It is nearly incomprehensible that a desert place can produce melon, but some of the best melons in the world are grown in Turkmenistan. It has however become a member of Interpol. The presidents passed other laws just because he had the power to do so; for example, he named the days of the week after his immediate family members. There isn't much more we can say about this. After all, it's hard to forget about a place once you know what goes on behind closed doors. He was heavily critcised by the Muslim population, but none dared to do so openly. As for the reasoning behind the make-up ban, anyone's guess is as good as one another's apparently he believed that news reporter should look "natural". The doting actions of the official Turkmen media supported his cult of personality. That was more than 50 years ago and the fire is yet to be put out. The highest number of fountains in public spaces and the highest concentration of white marble buildings with 543 in an area of 4.5m square meters. More than 100 countries later, we are still goingand still married. (Seems just the order of things now): . For example, September was renamed Ruhnama in honour of the book written by Niyazov (which he finished writing on 19 September 2001). On the afternoon of 21 December 2006, Turkmen state television announced that President Saparmurat Niyazov had died of a sudden heart attack in the early morning hours at around 01:10 local time at his residence, the Turkmenbashy Palace, age 66. However, be sure never to do it in Louisiana. In 2008, less than two years after Niyazov's death, the names of months and days of the week changed by Niyazov were restored,[90] and reference in the National Anthem of Turkmenistan to Niyazov was replaced with "the people". Turkmenistan's media constantly doted on the president and helped build his cult of personality. In 2005, lip syncing was banned at concerts. The country produces sweet, juicy melons, for which it has even created a special day. Not only this, local bookstores, government offices had to display it prominently. 2023 The Fact Network Ltd | All Rights Reserved. Young cant grow beards, no black cars, a record-breaking fascination for setting world records are some of the weirdfacts about Turkmenistan. These names were later abolished by his successor Berdymukhamedov in April 2008. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming First Secretary of the Ashgabat City Committee,[15] and First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR in 1985. One of the earliest acts of the president was to abolish the death penalty. Not Turkmenistan. 6. As the buyer, you should be aware of possible: . It was reopened in 2009 after his death, by his successor Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow. Newly issued Turkmenistani manat banknotes did not feature his portrait. The Darvaza Gas Craters, or Gates to Hell as the locals know it, is a 226 feet (60 m) wide and 98 feet (30 m) deep crater that has huge deposits of oil and natural gas. The autocratic ruler had declared himself as the President of Life and even wrote a book in 2001 called Ruhnama (The book of Soul). Photo: Drew Binsky Youtube video. This one is still on the books but not enforced. Dubbed as the North Korea of Central Asia, Turkmenistan is ranked as one of the hardest countries to enter, with strict visa applications requiring assistance from tour agencies and a guide. Point to note: Turkmenistan has a record-setting inclination towards setting Guinness records and regularly invites folks from the record-keepers to make a note of the newest record set by the country. . The full independence of Turkmenistan was recognised by a UN General Assembly resolution "The permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan" of 12 December 1995. Here are 20 such weird facts about Turkmenistan: 1. Its also one of the driest deserts in the world, with some areas recording only 0.005 inches (0.12mm) of precipitation annually. Photographing official buildings is forbidden. It is illegal to sing while wearing a bathing suit. Press freedom under Niyazov's leadership was much criticised as it was with other former Soviet central Asian states. Feb 06, 2014 1:28 PM. America's Strangest 15 Laws. No doubt the law was on the books (or in someone's book, or maybe on Turkmenbashi's palm), but it was never enforced. A year later, all hospitals outside of the capital were closed. Currently, there are following codes: Civil Code of Turkmenistan. 1st president of Turkmenistan (19402006), "Nyazow" redirects here. Enter Turkmenbashi. The country stands as one of the most repressed countries of the world, with a one-party government and President Berdymukhamedov's dictatorship style of working. The government has used central planning, such as state control of production and procurement, direct bank credits with low interest rates, exchange rate restrictions, and price controls, since it existed as a Republic within the USSR.[18]. According to the newspaper Neytralny Turkmenistan physicians were ordered to swear an oath to the President, replacing the Hippocratic Oath.[63]. It is a public holiday. In 2014, adventurer George Kourounis became the first person to enter the "Door to Hell" and reach the bottom of the pit. One of the drivers of the Aston Martin Tokyo-to-London team was fined $100 by the Turkmen highway militsia for smoking in his own car. But one accidental point of sight-seeing, the Darwaza Crater or the Hells Gate makes Turkmenistan a centreof attraction (we will come to the tourists' part in a bit though). Between 2002 and 2008, the days of the week and months of the year were renamed to Turkmen National Symbols. Gurbansoltan Eje was named in honor of Niyazov's mother, and Serdar ("leader" in Turkmen) referred to Niyazov himself. That is, you could register for a mortgage and half of it would be covered by the state. This unique country holds the Guinness World Record for the largest indoor Ferris wheel in an architectural structure. Good to know, right? Although the crater looks like a natural feature, it is a result of drilling by Soviet geologists in the early 1970s. For other uses, see, "Nyazow" redirects here. The capital city of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, resembles a blend of Pyongyang and Las Vegas due to its fountains, boulevards, statues, and white buildings. The Darvaza Gas Crater is also called "the Door to Hell". Even locals you talk to in Turkmenistan don`t know the site, although it remains the biggest attraction that attracts tourists to Turkmenistan. