What to Know Before Visiting Turkmenistan?

Country Facts:
 July 1983 officially saw the hottest day in Turkmenistan and the Soviet Union – it
was recorded at the Repetek Reserve at 122 F.
 Turkmenistan has the 6th largest oil and natural gas reserves in the world.
 Between 2002 and 2008, the days of the week and months of the year were
renamed to Turkmen National Symbols.
 Saparmurat Niyazov’s cult of personality and leadership was used as base for
the film, “The Dictator.”
 It is currently one of the least visited countries in the world. Year 2018 saw 13000
visitors
 It is the most expensive country in Central Asia for travelers.
 Tourists are not allowed to explore the country on their own.
 Literacy is very important in Turkmenistan. Every child has to go to school.
 Turkmenistan holds a Guinness World Record for the most number of white
marble buildings.
 Turkmenistan is known to have the most fertile desert in the world. More than
80% of Turkmenistan’s land is covered by the Karakum Desert!
 It is commonplace for Turkmen to drink hot green tea during the summer to keep
their body cool!
 The residents of Turkmenistan enjoy a subtropical desert climate with hot, dry
summers and moderate, wet winters.
Source:
1. https://www.thefactsite.com/turkmenistan-facts/
2. https://www.coupleoftravels.com/20-interesting-facts-about-turkmenistan/
3. https://facts.uk/20-tremendous-facts-about-turkmenistan/

Country Flag:
Capital: Ashgabat is the capital of Turkmenistan .
Government: The politics of Turkmenistan takes place in the framework of a
presidential republic, whereby the President of Turkmenistan is both head of state and
head of government. No true opposition parties are allowed; every registered political
party supports the second and current President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Turkmenistan
President: Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow is President of Turkmenistan since 2020.
Economy: The economy of Turkmenistan is one of the fastest-growing economies in
the world. Turkmenistan is largely a desert country with intensive agriculture in irrigated
areas, and huge gas and oil resources. In terms of natural gas reserves, it is ranked 7th
in the world. Turkmenistan’s two largest agricultural crops are cotton, most of which is
produced for export, and wheat, which is domestically consumed. For the 2018
estimate, GDP per capita in Turkmenistan will be $19518 in PPP per capita and $7065
in nominal per capita.
Population: The population of Turkmenistan was estimated to be 5.851 million in
2018.
Religion by Percentage:  According to the CIA World Factbook, Turkmenistan is 93%
Muslim and 6% Eastern Orthodox. Most ethnic Russians are Orthodox Christians. The
remaining 1% is unknown. A 2009 Pew Research Center report indicates a higher
percentage of Muslims with 93.1% of Turkmenistan's population adhering to Islam.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Turkmenistan

Top Turkmenistan Foods: A hallmark of Turkmenistani cooking is preserving the

original flavors of the ingredients and not masking them with intense herbs and spices,
which had been introduced mostly in the 20th century. A meat-lovers paradise, dishes
include lamb, chicken, hares, gazelle, deer, camel, a medium-sized game bird called
ptarmigans, and other wild birds. The consumption of horsemeat is prohibited, as
horses are revered as sacred animals since ancient times. (The Akhal-Teke, a breed
famous for its stunning coat with a metallic look, is the national emblem of
Turkmenistan.) While there are many similarities between meat dishes found in
Turkmenistan and those in other Central Asian and Caspian region countries, how the
meat is cooked makes all the difference. Below are top 10 “must try” dishes for visitors
to Turkmenistan:

