Turkmenistan
An amalgam of desert moonscapes and arid mountains, dotted with the ruins of great ancient civilizations, and ruled until 2006 by a post-Soviet lunatic cultivating one of the most bizarre cults of personality in history, this is off-the-beaten-path, difficult (courtesy of rotten officialdom), but potentially very rewarding travel.
Über Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia with a population of about 5 million, and an area around half a million km2, or almost the size of Spain. Neighbouring countries are Iran and Afghanistan to the south, and Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to the north. It has a coast on the Caspian Sea, but is otherwise landlocked. Nearly 80% of the country is part of the Karakum Desert.\nThe government is in firm control of nearly everything, although, surprisingly, tourism is welcomed as long as you don't discuss politics or the omnipresent police or military. The cult of personality the previous president created for himself is truly amazing and reminders of the Turkmenbashi's legacy are everywhere.\nThe traditional life of the Turkmen is that of nomadic shepherds, though some have been settled in towns for centuries. The country is known for its fine carpets (one is even featured in its flag) and horses. It is a fairly poor country that has been isolated from the world. Other than that, billions have been spent on modernization in Ashgabat, Turkmenbashi, and many other cities in post-Soviet times. And also, the country has extensive oil and gas reserves being developed, with pipelines to China, Iran, and soon Azerbaijan. Turkmenistan is also the second wealthiest country in Central Asia.Orte zum Besuchen in Turkmenistan
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