Turkmenistan Trkmenistan Flag Emblem Anthem: Independent Neutral Turkmenistan State Anthem Capital (and largest city) Ashgabat 3758N 5820E / 37.967N 58.333E / 37.967; 58.333 Official language(s) Turkmen Language for inter-ethnic communication Russian Demonym Turkmen Government Presidential republic Single-party state  -  President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow Independence from the Soviet Union   -  Declared 27 October 1991   -  Recognized 25 December 1991  Area  -  Total 488100 km2 1(52nd) 188456 sq mi   -  Water (%) 4.9 Population  -  2009 estimate 51100002 (112th)  -  Density 10.5/km2 (208th) 27.1/sq mi GDP (PPP) 2009 estimate  -  Total $31.966 billion3   -  Per capita $59713  HDI (2010) 0.6694 (medium) (87th) Currency Turkmen new manat (TMT) Time zone TMT (UTC+5)  -  Summer (DST) not observed (UTC+5) Drives on the right ISO 3166 code TM Internet TLD .tm Calling code 993

Turkmenistan (i /trkmnstn/ or i /trkmnstn/ Turkmen: Trkmenistan) also known as Turkmenia (Russian: ) is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991 it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Turkmen SSR). Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states. It is bordered by Afghanistan to the southeast Iran to the south and southwest Uzbekistan to the east and northeast Kazakhstan to the north and northwest and the Caspian Sea to the west.

Turkmenistan's GDP growth rate of 11% in 2010 ranks 4th in the world but these figures are subject to wide margins of error.1 It possesses the world's fourth largest reserves of natural gas resources. Although it is wealthy in natural resources in certain areas most of the country is covered by the Karakum (Black Sand) Desert.

The Turkmen government operates as a single-party system which does not meet even the most basic standards of democracy.5 Turkmenistan was ruled by President for Life Saparmurat Niyazov (called "Trkmenbay" "leader of the Turkmens") until his sudden death on 21 December 2006. Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov was elected the new president on 11 February 2007. Contents 1 History 1.1 Soviet Union 1.2 Independence 2 Politics 2.1 Human rights 3 Administrative divisions 4 Climate 5 Geography 6 Economy 6.1 Natural gas and export routes 6.2 Oil 6.3 Energy 6.4 Agriculture 7 Demographics 8 Language 9 Religion 10 Culture 10.1 Heritage 10.2 Mass media 11 See also 12 References 13 Further reading 14 External links 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. 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 Khorezm and Parthia.citation needed

Alexander the Great conquered the territory in the 4th century BC on his way to Central Asia around the time that the Silk Road was established as a major trading route between Asia and the Mediterranean Region.citation needed 150 years later Persia's Parthian Kingdom established its capital in Nisa now in the suburbs of the capital Ashgabat.citation needed After replacement of the Parthian empire by Persian Sassanids another native Iranian dynasty the region remained territory of the Persian empire for several centuries.

In the 7th century AD Arabs conquered this region bringing with them Islam and incorporating the Turkmen into the greater Middle Eastern culture.citation needed 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.citation needed Magtymguly Pyragy

In the middle of the 11th 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 empire broke down in the second half of the 12th century and the Turkmen lost their independence when Genghis Khan took control of the eastern Caspian Sea region on his march west.

