2. The President of Turkmenistan visited the site in 2010 and ordered it to be filled in. Via Emil Delavele 18 A More than 100 countries later, we are still goingand still married. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. Some of the first strange laws that were introduced occurred under Turkmenistan`s first president, Saparmurat Niyazov. Email: info@inled.info. But if you`re looking for a place off the beaten path where few travelers have been before you, this is definitely the place for you. renaming Turkmen months and days of the week, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Turkmen SSR, Turkmenistani presidential election of 1992, renaming of months, as well as most of the days of the week, 22nd Motor Rifle Division "Atamyrat Niyazov", Great Saparmurat Turkmenbashy Military Institute, http://kitapcy.com/news/ocmejek_sohrat/2020-05-09-61, "Turkmenistan Fact Sheet, Government & Politics President", "Interesting Histories: Saparmurat Niyazov The Real General Aladeen", BBC News, "Turkmen go back to old calendar", 24 April 2008, "Rural population (% of total population): Turkmenistan", BBC News, "Turkmen leader closes hospitals", 1 March 2005, "It's a Gas: Funny Business in the Turkmen-Ukraine Gas Trade", "Golden Statues and Mother Bread: The Bizarre Legacy of Turkmenistan's Former Dictator", "Central Asian Republics: Presidents' Biographies", "The Turkmen Economy: Challenges and Opportunities", Turkmen Leader Names New Oil And Gas Minister, "Saparmurat Niyazov raps local governors for failures in cotton harvest", "Saparmurat Niyazov dismisses grain products association chairman", "List of holidays and commemorative days approved in Turkmenistan", "World War II -- 60 Years After: For Some Central Asians, 'Great Patriotic War' Is More Controversial Than Ever", "TURKMEN ARMY UNITS NAMED AFTER PROMINENT GENERALS | Turkmenistan.ru", "Turkmenistan. An unmarried woman cannot go skydiving on a Sunday. Copyright 2023 India Today Group. That was more than 50 years ago and the fire is yet to be put out. BACKGROUNDTurkmenistan had been under the control of Russia for more than a . In 1998, President for Life Niyazov ordered the construction of a "monument to neutrality" at the cost of $12 million dollars. For example: no opera, gold teeth or spandex. He made the book mandatory to be studied in schools, universities and government offices. Yearly plans set forth by the government and a centralised economy gave little indication of moving away from state-dominated economics, and the dictatorial nature of many of his decrees and his declaring himself "President for Life" gave little hope as to much progress in these two areas. One of outgoing President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov`s most bizarre laws is that you can`t have black cars in the capital, Ashgabat. Each university has its own color and texture of fabric for clothing, and it is strictly forbidden to deviate from this requirement, even from shade. Currently, the laws of Turkmenistan are in the process of being codified. Rapper 50 Cent found out the hard way this small Caribbean nation takes public swearing seriously. Here are some crazy Turkmen laws you probably don`t know about. Could you imagine enforcing this law in the U.Sor India? Niyazov ordered that all mountains and places in Turkmenistan be named after Turkmen heroes, poets and leaders. [62] He accused the minister of incompetence and declared: "I cannot say that you had any great merits or did much to combat crime. The month September was also named after his book Ruhnama. The geologistsdecided to light it upin the hope that it would burn out after a few days. In many respects, Niyazov's cultural ideas and changes were most visible to external viewers. Here are 20 such weird facts about Turkmenistan: 1. Larger than any law, it illuminates the path of the Turkmen like the sun. Check the full list here. but relics of him live on in the form of strange laws, changed . He banned news reporters and presenters from wearing makeup on television. You can import up to a maximum of 1.5 litres of alcohol. Under Niyazov, the Turkmen Communist Party had a reputation as one of the most hardline and unreformed party organizations in the Soviet Union. The Mayor of Pocatello jokingly passed this law following a severe winter back in 1948, which dampened the morale of city employees and citizens alike. [citation needed], Niyazov became president at the transition of Turkmenistan from a Soviet republic to an independent state. Police sometimes carry out checks of identity documents. It is made in compounds of rice with chunks of meat, carrot, and spices, fried in a large pan or a cauldron. As a result, in 2005 Turkmenistan would downgrade its links with the Commonwealth of Independent States becoming only an associate member under article 8 of the CIS charter, as such it would not participate in any of the military structures of the CIS. SUBSCRIBE for More Travel Videos: