27 October: Turkmenistan Independence Day

Turkmenistan celebrates independence day - it became independent from the USSR on this date in 1991.

1. The name of the country means "Land of the Turkmen". The Turkmen are the nomadic Oghuz tribes which moved there from Mongolia in the 8th century. These people were traditionally known for breeding war Horses (they still breed horses today but for racing), and are recognisable by their traditional headgear, "telpek" hats, which are large black sheepskin hats that look like afros. The Turkmen are also known for making Turkmen rugs, very colourful rugs with designs specific to their clans.
2. Five of these tribal rug designs appear on the national Flag, in a vertical stripe near the hoist side. The rest of the flag is Green with a crescent moon and five stars, representing Islam and the five regions of the country.
3. At 488,100 km2 (188,500 sq mi), Turkmenistan is the world's 52nd-largest country. It is slightly smaller than Spain.
4. The capital and largest city is Ashgabat. The name in Persian means "city of love" or "city of devotion".
5. Censorship is big there. Despite the launch of Turkmenistan's first communication satellite—TurkmenSat 1—in April 2015, the Turkmen government banned all satellite dishes in Turkmenistan the same month. They didn't want people watching news channels from the rest of free Europe. During President Niyazov's time (1985 - 2006) all broadcasts began with a pledge that the broadcaster's tongue would shrivel if he slandered the country, flag, or president.
6. The highest summit in Turkmenistan is Ayrybaba in the Kugitangtau Range – 3,137 metres (10,292 ft), and the principal river is the Amu Darya.
7. The country possesses the world's fourth-largest reserves of natural gas and substantial oil resources.
8. It is claimed that the Turkmenistan city of Merv was briefly the largest city in the world in the 12th century. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is also a city called Mary. According to tradition, the Virgin Mary is buried there.
9. Over 80% of the country is covered by the Karakum Desert, one of the driest deserts in the world; some places have an average annual precipitation of only 12 mm (0.47 in).
10. President Niyazov wrote his own religious text, published in separate volumes in 2001 and 2004, the Ruhnama. The regime demanded that this book be given equal status with the Quran (mosques were required to display the two books side by side). Knowledge of the Ruhnama is required even for obtaining a driver's license. In March 2006, Niyazov was recorded as saying that he had interceded with God to ensure that any student who read the book three times would automatically get into heaven.