All quiet in Ashgabat

Turkmenistan

---

May 6th 2009
Turkmenistan may have to be seen to be believed: on one hand the ancient sites conjure up images of caravans of traders making their way across Central Asia, on the other hand the capital's skyline makes you think that you are in some kind of strange fairytale wonderland. Merv was once known as "The Queen of the World" and was a bustling city along the Silk Road. Then Genghis Khan's son came al ... read more

Asia » Turkmenistan

---

Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1924. It achieved its independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President NIYAZOV retains absolute control over the country and opposition is not tolerated... ... read more