 Shurpa: Shurpa is one of the most popular Turkmen and Central Asian soups,
made from mutton broth and complete with the addition of potatoes and
tomatoes. The boiled vegetables are cooked together with fried onions, carrots,
flour, bay leaves, salt and pepper. The broth and vegetable mix is served in a
bowl, along with boiled mutton and a dollop of sour cream. Shurpa is one of the
most popular Turkmen and Central Asian soups made of mutton broth with
potatoes and tomatoes.
 Dogroma Chorba: Dogroma chorba is another meat soup with an amazing
taste. Easy to prepare, dogroma chorba is made by boiling mutton, or lamb meat,
with the kidneys, heart and lungs, using salt and pepper for seasoning, while
throwing in a few tomatoes. Cut into small pieces, the boiled ingredients are
mixed together and cooked in their broth. Broken pieces of flatbread and
chopped onion round out the dish right before it is served. Easy to prepare
 Dogroma chorba made by boiling mutton, kidneys, the heart and lungs with
addition salt, pepper and tomatoes.
 Shashlyk: A very popular and common food in the Turkic countries, shashlyk in
Turkmenistan is different from that found in other countries. Skewered pieces of
meat, usually lamb, are grilled over an open fire made from haloxylon, a tree-like
shrub that grows in the vast Karakum Desert of Turkmenistan and lends its flavor
to the meat cooked over it. Shashlyk occupies a distinct place at the
Turkmenistani table, so if one is looking for a unique grilled experience, definitely
give shashlyk a try! Very popular and common food in the Turkic countries,
shashlyk, is different in Turkmenistan from those of other countries because of its
distinctive desert taste thanks to special way of preparing this delicious dish.
 Chorek: There is a saying in Turkmen society: “Bread is the head for
everything,” and chorek reflects this belief. Chorek is Turkmen flat bread made in
a tamdyr, a clay oven, which is considered the most sacred place in a home.
According to tradition, one never steps on a piece of bread, and chorek should
not be cut or carelessly broken with one hand; rather it should be broken apart
with both hands. Turning a piece of chorek face-down, or throwing it away, is
forbidden. Predominantly Muslim Turkmenistan pursues the traditions of their
ancestors giving a special attitude towards the sacred Chorek. “Bread is the head
for everything,” have always Turkmen people said, showing their respect for
ancient traditions.
 Kovurma: Turkmens were historically nomads, and as such devised several
ways for preserving meat. Kovurma is meat chopped into small pieces and fried
in its animal fat. Kovurma is considered one of the tastiest dishes and could be
eaten either hot or cold. As historically nomads Turkmen people are special
connoisseurs of meat dishes they have developed a myriad ways to preserve
meat for the future use and one of especially widespread ways is Kovurma,
chopped with small pieces meat fried in the fat of the same animal.
 Gutap: Gutap, meaning “half-moon,” is a kind of flatbreads stuffed with beef or
lamb and onions. They are cooked in a pan over the stove, and eaten with one’s
hands. Similar to Azerbaijani qutab, Turkmen gutab has several variants for the
stuffing, including meat, potatoes, spinach or pumpkin. Turkmen gutap is “half-
moon” flatbreads stuffed with beef or lamb and onions, cooked in a pan over the
stove and also eaten with hands.
 Kazanlama: Said to be an ancient dish, kazanlama was traditionally prepared by
shepherds in the desert using saxaul, the desert bush that is also used to cook
shashlik. Marinated in salt, garlic and paprika, lamb meat is placed directly onto
hot coals and covered in a big cauldron, which in turn is buried in slightly wet
sand. After about an hour, the juicy and golden-colored chunks of lamb are
ready. Kazanlama is not the easiest dish to prepare, but one that is worth the
wait! An ancient Turkmen meat dish, kazanlama, that has traditionally been
cooked by shepherds in the desert with using saxaul, a desert bush, which gives
the cooked food a peculiar taste, and sand, will not definitely leave meat lovers
indifferent.
  Manti: Manti, in its various forms, can be found across the Turkic world, in
countries as far west as Turkey and Azerbaijan (where it is called dushbara), and
in Kazakhstan, where it is referred to by the same name. Cooked in a multi-level
steamer or pan-fried, manti is a dumpling stuffed with meat, onions, salt and
ground black and red pepper. Served with a yogurt sauce or simply with pepper,
the pan-fried version tend to have a crispy brown bottom, while the steamed
variant are more plump and juicy. Regardless of how people like them, manti
have an extraordinarily delicious taste! An ancient Turkmen meat dish,
kazanlama, that has traditionally been cooked by shepherds in the desert with
using saxaul, a desert bush, which gives the cooked food a peculiar taste, and
sand, will not definitely leave meat lovers indifferent.
 Dograma: If there is one dish on this list that is distinctly Turkmenistani – that is,
has no equivalent in the region – it is dograma. The word literally means “to cut
into pieces,” and has a long history that date back to sacrificial rituals and rites.
The dish is normally prepared for special religious holidays and occasions such
as Gurbanlyk, a three-day religious holiday that falls on the tenth day of the
Islamic month of Zulhijja, where families, friends and neighbors visit each other
and share a meal. The cooking process begins with baking multiple flatbreads in
a tamdyr, or clay oven, and boiling fresh mutton in a large cauldron until the meat
is tender enough to fall off the bone. Bread is then torn into small pieces and
mixed with slices of onion and shredded meat, served in a bowl and covered in
hot broth. Especially honored and most traditional dish in Turkmenistan, dograma
is an original Turkmen dish that has no alternatives in cuisines of neighboring
countries.
 Pilaf: Pilaf, also called “ash,” is the jewel in the crown of Turkmenistani cuisine.
Similar to that found in the Turkic world, it comes in dozens of varieties, all which
consist of two main ingredients: rice and meat. Turkmen prefer using lamb in
their pilaf, flavoring the rice mixture with various spices, pepper, onions, thinly-cut
vegetables, and sometimes add in fresh or dried fruit. Roasted slices of meat are
cooked with chopped onions and carrots, then boiled with the rice until it turns a
bright yellow. Pilaf is typically served as the main dish at festive tables, and is
traditionally eaten with one’s hands. Turkmen Pilaf also called as “ash” is the
jewel in Turkmen cuisine’s crown with dozens of possible varieties of cooking
each of which has two main ingredients: rice and meat.