For the next seven centuries the Turkmen people lived under various empires and fought constant inter-tribal wars. Little is documented of Turkmen history prior to Russian engagement. However from the 13th to the 16th centuries Turkmen formed a distinct ethnolinguistic groupcitation needed. 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 became the foundation of Turkmen national consciousness.citation needed

Between the 17th and 19th centuries control of Turkmenistan was fought over by Persian Shahs Khivan Khans the Emirs of Bukhara and the rulers of Afghanistan. During this period Turkmen spiritual leader Magtymguly Pyragy reached prominence with his efforts to secure independence and autonomy for his people. According to Paul R. Spickard "Prior to the Russian conquest the Turkmen were known and feared for their involvement in the Central Asian slave trade. The neighboring rural villages of Persia and Afghanistan were the main victims of Turkmen raids in which groups of armed men on horseback would carry away captives to be sold in the slave markets of Khiva Bukhara and Mari."67 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. Rivalry for control of the area between the British Empire and Tsarist Russia was characterized as The Great Game. 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. Soviet Union The rivalry officially concluded with the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907. 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. The October Revolution of 1917 in Russia and the 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. A Turkmen man of Central Asia in traditional clothes. Photo by Prokudin-Gorskii between 1905 and 1915. The new Turkmen SSR went through a process of further Europeanization. The tribal Turkmen people were encouraged to become secular and adopt European-style clothing. The alphabet in use for the Turkmen language was changed from the traditional Arabic script to Latin and finally to Cyrillic. However bringing the Turkmens to abandon their previous nomadic ways in favor of communism was not fully embraced until as late as 1948. Nationalist organizations in the region also existed during the 1920s and the 1930s. The Ashgabat earthquake of 1948 killed over 110000 people amounting to 2/3s of the city's population.8 The nation policies of the Soviet Union particularly in the 1920s and 1930s actually promoted "the invention of turkmen traditions".9 Turkmen was enjoying preferable treatment in the Soviet administration and educational system and during the Stalin years did the republic become more national in form Turkmen became the official language for example.9 Independence When the Soviet Union began to collapse Turkmenistan and the rest of the Central Asian republics first 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. Nevertheless Turkmenistan declared independence on 27 October 199110 albeit one of the last Soviet republics to secede. Turkmenistan gained official recognition on 25 December 1991 a day before the final dissolution of the Soviet Union. Turkmenistan joined the U.N. the following year. 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.11 The former leader of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic Saparmurat Niyazov remained in power as Turkmenistan's leader after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Under his post-Soviet rule Russian-Turkmen relations greatly suffered.citation needed He styled himself as a promoter of traditional Muslim and Turkmen culture (calling himself "Trkmenbay" or "leader of the Turkmen people") but he became notorious in the West for his dictatorial rule and extravagant cult of personality. The extent of his power greatly increased during the early 1990s and in 1999 he became President for Life. Niyazov died unexpectedly on 21 December 2006. In an election on 11 February 2007 Berdimuhamedow was elected president with 89% of the vote and 95% turnout. He was sworn in on 14 February 2007. Politics Main article: Politics of Turkmenistan The Presidential Palace in Ashgabat After 69 years as part of the Soviet Union (including 67 years as a union republic) Turkmenistan declared its independence on 27 October 1991. 