Turkmenistan

Republic of Turkmenistan (488,100 km) is located in the southern part of Central Asia close to the Caspian Sea. Turkmenistan can be named the solar republic of Central Asia, because sandy desert of Karakum occupies the almost 9/10 territories of the country. The country borders on with Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Iran and Uzbekistan. In 1991 Turkmenistan declared about its independence.

Capital - Ashkhabad.

Official languages - Turkmen and Russian.

Population. Turkmens make major portion of the population (5, 4 mln.). But in the republic also live Russians, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Tatars, Ukrainians, Azerbaijanians and Armenians.

Religion. About 90% of population is Moslems. 9 %belong to the Russian Orthodox Church.

Climate. In Turkmenistan the continental climate with the very hot, dry summer and cold winter.

Nature. About 80%territories are occupied with desert of Karakum. On the West lie the lowlands Turkmenbashi and the Great Balkan. It stretches southwards to the Karakum channel (Turkmen main channel), on other side of which the landscape passes into the mountains Kopet Dagh, which larger part is located in Iran. While in the southeastern direction to Afghanistan are raised still several spurs of Gissar mountains, the highest mountain of the country, Ayribaba
(3 139m), it is located at the eastern boundary with Uzbekistan.

Ashkhabad - center of the Turkmen craftsmanship.

Ashkhabad - the capital of Turkmenistan with the number of 773.400 inhabitants is the very large city of the country. It is separate region, Ashgabat saheri. Ashkhabad is located in the oasis of the desert of Karakum in the foothill of Kopet Dagh Mountain, not far from the boundary with Iran. In the city there are a harbor and the International Airport. This is significant industrial center (machine building, electrical engineering, textile and industry). In addition to this in Ashkhabad there is cultural center with the university, the higher educational institutions, the theaters, the museums and the zoo is located.
The significant part of the ancient buildings was destroyed during the earthquakes. Therefore in the city there are no eastern old urban blocks typical for all Central-Asian cities. In the center of Ashkhabad are located earthquake-proof buildings built from the reinforced concrete and the glass. 
It is worthwhile to look the museum of depictive arts, country-studying museum and museum of history. In the city there is a botanical garden with the large collection of local and exotic plants. Ashkhabad is famous as the center of Turkmen craftsmanship, especially for its carpets of manual work.
Turkmenistan consists of five provinces with 50 regions.

The province Akhal is located on the south of the country it borders on with Iran and Afghanistan. The Turkmen capital Ashkhabad is surrounded by it. Ashkhabad is also the capital of province, forming, however, in the administrative order its own region of the capital. In the south the province is crossed by the channel of Karakum. The large part of the population lives there. The territory of province is 95.100 km. Population 892.000 inhabitants, the density - 9 people /1 km.
Province of Balkan is located on the West of the country on the coast of Caspian Sea. It borders on the north with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and in the south with Iran. It is named so in the honor of the great Balkan, one of the high mountainous areas (1880 m). One should not confuse it with the similar mountainous area on the southeast of Europe.
The area of province is 138.500 km. Number of inhabitants 563.000. And the density of population composes 4 inhabitants /1 km. Capital of the province of Balkanabad (former Nebid- Dag).
The province of Dashoguz is located on the north of the country and borders on the north with Uzbekistan. On the Border lies the Sarukamush cavity, where is formed the Sarukamush lake. The large part of the province is occupied with desert of Karakum.
Area composes 73.600km. Number of inhabitants is approximately 1.391.000 people; the density of population composes 19 people /1km. Capital of province is Dashoguz.

The province of Mar is located on the southeast of the country and borders in the southeast and the south with Afghanistan. In the south of province flows river Murgab. The channel of Karakum also crosses province.
Area composes 86.800 km2. The number of inhabitants 1.584.000, the density of population is 18 people /1 km2.
The capital of the province is city Mar, which is located not far from the famous city of ruins - Merv.

The province of Lebab is located in the east the country and borders in the east with Uzbekistan, and on the southeast with Afghanistan. Province is crossed by river Amu-Dar'ya, from which in the south is branched Karakum channel. Some parts of the province are occupied with desert of Karakum.