republic · Central Asia and the Steppe

Turkmenistan

1991 CE – present · capital Ashgabat

A gas-rich desert state on the Caspian, one of the world's most closed countries, shaped by the personality cult of Saparmurat Niyazov.

Origins

The Turkmen SSR declared independence on 27 October 1991 under its Communist Party leader Saparmurat Niyazov, who became president of the new state and in 1999 was made president for life.

Rule and society

Niyazov styled himself Turkmenbashi, 'leader of the Turkmen', and created an elaborate personality cult, with golden statues and his book Ruhnama required reading. He renamed months after himself and his mother. The country declared permanent neutrality, recognised by the UN in 1995. Its economy rests on enormous natural gas reserves, exported mainly to China, and on cotton, while political opposition and independent media are banned.

To the present

After Niyazov's death in 2006 Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow became president, building his own cult. In 2022 his son Serdar Berdimuhamedow succeeded him, while Gurbanguly kept great influence as chairman of the people's council.

Lineage

Turkmen SSR 1924 CE – 1991 CETurkmenistan

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Turkmenistan. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/turkmenistan
MLA
“Turkmenistan.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/turkmenistan. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Turkmenistan.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/turkmenistan.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Turkmenistan’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/turkmenistan (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