture was made more efficient through the use of machinery. The republic also benefited from the modernization of education and health care. Like the other Soviet republics, however, it was ruled harshly. The Soviets allowed no opposition to their policies. IndependenceAfter the Soviet Union broke up in 1991, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic became an independent nation named Turkmenistan. A new government was established under a president named Saparmurad Niyazov. His rule was as severe as that of the Soviets, however. He held all power and outlawed opposition political parties. His government controlled the country's supplies of natural gas and oil while many people lived in poverty. Niyazov remained in power into the 21st century. Population (2001 estimate), 5,462,000. |