Language: Languages of Turkmenistan. 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%.
Dress for Men and Women: Traditional dressing for men usually consists of high,
shaggy sheepskin hats and red robes over white shirts. Women wear long sack-dresses
over narrow trousers (the pants are trimmed with a band of embroidery at the ankle).
Female headdresses usually consist of silver jewelry.
Holidays: There are several national holidays in Turkmenistan such as:
 New Year's Day
 Memorial Day (in Turkmenistan)
 Flag Day
 International Women's Day
 Victory Day
 Revival and Unity Day
 Eid al-Fitr
 Eid al-Adha
 Earthquake Remembrance Day
 Independence Day
 Day of Neutrality
Travel Tips:

 Official statements claim there is no crime in Turkmenistan, yet no country in this

world is completely crime-free.
 Turkmenistan is a safe country to travel in, with very low incidents of violent
crime and occurrences of pickpocketing, mugging and property theft are rare.
 the country's tourism is relatively new, scams aren't widespread or
lucrative business for the local crims compared to more long-standing tourism in
other countries.
 Some travelers have reported being robbed while using unlicensed taxis. Avoid
public transport at night.
 . Currently, Turkmenistan does not suffer the scourge of terrorist groups that
neighboring countries are working to combat, such as the Islamic Movement of
Uzbekistan, Islamic Jihad Union (IJU), al-Qa'ida, and the Eastern Turkistan
Islamic Movement, however it does suffer from ‘vodka Terrorism.'
 This may sound funny, but it is a real threat for visitors. Vodka, like in the rest of
the region, is the tipple of choice, and low employment rates and poverty have
led to a boom in alcoholism, leading to violent brawls and incidents.
 Due to ongoing conflicts and terrorism, the border between Turkmenistan and
Afghanistan is considered by several advisories as a do not travel location.
 Several zones in Turkmenistan have been declared ‘no travel zones, or restricted
areas' by the Government – these are mainly the border areas next to Iran,
Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan, the region of Dashoguz (including Dashoguz city),
and areas of the Caspian coast.
 Tourists may enter the territory of Turkmenistan only with valid entry visa. One
needs to apply for visa support (invitation) to obtain a visa to Turkmenistan. Visa
applications are reviewed by the Immigration Service of Turkmenistan during 3
weeks.
 Turkmenistan is not the best option to plan itinerary and travel independently; a
competent travel agency is more preferable to ensure people will skim the best
what this country offers for tourists.
Top 10 Attractions and places to visit:

1. Darvaza Gas Crater

2. Karakum Desert
3. Independence Monument
4. Monument of Neutrality
5. Gonur Tepe
6. Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Metjidi Gypjak Mosque
7. Ertugrul Gazi Mosque
8. Mausoleum of Soltan Sanjar
9. Kow Ata
10. Ahal Province
Turkmenistan Boys Name:
 Sjonnie
 Ahmed
 Alperen
 Shohrat
 Tagan
 Yusup
 Saparmurat
 Sohbet
Top 10 Universities in Turkmenistan:
1. Oguz Han Engineering and Technology University of Turkmenistan
2. Turkmen Agricultural University
3. Turkmen State Medical University
4. Turkmen State University
Top 10 Websites:
1. Google.com
2. Mail.ru
3. Yandex.ru
4. Peopletube.com
5. Wikipedia.org
6. Turkmenportal.com
7. Ivi.ru
8. Google.ru
9. Kinokrad.co
10. Google.tm
Top 3 Search engines used:
1. Google
 2. YANDEX RU
3. YANDEX
Top exports:
 Crude oil
 Gas
 Petrochemicals
 Textiles
 Cotton fiber
Top 5 Cars:
Top cars in Turkmenistan includes:
1. Toyota Hiace
2. Mercedes
3. Hyundai
4. Toyota High lander
5. Toyota Hilux
Natural Disasters:
Many types of natural disasters occur in Turkmenistan such as:
 Earthquake
Home Designs / Architecture:
Traditional homes are comprised of domed buildings surrounded by mud walls. Each
compound is home to a man, his wife or wives, his sons with their families, and
unmarried children. A separate building houses guests.
Deaths and Mortality:
In 2019, death rate for Turkmenistan was 7 per 1,000 people. Over the last 50 years,
death rate of Turkmenistan was declining at a moderating rate to shrink from 11.8 per
1,000 people in 1970 to 7 per 1,000 people in 2019.
Source: https://knoema.com/atlas/Turkmenistan/Death-rate