Turkmenistan
DESTINATION: TURKMENISTAN LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES GENERAL DESCRIPTION • Territory 490,000 km2 or 190,000 sq mi; north-south distance 700 km, east-west distance 1500 km • Approximately 6 million inhabitants • Continental climate (dry hot summers) • 80% desert (max. 200 m), 20% mountainous terrain (max. 3000 m) and riverine oases • Gas, oil, sulphur and mineral deposits on its land and off-shore territories • Has the 2nd largest natural gas deposit worldwide; only the South Pars Field is larger • Independent state since 1991 (celebrated annually at 27 October) • Nationality: nearly 90% Turkmen (aka Turkoman) • Culture: desert tribal nomadic origin with Persian, Turkic and Slavic influences • Economy: energy export, trade, animal husbandry, cotton industry • Language: Turkmen – a Turkic language (lingua franca Russian in the larger towns) • Values: autonomy and self-sufficiency, neighborly friendship and hospitality towards guests • Religion: moderate form of Sunni Islam mixed with Persian and local beliefs and rituals • Safety: recognized as neutral by UN Security Council since 1995; no political, military or religious affiliations with neighboring countries or foreign/international military alliances LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES ARRIVAL / DEPARTURE Ashgabat International Airport is located approximately 10 km northwest of the capital Ashgabat (Ashkhabad). The airport, with its air traffic control tower and a 12,000-foot (3,700 m) long precision approach runway, opened in 1994 and was named after the country's first president, Saparmyrat Niyazov. The airport includes passenger waiting rooms, service passport, customs, border control, a 24-hour reference service, VIP and CIP rooms, a business club, a ticket office (Turkmenistan Airlines), shops, bars, fast- food outlets, currency exchange, a new baggage handling conveyor system, international telephone, a mother and child room and the offices of the airlines (Star Alliance and Turkish Airlines).
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