Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan, also known as Turkmenia, is a Turkic country in Central Asia. The name Turkmenistan is derived from Turkish, meaning "land of the Turkmen". The name of its capital, Ashgabat, coming from old Turkish Aşk as in "Love" and Abat as the "City". (See Akçaabat). Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic. It is bordered by Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the southwest, Uzbekistan to the northeast, Kazakhstan to the northwest, and the Caspian Sea to the west.

According to CIA World Factbook 2007 figures, Turkmenistan's GDP growth rate of 11.6% ranks 11th in the world. Although it is wealthy in natural resources in certain areas, most of the country is covered by the Karakum (Black Sands) Desert. It has a single-party system, and was ruled by President Saparmurat Niyazov until his death December 21, 2006. Presidential elections were held on February 11, 2007. Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow was declared the winner with 89% of the vote. He was sworn in on February 14, 2007.

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