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. He retained absolute control over the country after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. On 28 December 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. No opposition candidates were allowed.citation needed Since the December 2006 death of Niyazov Turkmenistan's leadership made tentative moves to open up the country. His successor President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow repealed some of Niyazov's most idiosyncratic policies including banning opera and the circus for being "insufficiently Turkmen". In education Berdimuhamedow's government had increased basic education to ten years from nine years and higher education had been extended from four years to five. He has also increased contacts with the West which is eager for access to the country's natural gas riches - but fears were mounting that the government would revert to Niyazov's draconian style of rule.citation needed The politics of Turkmenistan take place in the framework of a presidential republic with the President both head of state and head of government. Under Niyazov Turkmenistan had a single-party system; however in September 2008 the People's Council unanimously passed a resolution adopting a new Constitution. The latter resulted in the abolition of the Council and a significant increase in the size of Parliament in December 2008. The new Constitution also permits the formation of multiple political parties. The former Communist Party now known as the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan has been the only one effectively permitted to operate. Political gatherings are illegal unless government sanctioned. Human rights Main article: Human rights in Turkmenistan Turkmenistan has been widely criticised for human rights abuses and has imposed severe restrictions on foreign travel for its citizens. 12 Discrimination against the country's ethnic minorities remain in practice. Universities have been encouraged to reject applicants with non-Turkmen surnames especially ethnic Russians.13 It is forbidden to teach the customs and language of the Baloch an ethnic minority. The same happens to Uzbeks though the Uzbek language used to be taught in some national schools.14 According to Reporters Without Borders' 2006 World Press Freedom Index Turkmenistan had the 3rd worst press freedom conditions in the world behind North Korea and Burma. It is considered to be one of the "10 Most Censored Countries". Each broadcast under Niyazov began with a pledge that the broadcaster's tongue will shrivel if he slanders the country flag or president.15 Administrative divisions Main articles: Provinces of Turkmenistan and Districts of Turkmenistan Provinces of Turkmenistan Turkmenistan is divided into five provinces or welayatlar (singular welayat) and one capital city district. The provinces are subdivided into districts (etraplar sing. etrap) which may be either counties or cities. According to the Constitution of Turkmenistan (Article 16 in the 2008 Constitution Article 47 in the 1992 Constitution) some cities may have the status of welaat (province) or etrap (district). Division ISO 3166-2 Capital city Area16 Pop (2005)16 Key Ashgabat City Ashgabat 470 km2 (180 sq mi) 871500 Ahal Province TM-A Anau 97160 km2 (37510 sq mi) 939700 1 Balkan Province TM-B Balkanabat 139270 km2 (53770 sq mi) 553500 2 Daoguz Province TM-D Daoguz 73430 km2 (28350 sq mi) 1370400 3 Lebap Province TM-L Trkmenabat 93730 km2 (36190 sq mi) 1334500 4 Mary Province TM-M Mary 87150 km2 (33650 sq mi) 1480400 5 Climate Main article: Climate of Turkmenistan It is one of the driest deserts in the world some places have an average annual precipitation of only 12 mm (0.47 in). The highest temperature recorded in Ashgabat is 48.0 C (118.4 F) and Kerki an extreme inland city located on the banks of the Amu Darya river recorded 51.7 C (125.1 F) in July 1983 although this value is unofficial. 50.1C is the highest temperature recorded at Repetek Reserve recognized as the highest temperature ever recorded in the whole former Soviet Union.citation needed Geography Main articles: Geography of Turkmenistan and List of mountains of Turkmenistan Map of Turkmenistan Dust storm over Turkmenistan At 488100 km2 (188500 sq mi) Turkmenistan is the world's 52nd-largest country. It is slightly smaller than Spain and somewhat larger than the US state of California. It lies between latitudes 35 and 43 N and longitudes 52 and 67 E. Over 80% of the country is covered by the Karakum Desert. The center of the country is dominated by the Turan Depression and the Karakum Desert. The Kopet Dag Range along the southwestern border reaches 2912 meters (9553 ft) at Kuh-e Rizeh (Mount Rizeh).17 The Great Balkhan Range in the west of the country (Balkan Province) and the Ktendag Range on the southeastern border with Uzbekistan (Lebap Province) are the only other significant elevations. The Great Balkhan Range rises to 1880 metres (6170 ft) at Mount Arlan18 and the highest summit in Turkmenistan is Ayrybaba in the Kugitangtau Range 3137 metres (10292 ft).19 Rivers include the Amu Darya the Murghab and the Tejen. The climate is mostly arid subtropical desert with little rainfall. 