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Enjoy these Turkmenistan facts that don't seem true, but strangely, they are. Modern Turkmen continue to associate themselves with the five original clans. TIL that in Turkmenistan, colors themselves are considered state enemies. Turkmenistan weird laws Copyright 2023, Uncornered Market. and talks with Tajik opposition leader. It is popular across the entire country and is a must-have dish at every event from family picnics to weddings and social gatherings. Learn how your comment data is processed. In 1998, President for Life Niyazov ordered the construction of a "monument to neutrality" at the cost of $12 million dollars. Check the full list here. (9 May 2020). He took the name for bread. Another ban in the vein of it's un-Turkmen. No one we spoke to seemed to know much about this rule. Copyright 2023 India Today Group. His presidency was characterised by an initial crumbling of the centralised Soviet model that in many respects was unsuited for a transition to smaller, separate, states. The Turkmen Agricultural University is named after him, as is the Great Saparmurat Turkmenbashy Military Institute. Find out about the Energy Bills Support Scheme, View a printable version of the whole guide, About Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office travel advice. Turkmenistan has the second-largest oil reserves in the former Soviet Union, generating high revenue for the state. He also granted official human rights to the people, though they were not respected in practice with his government being criticised as one of the worst human rights violators in the world. He was first secretary of the Turkmen Communist Party from 1985 until 1991 and supported the 1991 Soviet coup attempt. Several places still bear his name, including the city of Turkmenbashy and the nearby town of Turkmenbashy, as well as several villages. 2015 saw Turkmenistans first satellite launched, in the same month all satellite dishes were banned across the country in an attempt to stop Turkmens gaining access to international media. [67][68][69] Like Kim Il-sung, there is even a creation myth surrounding him. One of the contentious laws outlaws gold teeth, opera, and spandex. Turkmenistan has no ties with NATO or Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). [79] As he was buried, the national anthem was played accompanied by a 21-gun salute, symbolizing the number of years during which he was in power.[81]. Sabol, Steven. In January 2018, the president banned black vehicles in the city because he associates black with bad luck. Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov (Russian: ; Turkmen: Saparmyrat Ataewi Nyazow; 19 February 1940 - 21 December 2006), also known as Trkmenbay, was a Turkmen politician who ruled Turkmenistan as a dictator from 1985 until his death in 2006. One can only theorize that he wanted all of the men of his country to follow suit and resemble him. Saparmurat Niyazov, former president of Turkmenistan, has left quite The situation with real estate is quite acceptable, but not as pleasant as before. [75][76] One month prior to his death, Niyazov had publicly announced that he had been taking heart medication for the past few years for an unidentified cardiac condition. January? Despite emphasizing a need to move from central planning to a market economy and to a full democracy during his reign, neither plan progressed. Circus is also banned. In 2013, seven years after Niyazovs death, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov ordered the removal of Ruhnama from all public schools. However, next time you're trying to remember how to distinguish Turkmenistan, just think of these strange yet riveting facts about the country. [16] However, after the coup collapsed, he set about separating Turkmenistan from the dying Soviet Union. He also took part in creating new holidays with a specific Turkmen nature and introduced a new Latin-based Turkmen alphabet to replace Russian Cyrillic. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com, 10 Unique And Interesting Facts About Turkmenistan, 8 Interesting And Unique Facts About Somalia, 10 Interesting And Unique Facts About Samoa, 10 Interesting And Unique Facts About Botswana, 10 Unique And Interesting Facts About Uzbekistan. He grew up in a Soviet orphanage before the state put him in the custody of a distant relative. Plov is the favorite dish in the country. Some historians believe that over one million people were killed. There was outside concern about press freedom and to a lesser extent religious rights of minority religious groups. As a result, even today, people are still not used to saving electricity, water or gas. Here's the scoop on Turkmenistan's laws and rules based on our peek inside the country. Saudi Arabia. A difficult visa process is one of the reasons behind the low numbers. He banned news reporters and presenters from wearing makeup on television. [78], Foreign news reports also claimed that Niyazov also suffered from ischemic heart disease and kidney failure due to being overweight and overindulgence of alcohol. Niyazov simultaneously cut funding to and partially disassembled the education system in the name of "reform", while injecting ideological indoctrination into it by requiring all schools to use his own book, the Ruhnama, as their primary text. Photo: IGOR SASIN / AFP Nice contribution. The country has a population of about 5.6 million, making it one of the least populous and sparsely populated states in Asia.

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