Turkmenistan Map

Turkmenistan (Turkmen: Türkmenistan) is one of the most isolated countries in the world and has dubbed itself as the "motherland of neutrality". Formerly a part of the Soviet Union, it is situated in Central Asia and is surrounded by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Iran. The country has been a thoroughfare for several empires and cultures; many of Turkmenistan's cities were main points of trade on the Silk Road, linking Eastern and Western civilizations. Three of its cities are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Modern Turkmenistan is dominated and run by a very strict, controlling, and totalitarian government that maintains a very tight grip over its people. Turkmenistan's past and current presidents have imposed their eccentricities and bizarre beliefs − for instance, banning dogs from the capital city, banning black cars because they are "bad luck", closing hospitals outside the capital city, and so on − upon the country and are usually treated, at least publicly, as "gods" in Turkmen culture. Tourists may only travel to Turkmenistan as part of a guided tour. About 10,000 to 20,000 people visit this mysterious, isolated nation annually.