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 Turkmen shore along the Caspian Sea is 1768 kilometres (1099 mi) long. The Caspian Sea is entirely landlocked with no access to the ocean. The major cities include Agabat Trkmenbay (formerly Krasnovodsk) and Daoguz. Economy Main articles: Economy of Turkmenistan and Agriculture in Turkmenistan The country possesses the world's fourth-largest reserves of natural gas and substantial oil resources.20 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. Half of the country's irrigated land is planted with cotton making the country the world's tenth-largest producer of it.citation needed 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%;1Privatization goals remain limited. 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. 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.citation needed President Niyazov spent much of the country's revenue on extensively renovating cities Ashgabat in particular. 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. According to the decree of the Peoples' Council of 14 August 200321 electricity natural gas water and salt will be subsidized for citizens up to 2030; however shortages are frequent. In addition car drivers are entitled to 120 litres of free petrol a month. Drivers of buses lorries and tractors can get 200 litres of fuel and motorcyclists and scooter riders 40 litres free. On 5 September 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 1000 cubic meters. Two-thirds of Turkmen gas goes through the Russian state-owned Gazprom.22 Natural gas and export routes File:Ministry of Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan 2.jpg Headquarters of the Ministry of oil and gas of Turkmenistan Turkmenistan ranks fourth in the world to Russia Iran and Qatar in natural gas reserves. The Turkmenistan Natural Gas Company (Trkmengaz) under the auspices of the Ministry of Oil and Gas controls gas extraction in the country. Gas production is the most dynamic and promising sector of the national economy. Turkmenistan's gas reserves are estimated at 3.5-6.7 mcubic meters and its prospecting potential at up to 21 trillion cubic meters. In 2010 Ashgabat started a policy of diversifying export routes for its raw materials.23 China is set to become the largest buyer of gas from Turkmenistan over the coming years as a pipeline linking the two countries through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan reaches full capacity.24 In addition to supplying Russia China and Iran Ashgabat took concrete measures to accelerate progress in the construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan and India pipeline (TAPI). Turkmenistan has previously estimated the cost of the project at $3.3 billion. On 21 May president Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov unexpectedly signed a decree stating that companies from Turkmenistan will build an internal East-West gas pipeline allowing the transfer of gas from the biggest deposits in Turkmenistan (Dowlatabad and Yolotan) to the Caspian coast. The East-West pipeline is planned to be around 1000 km long and have a carrying capacity of 30 bn m annually at a cost of between one and one and a half billion US dollars.23 Oil Most of Turkmenistan's oil is extracted by the Turkmenistan State Company (Concern) Trkmennebit from fields at Koturdepe Balkanabat and Chekelen near the Caspian Sea which have a combined estimated reserve of 700 million tons. The oil extraction industry started with the exploitation of the fields in Cheleken in 1909 (by Nobel brothers) and Balkanabat in the 1930s then production leaped ahead with the discovery of the Kumdag field in 1948 and the Koturdepe field in 1959. Big part of the oil produced in Turkmenistan is refined in Turkmenbashy and Seidi refineries. Also oil is exported by tankers through Caspian Sea to Europe via canals.25 Energy Turkmenistan is a net exporter of electrical power to Central Asian republics and southern neighbors. The most important generating installations are the Hindukush Hydroelectric Station which has a rated capacity of 350 megawatts and the Mary Thermoelectric Power Station which has a rated capacity of 1370 megawatts. In 1992 electrical power production totaled 14.9 billion kilowatt-hours.26 Agriculture Half of the country's irrigated land is planted with cotton making the country the world's tenth-largest producer.citation needed Demographics