Turkmenistan is often described as the Central Asian version of Korea, meaning that the country is also relatively closed and secretive, with little openness to the outside world. Isolation is real, but unlike North Korea, Turkmenistan has been building quietly and rapidly, quietly becoming the richest country in Central Asia on a per capita basis. Read carefully and you will find that Turkmenistan is truly an amazing country.
Turkmenistan, with a population of 5.62 million, is the second largest in area and the smallest in population among the Central Asian states.
Turkmenistan has 1,768 kilometers of "coastline", but it is completely landlocked because it is in the Caspian Sea. If transported from China's coastal ports to Turkmenistan, it must be transported via Iran's Bandar Abbas Port, and then to Turkmenistan. If pure land transport can be through the central European freight train, or at the western port of China, full steam transport.
Turkmenistan is one of the most secretive countries in Central Asia. It is positioned as a permanent neutral state, which is recognized by the international community, so they do not participate in any organization of a political or military nature. As you can see, Turkmenistan is the only member of the SCO that is absent from Central Asia 39bet-xì dách-phỏm miền bắc-tiến lên miền bắc-xóc đĩa-game bắn cá.
Turkmenistan's determination to be neutral is strong. The flag bears an olive branch and the constitution states that the national anthem is a neutral, independent song. A neutral square and a neutral gate were also established in the capital. Unfortunately, the reputation of permanent neutrality has become an international joke with the defections of Finland and Sweden.
Under the impression, none of the Central Asian countries are rich. In fact, the economic situation today is that Central Asia is polarized. Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are rich while the other three are very poor. The poorest is Tajikistan with a per capita GDP of only $878 in 2021. What is this concept? That is to say, this per capita level in Africa, also ranked far behind.
While Kazakhstan has long been the leader in Central Asia, Turkmenistan has been building quietly. In the 2021 GDP per capita list, Turkmenistan ($10,311, 66th in the world) has overtaken Kazakhstan ($9,977, 69th) to become the richest country in Central Asia. And in 2020 or Kazakhstan leads, of course, in the total strength of Kazakhstan is far more than.
After the five Central Asian countries have experienced ethnic division, the main ethnic group (Turkmen) in Turkmenistan accounts for nearly 95%, which is the highest. Kazakhstan must be very envious of this, knowing that Kazakhstan, after years of development, only 68% of the majority ethnic group, and 20% of the Russian ethnic group. Kazakhstan's move to Nur Sultan in the centre is said to be aimed at tightening its grip on ethnic Russian territory in the north of the country. In Turkmenistan, 95% of the main body! There is no such worry.
Turkmenistan has its troubles, too. Its population of more than five million is small. Their country used to have protective rules, such that a foreign man who wanted to marry a Turkmen woman had to pay $50,000 to a Turkmen insurance company. This regulation is not so strict as a disguised attempt to prevent domestic women from marrying. The importance Turkmenistan attaches to population is also evident.
Now, don't fret, because the $50,000 rule has been lifted. Turkmenistan has relaxed the rules for foreign marriages, requiring one year of residence in Turkmenistan.
Turkmenistan is rich in oil and gas resources, which has developed into a pillar industry of the economy and is fully self-sufficient.
Do you know the "Gates of Hell" in Turkmenistan? A deep pit with a perennial fire has become a popular tourist spot for filming. In fact, this is the original exploration when the accident dug through the pit, the flame does not extinguish the secret from the underground gas deposits.
You may not believe it, but in Turkmenistan, electricity and gas are free for ordinary people. Turkmenistan's energy abundance, all reflected in the national livelihood, the national happiness index is very high. Turkmenistan's electricity is also exported to neighboring countries, such as Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asian neighbors.
The Turkmen are very good at weaving carpets. If you look at their flag, you will see that the design on it is actually the pattern of the carpet. Iran, with its Persian rugs as its national treasure, has not done so. Hence Turkmenistan's love of carpets. Textile companies in Turkmenistan export 90 percent of their products.
Ashgabat is the capital of Turkmenistan and a city that has endured great disasters. The 1948 earthquake killed 160,000 people and destroyed almost all of the city. The present downtown area was rebuilt after the earthquake, and there is an earthquake monument in the downtown square.
In fact, most of the capitals of several countries in Central Asia have had a large earthquake, and the other earthquake Almaty, Tashkent earthquake, has caused heavy casualties.