Independence Day of Turkmenistan

TODAY is the Independence Day of Turkmenistan which celebrates the anniversary of its nationhood in 1991. During this holiday, military parades are conducted to honor the country’s leader, Saparmyrat Niyazov, and his contribution in establishing the Republic of Turkmenistan.

A Turkic country in Central Asia, Turkmenistan 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. Ashgabat is the country’s largest and capital city. The country has been at the crossroads of civilization. The territory covering Turkmenistan was ruled in antiquity by ancient Persian rulers. It was conquered by notable empires such as those of Alexander the Great, Muslim crusaders, the Mongols, Turkic warriors, and eventually the Russians.

Turkmenistan has the world’s fourth largest reserves of natural gas and has substantial oil resources. The country is also a net exporter of electrical power to other countries in Central Asia. Cotton is planted in half of the country’s irrigated land making it the 10th largest producer. For several years, the country’s high Gross Domestic Product growth rate has been sustained continuously and stood at an impressive 10.3% in 2014.

The majority of Turkmenistan’s citizens are ethnic Turkmens who predominantly adhere to Islam, with sizeable minorities of Uzbeks, Persians, and Russians. Smaller minorities include Kazakhs, Azeris, Balochis, Armenians, Koreans, and Tatars. The population, of the country is around 5.17 million. The official language of the country is Turkmen, spoken by about 72% of the population, followed by Russian (12%) and Uzbek (9%).

We congratulate the people and government of Turkmenistan led by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow, on the occasion of its Independence Day.