Main article: Demographics of Turkmenistan Most of Turkmenistan's citizens are ethnic Turkmens with sizeable minorities of Uzbeks and Russians. Smaller minorities include Kazakhs Tatars Ukrainians Armenians Azeris and Balochis. The percentage of ethnic Russians dropped from 18.6% in 1939 to 9.5% in 1989.27 The CIA World Factbook gives the ethnic composition of Turkmenistan as 85% Turkmen 5% Uzbek 4% Russian and 6% other (2003 estimates).1 According to data announced in Ashgabat in February 2001 91% of the population are Turkmen 3% are Uzbeks and 2% are Russians. Between 1989 and 2001 the number of Turkmen in Turkmenistan doubled (from 2.5 to 4.9 million) while the number of Russians dropped by two-thirds (from 334000 to slightly over 100000).28 Language Turkmen is the official language of Turkmenistan (per the 1992 Constitution) although Russian still is widely spoken in cities as a "language of inter-ethnic communication". Turkmen is spoken by 72% of the population Russian 12% Uzbek 9% and other languages 7%.1 Religion The rtogrul Gazy Mosque in Ashgabat named after the father of Osman Ghazi the founder of the Ottoman Empire Further information: Religion in Turkmenistan Islam in Turkmenistan and Bah' Faith in Turkmenistan According to the CIA World Factbook Muslims constitute 89% of the population while 9% of the population are followers of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the remaining 2% religion is reported as non-religious.1 However according to a 2009 Pew Research Center report 93.1% of Turkmenistan's population is Muslim.29 Islam came to the Turkmen primarily through missionary activities. Missionaries were holy men and they often were adopted as patriarchs of particular clans or tribal groups thereby becoming their "founders." Reformulation of communal identity around such figures accounts for one of the highly localized developments of Islamic practice in Turkmenistan. In the Soviet era all religious beliefs were attacked by the communist authorities as superstition and "vestiges of the past." Most religious schooling and religious observance were banned and the vast majority of mosques were closed. However since 1990 efforts have been made to regain some of the cultural heritage lost under Soviet rule. Former president Saparmurat Niyazov ordered that basic Islamic principles be taught in public schools. More religious institutions including religious schools and mosques have appeared many with the support of Saudi Arabia Kuwait and Turkey. Religious classes are held in both schools and mosques with instruction in Arabic language the Qur'an and the hadith and history of Islam.30 President Niyazov wrote his own religious text published in separate volumes in 2001 and 2004 entitled the Ruhnama. The Turkmenbashi regime required that the book which formed the basis of the educational system in Turkmenistan be given equal status with the Quran (mosques were required to display the two books side by side). The book was heavily promoted as part of the former president's personality cult and knowledge of the Ruhnama is required even for obtaining a driver's license.31 The history of Baha'i Faith in Turkmenistan is as old as the religion itself and Baha'i communities still exist today.32 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 from the 2007 - 2008 school year on mandatory education will be for 10 years.citation needed Akhal-Teke horse Yomut carpet Turkmen carpet Islam in Turkmenistan Merv Music of Turkmenistan Turkmen cuisine Heritage Turkmenistan in the list of World Heritage Sites Image Name Location Notes Date added Type Ancient Merv Mary a major oasis-city in Central Asia on the historical Silk Road 1995 Cultural33 Knergen Knergen unexcavated ruins of the 12th-century capital of Khwarezm 2005 Cultural34 Parthian Fortresses of Nisa Bagyr Ahal Province one of the first capitals of the Parthians 2007 Cultural35 Mass media Further information: Communications in Turkmenistan There are a number of newspapers and monthly magazines published in Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan currently broadcasts 5 national TV channels through satellite. There are no commercial or private TV stations. Articles published by the state-controlled newspapers are heavily censored and written to glorify the state and its leader. Internet services are the least developed in Central Asia. Access to internet services are provided by the government's only ISP company "Turkmentelekom". It is estimated that in 2010 there are 80400 internet users in Turkmenistan or roughly 1.6% of total population.3637 See also Main article: Outline of Turkmenistan Central Asian Union Foreign relations of Turkmenistan Geok Tepe International organization membership of Turkmenistan Military of Turkmenistan Scouting in Turkmenistan Transport in Turkmenistan References a b c d e f Turkmenistan CIA World Factbook. Retrieved on 2010-04-11. Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division (2009) (PDF). World Population Prospects Table A.1. 2008 revision. United Nations. http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2008/wpp2008texttables.pdf. Retrieved 2009-03-12.  a b "Turkmenistan". International Monetary Fund. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2010/01/weodata/weorept.aspxsy2007&ey2010&scsm1&ssd1&sortcountry&ds.&br1&c925&sPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp0&a&pr.x57&pr.y14. Retrieved 2010-04-21.  "Human Development Report 2010". United Nations. 2010. http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR2010ENTable1.pdf. Retrieved 5 November 2010.  Freedom House: Freedom in the world country report on Turkmenistan http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfmpage22&year2009&country7723 Paul R. Spickard (2005) "Race and nation: ethnic systems in the modern world". Routledge. p.260. ISBN 0415950031 "The Indian diaspora in Central Asia and its trade 1550-1900". Scott Cameron Levi (2002). p.68. ISBN 9004123202 12 of the Most Destructive Earthquakes. HowStuffWorks. a b Terry Martin- the Affirmative Action Empire (Itacha & London) Tribe Class and Nation in Turkmenistan page 1 Tribal Nation: The Making of Soviet Turkmenistan Turkmenistan Reduces Ties To Associate Member' Radio Free Europe 29 August 2005 Russians 'flee' Turkmenistan by BBC 20 June 2003 Turkmenistan: Russian Students Targeted by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting16 July 2003 FIDH. "Alternative report on the Human Rights situation in Turkmenistan for the Universal Periodic Review". Press release. http://www.fidh.org/IMG/pdf/AlternativereportTurkUPReng.pdf. Retrieved 2010-07-23.  10 Most Censored Countries a b Statistical Yearbook of Turkmenistan 2000-2004 National Institute of State Statistics and Information of Turkmenistan Ashgabat 2005. Kuh-e Rizeh on Peakbagger.com Mount Arlan on Peakbagger.com Ayrybaba on Peakbagger.com "Premium content". Economist.com. 2009-07-09. http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfmstoryid14009121. Retrieved 2010-05-03.  Resolution of Khalk Maslahati (Peoples' Council of Turkmenistan) N 35 (14.08.2003) "Business Russia reaches Turkmen gas deal". BBC News. 2006-09-05. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/5314940.stm. Retrieved 2010-05-03.  a b Turkmenistan. Diversifying export routes. Ashgabats strategy. EuropaRussia September 27th 2010. Dec 24 2009 (2009-12-24). "China plays Pipelineistan'". Atimes.com. http://www.atimes.com/atimes/CentralAsia/KL24Ag07.html. Retrieved 2010-05-03.  Turkmenistan Oil and Gas. Retrieved: 13 September 2009. Turkmenistan study. Retrieved: 13 September 2009. "Migrant resettlement in the Russian federation: reconstructing 'homes' and 'homelands'". Moya Flynn. (1994). p.15. ISBN 1-84331-117-8 Ethnic composition of Turkmenistan in 2001 Demoscope Weekly No. 37-38 821 October 2001. 1 Larry Clark Michael Thurman and David Tyson. "Turkmenistan". A Country Study: Turkmenistan (Glenn E. Curtis editor). Library of Congress Federal Research Division (March 1996). This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain.2 "Asia-Pacific Turkmen drivers face unusual test". BBC News. 2004-08-02. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3528746.stm. Retrieved 2010-05-03.  http://bahai-library.com/momenencyclopediaturkmenistan UNESCO. Ancient Merv State Historical and Cultural Park. UNESCO. Knergen. UNESCO. Nisa Fortress. Turkmenistan: Internet usage broadband and telecommunications reports. Retrieved: 25 August 2009. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tx.html CIA: The World Factbook 2009. Further reading This article's citation style may be unclear. The references used may be made clearer with a different or consistent style of citation footnoting or external linking. (February 2011) Bradt Travel Guide: Turkmenistan by Paul Brummell Historical Dictionary of Turkmenistan by Rafis Abazov Lonely Planet Guide: Central Asia by Paul Clammer Michael Kohn and Bradley Mayhew The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia by Peter Hopkirk Tradition and Society in Turkmenistan: Gender Oral Culture and Song by Carole Blackwell Tribal Nation: The Making of Soviet Turkmenistan by Adrienne Lynn Edgar Eastward to Tartary: Travels in the Balkans the Middle East