http://bit.ly/2hyQnZ1 Get My Top 100 Travel Pics FREE! And remember: having a criminal record is definitely not cool if you're a man over 40. According to the 2017 World Press Freedom Index, Turkmenistan ranked is 178th out of 180 with only North Korea and Eritrea below it. I love following your travels. Remnants of aquatic life such as sea fossils are found all over the deserts. However, President Berdymukhamedov is now planning to close Hell's Gateciting negative effects on the environment. At any time,. President for Life, Saparmurat Niyazov implemented many laws throughout his reign, here are just a few: In February 2004 men were banned from having long hair or beards. Mr Saparmurat Niyazov,the late President of Turkmenistan", "Soz to represent India at Niyazov's funeral", "Late President of Turkmenistan laid to rest", "Absolute leader's name dropped from anthem", "Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov: Illusion of a Khrushchevian Thaw? Niyazov made a personal attempt to create a cultural background for the new state of Turkmenistan by writing and promoting the Ruhnama, an autobiography meant to guide the people of Turkmenistan with his ideas and promote native culture (and by extension prohibiting foreign culture). You have accepted additional cookies. From dictators who make strange laws to fires that can`t be extinguished, Turkmenistan is a pretty bizarre place. E INLED lo sa. No more than 2 packets of 20 cigarettes per person, 2 cigars and 2 packets of loose tobacco not weighing more than 2 packets of cigarettes can be imported. It is nearly incomprehensible that a desert place can produce melon, but some of the best melons in the world are grown in Turkmenistan. [11] According to the official version of his biography, his father, Atamyrat Nyazow, died in World War II fighting against Nazi Germany, while other sources contend that he dodged fighting and was therefore sentenced by a military court. The crater burns continuously in the desert, creating the impression of the gates of hell. Today we are going to look at 20 facts about this little unknown country. Niyazov also ordered the closure of all libraries outside the capital, stating that the reason was that ordinary Turkmens did not read anyway. Inside Central Asia. Plov is the favorite dish in the country. Luke Ward is the owner of The Fact Site. Geologists decided to turn it on, hoping it would burn after a few days. He outlawed opera, ballet, circuses and philharmonic orchestras in 2001 for being "decidedly unturkmen-like". [25] Individually, Niyazov's father was awarded the honorary title of Hero of Turkmenistan in 1994 and in 2004, a division of the Turkmen Ground Forces was renamed after Atamyrat Nyazow. Students of all levels must adhere to a strict dress code. Photo: Narendra Modi Youtube Channel. July 1983 officially saw the hottest day in Turkmenistan and the Soviet Union it was recorded at the Repetek Reserve at 122 F. Turkmenistan has the 6th largest oil and natural gas reserves in the world. [60][61], The summer of 2004 saw a leaflet campaign in the capital, Agabat, calling for the overthrow and trial of Niyazov. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. He also ordered that each broadcast begin with a pledge that the broadcaster's tongue would shrivel if he/she slanders the country, flag, and/or president. Niyazov continued the old practice of demanding yearly quotas in agricultural output, and then blaming and/or sacking deputy ministers when quotas were not met. News stories, speeches, letters and notices, Reports, analysis and official statistics, Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports. The reasons cited for this are the negative effects of fire on the health of people living around it, and also the enormous environmental damage it has caused. Lots of wacky laws have been written over the years, and they were all written for a reason. Unfortunately for barbers, all Turkmens we spoke to indicated to us that this rule was myth. A prayer took place before the burial, with the chief mufti reading Jyn Aza. Its also one of the driest deserts in the world, with some areas recording only 0.005 inches (0.12mm) of precipitation annually. But it's a highly secretive country that is often referred to as a . Friday was renamed after her, too. The city of Kerki was renamed for his father, and city of ylanly for his mother. He took the name for bread. [79] Many mourners, including foreign delegations, passed by the coffin in a three-hour period. Some of these laws were rationalized under the premise of trying to preserve traditional Turkmen culture. So much white marble was used in Ashgabat that it holds the Guinness World Record for having the highest density of marble buildings. Yes, you read that correctly. And by 1985 he was already First . You should carry a copy of the details page of your passport at all times. Niyazov claimed that it was an attempt at a coup, and as a result, the Turkmen government arrested thousands of suspected conspirators and members of their families. In the years following independence, Turkmenistan invested heavily in plants and machinery in an attempt to convert it from being primarily a supplier of petroleum to a more advanced economy; such investments included oil refineries and a polyethylene plant. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. This was part of a publicity stunt in response to death hoax rumors. Thank you for sharing your adventures. For this reason, there are also a number of car washes on the outskirts of the city so that people can have their cars cleaned before entering the city. My first ever encounter with Turkmenistan was a weird one. Under the Decree of the Peoples council, on August 17, 2003, the population of Turkmenistan is entitled to subsided electricity, natural gas, water, and salt until 2030. Remember him, because we will be talking about him quite a bit. We do know that bathing suits are not banned. Turkmen State University even had a "Department of the Holy Ruhnama of Turkmenbashy, the Great", and Ruhnama Studies were pursued as a major research agenda in the country, often at the cost of academic disciplines. According to the state-run newspaper Neytralny Turkmenistan, the President has orderedhis Cabinet ministers to find a way to close theearthlygates of hell. Swearing in public in St. Kitts could get you in hot water. Golden Statues and Mother Bread: The Bizarre Legacy of Turkmenistan's Former Dictator. 15. The country has a population of about 5.6 million, making it one of the least populous and sparsely populated states in Asia. However, it still exists, albeit in a non-rotating form, out in the suburbs of Ashgabat. In 2013,Turkmenistan'scapital city Ashgabat entered the Guinness Book of World Records for having the highest number of white marble buildings in the city. In Billings, Montana it's illegal to buy or raise rats as pets. [94][95] Displaying and keeping the book alongside the Quran in mosques were also stopped, except in Trkmenbay Ruhy Mosque. Turkmenistan, a land-locked country, is the least densely populated countryinCentral Asia. However, if you have a legal issue with the video uploaded, please contact me first in order to resolve the problem quickly, swiftly and easily. A dirty car offends the President, so all cars must be clean! The situation with real estate is quite acceptable, but not as pleasant as before. In March 2005, he ordered the closure of all hospitals outside Ashgabat, stating that the sick should go to the capital for treatment. [12][13][14], After finishing school in 1959, he worked as an instructor in the Turkmen trade-union exploratory committee. [3] His self-given title Turkmenbashy, meaning Head of the Turkmen, referred to his position as the founder and president of the Association of Turkmens of the World. He was arrested after swearing on stage during a performance. Photo:Getty Images. Point to note: Turkmenistan has a record-setting inclination towards setting Guinness records and regularly invites folks from the record-keepers to make a note of the newest record set by the country. Turkmenistan's media constantly doted on the president and helped build his cult of personality. Though locals may plead ignorance or flat out deny that some of these laws ever existed, here's what we discovered about some of the more notable whacky entries conjured up by the former president, Sapmurat Niyazov (otherwise known as Turkmenbashi, Leader of all Turkmens). November 2002, Ashgabat", "The Revocation of Dual Citizenship in Turkmenistan", "Short resume maintained by Reporters Sans Frontires", "Turkmen Doctors Pledge Allegiance To Niyazov", "When a Kleptocratic, Megalomanacal Dictator Goes Bad", "Transformations in Turkmen higher education: current opportunities and challenges at a new university", "Read My Words, Go to Heaven, Leader Says", "Turkmenistan: The Personality Cult Lives On, Residents Take It In Stride", "Turkmenistan: Ending the Personality Cult", U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, "Two candidates named for Turkmen presidency", "Mausoleum with Saparmurat Niyazov's burial-vault to open to public after third day of mourning | Turkmenistan.ru", " ", "Envoy Attends Funeral of Turkmenistan's Late President", "Chinese envoy attends funeral of Turkmenistan's late president", "Visit of Prof. Saifuddin Soz,Union Minister of Water Resources to Turkmenistan to attend the state funeral of H.E. As per the newspaper, the Deputy Prime Minister of Turkmenistan has been asked to gather scientists, and if necessary, foreign consultants, and find a way to extinguish the fire. "Head of General Staff of Turkmenistan accused in participation in November 2002 plot | Turkmenistan.ru", "Assassination Attempt A Response To Niyazov's Authoritarian Policies", "A failed coup after all? The strange thing is that the rule similar to one in Tajikistan still exists. Turkmen laws now seem normal to the people who live there, but they are still a little strange to those of us who don`t. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com, 10 Unique And Interesting Facts About Turkmenistan, 8 Interesting And Unique Facts About Somalia, 10 Interesting And Unique Facts About Samoa, 10 Interesting And Unique Facts About Botswana, 10 Unique And Interesting Facts About Uzbekistan. [79] As he was buried, the national anthem was played accompanied by a 21-gun salute, symbolizing the number of years during which he was in power.[81]. The geologists lit a fire imagining that it would burn for a couple of days. Oral sex is illegal. These names were later abolished by his successor Berdymukhamedov in April 2008. For foreign nationals this can result in a fine and deportation from the country. Newly issued Turkmenistani manat banknotes did not feature his portrait. The Turkmen Supreme Soviet declared Turkmenistan independent and appointed Niyazov as the country's first president on 27 October 1991. In keeping with the predominantly Islamic nature of Turkmen society, President Niyazov granted pardons each year on the Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Destiny) in the month of Ramadan. Why is he so memorable, you may ask? A major element of the original constitution was permanent neutrality, which was officially recognized by the United Nations in 1995. Turkmenistan has no ties with NATO or Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). He also granted official human rights to the people, though they were not respected in practice with his government being criticised as one of the worst human rights violators in the world. In 2017, the World Press Freedom Index ranked 178th of 180 countries, just below Eritrea and North Korea. [35] On 19 March 2007 Turkmenistan's new president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow reversed Niyazov's decision by restoring pensions to more than 100,000 elderly citizens.[36]. Berdimuhamedow and the Halk Maslahaty announced on 26 December 2006 that the next presidential elections would be held on 11 February 2007 to elect Niyazov's successor. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Strange weird snapshot photo wild hula dances wild beach holiday bizarre +2314F at the best online prices at eBay! You are here: One of the drivers of the Aston Martin Tokyo-to-London team was fined $100 by the Turkmen highway militsia for smoking in his own car. It is so hard to legally get to the county that smuggling cartels are a better option for many. Photo: Getty Images. . INLED But one accidental point of sight-seeing, the Darwaza Crater or the Hells Gate makes Turkmenistan a centreof attraction (we will come to the tourists' part in a bit though). It still burns to this day! Oh, Turkmenistan how we overlook thee. 5. September? [64][65] Niyazov gave every citizen a watch with his portrait in its dial. Carpets of Turkmenistan. In 2013, seven years after Niyazov`s death, Ruhnama was finally removed from public schools in Turkmenistan. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com, Unbelievable Facts About Turkmenistan, the Dystopian Dictatorship You Haven't Heard Of, Top 10 Unbelievable Places In The World That Anyone Can Visit, 10 Unique And Interesting Facts About Turkmenistan. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. This unique country holds the Guinness World Record for the largest indoor Ferris wheel in an architectural structure. That's "Ruhnama", which is the title of Niyazov's book. In Ashgabat, he erected a rotating, $12 million, golden statue of himself that always faces the sun. [1], Niyazov was buried in his ready prepared tomb in Kipchak Mosque on 24 December at his home village of Gypjak, approximately 7 kilometres (4.3mi) west of Ashgabat. All Rights Reserved, 80 per cent desert and the life of Turkmen, As per the record, the city has 543 white marble buildings covering an area of 4.5 million square metres. I check as often as I can. Gold Statue of Former Turkmenistan President Saparmurat Niyazov. In an attempt to burn off the excess gas, Soviet engineers set it alight in 1971, estimating that it would take a few weeks to burn off. The good folks over at Olivet Nazarene University put together an infographic of some of the most outrageous, confusing and downright weird legislation instilled around our . People have a certain way of explaining almost every process in their lives. This further meant that opposition to Niyazov was strictly forbidden and major opposition figures have been imprisoned, institutionalized, deported, or they have fled the country, and their family members are routinely harassed by the authorities. ONE OF THE LEAST VISITED COUNTRIES A complex visa regimen makes Turkmenistan one of the least visited countries in the world. We could go on all day about this amazing country in Asia. There are no laws in Turkmenistan; There is only the will of the Fhrer.
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