Turkmenistan is a country about the size of California located in the Karakum Desert in Cenral Asia. Turkmenistan is an Asian country on the Caspian Sea, bordered by Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, and Iran. It has just under six million people and is one of the least densely populated countries in Asia. The capital city of Turkmenistan is Ashgabat.] Turkmenistan’s flag is green with a crescent and five stars and a decorative strip. The crescent symbolizes Islam, which is the religion that about 90 percent of the country follows. The red strip represents the traditional carpets for which Turkmenistan is famous. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow has been president since 2006. His government is very restrictive, and it has been accused of suppressing freedom of speech and the press, and other human rights abuses. The Karakum Desert covers most of the country. “Karakum” means “black sand.” The desert is one of the driest in the world, with annual rainfall between 3 and 6 inches. Although crops are grown on only 4 percent of the land, nearly half the population makes a living from farming. The land has to be irrigated. This means that water has to be brought in to take care of the crops. Cotton is Turkmenistan’s largest crop. The country also has some of the world’s largest natural gas reserves and sells natural gas to China, Iran, and India. Strict visa requirements limit tourism, but a new tourist zone called Awaza, with modern resorts, amusement parks, and a convention center, is being constructed on the Caspian Sea. One of the country’s most striking sights is the Darvaza gas crater, also known as the “Door to Hell,” which sits in the middle of the desert. In 1971, a large gas field collapsed, forming the crater. The methane gas that escaped made breathing difficult, and experts worried it would burst into flames. So scientists decided to burn it off. They thought it would only burn for a few weeks, but instead it has been burning for nearly 50 years. Copyright 2019 Knowledge Unlimited Turkmenistan was located strategically along the Silk Road. Turkmenistan occupies an important position between Europe and Asia. Over the centuries it was conquered by different groups, including Alexander the Great, the Seljuk and Oghuz Turks, Muslim Arabs, and the Iranian empire. In the Middle Ages, Turkmenistan became a major point on the Silk Road, a network of trade routes that connected Asia, Africa, and Europe. Ancient settlements such as Merv and Nisa were important points along the Silk Road. Nisa was also the center of government and trade for the Parthian Empire. Archaeologists found documents, shrines, and mausoleums among the ruins at Nisa. For much of the 20th century, Turkmenistan was part of the Soviet Union. It became independent in 1991, after the Soviet Union broke up. Turkmenistan’s first president, Sapamurat Niyazov, was a harsh dictator who declared himself “president for life.” He died in 2006. About 85 percent of Turkmenistan’s population is ethnically Turkmen. Before the Soviet Union, they lived as nomads. Nomads are people who do not have one fixed home but instead travel from place to place to find grazing land for their livestock. They are skilled horsemen. Turkmen men traditionally dress in long red robes and distinctive tall fluffy sheepskin “telpek” hats. Turkmenistan is known around the world for their handmade carpets and each tribe has its own designs. Although Turkmenistan is full of history, Ashgabat also looks very modern. Many of the buildings there are made of white marble. Turkmenistan Tower, which is a radio and TV tower, is the tallest building in Turkmenistan. The Star of Oguzkhan, a symbol of the country, is the largest architectural star in the world. Copyright 2019 Knowledge Unlimited .