and the Caucasus by Robert D. Kaplan Unknown Sands: Journeys Around the World's Most Isolated Country by John W. Kropf Rall Ted. "Silk Road to Ruin: Is Central Asia the New Middle East" New York: NBM Publishing 2006. Theroux Paul "Letter from Turkmenistan The Golden Man Saparmyrat Nyyazows reign of insanity" New Yorker 28 May 2007 Jean-Baptiste Jeangne Vilmer Turkmnistan Paris Non Lieu 2009. External links Find more about Turkmenistan on Wikipedia's sister projects: Definitions from Wiktionary Images and media from Commons Learning resources from Wikiversity News stories from Wikinews Quotations from Wikiquote Source texts from Wikisource Textbooks from Wikibooks Turkmenistan entry at The World Factbook Turkmenistan at UCB Libraries GovPubs Turkmenistan at the Open Directory Project Wikimedia Atlas of Turkmenistan Turkmenistan travel guide from Wikitravel Government Turkmenistan government information portal Chief of State and Cabinet Members Other "Chronicles of Turkmenistan". Publication of Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights. The Turkmenistan Project - weekly news and analysis in English and Russian Official photo gallery from Turkmenistan and Ashgabat  Geographic locale v d eCountries and territories of Central Asia  Kazakhstan   Kyrgyzstan   Tajikistan   Turkmenistan   Uzbekistan Sometimes included:  Afghanistan   China (Xinjiang Province)   Iran (Khorasan Province)   Mongolia   Pakistan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Gilgit Baltistan)    Russia (Siberia Tatarstan) v d eCountries and dependencies of Asia Sovereign states Afghanistan  Armenia  Azerbaijan  Bahrain  Bangladesh  Bhutan  Brunei  Burma (Myanmar)  Cambodia  People's Republic of China  Cyprus  Egypt  Georgia  India  Indonesia  Iran  Iraq  Israel  Japan  Jordan  Kazakhstan  North Korea  South Korea  Kuwait  Kyrgyzstan  Laos  Lebanon  Malaysia  Maldives  Mongolia  Nepal  Oman  Pakistan  Philippines  Qatar  Russia  Saudi Arabia  Singapore  Sri Lanka  Syria  Tajikistan  Thailand  East Timor (Timor-Leste)  Turkey  Turkmenistan  United Arab Emirates  Uzbekistan  Vietnam  Yemen States with limited recognition Abkhazia  Republic of China (Taiwan)  Nagorno-Karabakh  Northern Cyprus  Palestine  South Ossetia  Dependencies and Special Administrative Regions Australia Christmas Island  Cocos (Keeling) Islands People's Republic of China Hong Kong  Macau United Kingdom Akrotiri and Dhekelia  British Indian Ocean Territory v d eCountries bordering the Caspian Sea  Azerbaijan   Iran   Kazakhstan   Russia   Turkmenistan  International membership v d eEconomic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Members Afghanistan  Azerbaijan  Iran  Kazakhstan  Kyrgyzstan  Pakistan  Tajikistan  Turkey  Turkmenistan  Uzbekistan v d eCommonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Armenia  Azerbaijan  Belarus  Kazakhstan  Kyrgyzstan  Russia  Tajikistan  Uzbekistan  Moldova Associate member: Turkmenistan  Ukraine  Former member: Georgia (1993-2009) v d eOrganisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Members Afghanistan  Albania  Algeria  Azerbaijan  Bahrain  Bangladesh  Benin  Burkina Faso  Brunei  Cameroon  Chad  Comoros  Cte d'Ivoire  Djibouti  Egypt  Gabon  Gambia  Guinea  Guinea-Bissau  Guyana  Indonesia  Iran  Iraq  Jordan  Kuwait  Kazakhstan  Kyrgyzstan  Lebanon  Libya  Maldives  Malaysia  Mali  Mauritania  Morocco  Mozambique  Niger  Nigeria  Oman  Pakistan  Palestine  Qatar  Saudi Arabia  Senegal  Sierra Leone  Somalia  Sudan  Suriname  Syria  Tajikistan  Turkey  Tunisia  Togo  Turkmenistan  Uganda  Uzbekistan  United Arab Emirates  Yemen Observers Countries and territories Bosnia and Herzegovina  Central African Republic  Russia  Thailand  Northern Cyprus (as Turkish Cypriot State) Muslim communities Moro National Liberation Front International organizations Economic Cooperation Organization  African Union  Arab League  Non-Aligned Movement  United Nations  Other associations v d eTurkic-speaking regions Federal subjects of Russia shown in italics.     Western Turkic  Azerbaijan1  Bashkortostan  Chuvashia  Northern Cyprus Eastern Turkic  Altai Republic  Khakassia  Kyrgyzstan  Gagauzia (Moldova)  Kabardino-Balkaria  Karachay-Cherkessia  Karakalpakstan (Uzbekistan)  Sakha Republic  Tuva  Kazakhstan  Tatarstan  Turkey  Turkmenistan  Uzbekistan  Xinjiang (China)  Bayan Olgiy (Mongolia) 1 Includes the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. v d eModern sovereign Turkic states      Azerbaijan  Kazakhstan  Kyrgyzstan  Northern Cyprus1  Turkey  Turkmenistan  Uzbekistan 1 Limited recognition (recognized only by Turkey see Cyprus dispute).