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i've read that joe elliott played in various bands before def leppard, not all of them as a singer, but i'm pretty sure these were garage band type bands. they all probably played covers of other peoples' songs.
{| border=1 align=right cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=300 style="margin: 0.5em 0 1em 1em; background: #ffffff; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
|+<big><big>'''Türkmenistan Jumhuriyäti'''<br/> Republic Turkmenistan</big></big>
|-
| style="background:#ffffff;" align=center colspan=2 |
{| border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0
| align=center width=148 | [[Image:Turkmenistan flag large.png|125px|Flag of Turkmenistan]]
| align=center width=148 | [[Image:Turkmenistan coa.jpg|100px|Coat of Arms of Turkmenistan]]
|-
| align=center width=148 | [[Flag of Turkmenistan]]
| align=center width=148 | ([[Coat of Arms of Turkmenistan|In Detail]])
|}
|-
| align=center colspan=2 style="background: #ffffff;" | [[Image:LocationTurkmenistan.png]]
|-
| '''[[National anthem]]'''
| ''[[Independent, Neutral, Turkmenistan State Anthem]]''
|-
| '''[[Capital]]'''
| [[Ashgabat]]
|-
| '''[[President]] and [[Prime Minister]]'''
| [[Saparmurat Niyazov]]
|-
| '''[[Official language]]'''
| [[Turkmen language|Turkmen]]
|-
| '''[[Area]]'''<br/> – Total<br/> – % water
| [[List of countries by area|Ranked 51st]]<br/> 488,100 [[square kilometer|km²]]<br/> Negligible
|-
| '''[[Population]]'''<br/> – Total (2005)<br/> – [[Population density|Density]]
| [[List of countries by population|Ranked 112th]]<br/> 4,952,081<br/> 9.4/km²
|-
| '''[[Independence]]'''<br/> – Declared<br/> – Recognised
| From [[Soviet Union]]<br/> [[October 27]], [[1991]]<br/> (Year)
|-
| '''[[Currency]]'''
| Turkmen [[Manat (Turkmenistan)|manat]]
|-
| '''[[Time zone]]'''
| [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] +5
|-
| '''[[List of country calling codes|Calling Code]]'''
| 993
|-
| '''[[Top-level ___domain|Internet TLD]]'''
| [[.tm]]
|}
'''Turkmenistan''', formerly known as the ''[[Turkmen SSR|Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic]]'' is a country in [[Central Asia]]. It has borders with [[Afghanistan]], [[Iran]] (Persia), [[Kazakhstan]], [[Uzbekistan]] and has a coastline on the [[Caspian Sea]].
[[User:Gringo300|Gringo300]] 12:49, 12 November 2005 (UTC)
== History ==
{{main|History of Turkmenistan}}
The territory of Turkmenistan has a long and chequered history, as armies from one empire to another decamped on their way to more prosperous territories.
[[Alexander the Great]] conquered the territory in the 4th century B.C. on his way to [[India]]. One hundred fifty years later Persia's [[Parthian Kingdom]] established its capital in Nisa, an area now located in the suburbs of the modern-day capital of Ashgabat. In the 7th century A.D. [[Arabs]] conquered this region, bringing with them [[Islam]] and incorporating the Turkmen into [[Middle East]]ern culture. It was around this time that the famous [[Silk Road]] was established as a major trading route between Asia and Europe.
The Turkmenistan region soon came to be known as the capital of ''Greater'' ''[[Khorasan]]'' when the caliph [[Al-Ma'mun]] moved his capital to [[Merv]].
In the middle of the 11th century, the powerful Turks of the [[Seldjuk Empire]] concentrated their strength in the territory of Turkmenistan in an attempt to expand into Afghanistan. The empire broke down in the second half of the 12th century, and the Turkmen lost their independence when [[Genghis Khan]] took control of the eastern Caspian Sea region on his march west. For the next seven centuries, the Turkmen people lived under various empires and fought constant intertribal wars.
By 1894 [[imperial Russia]] had taken control of Turkmenistan. The [[October Revolution]] of 1917 in Russia and subsequent political unrest led to the declaration of the Turkmen Republic as one of the 15 [[republics of the Soviet Union|republics]] of the [[Soviet Union]] in [[1924]]. At this time the modern borders of Turkmenistan were formed.
In [[1991]], with the breakup of the Soviet Union, Turkmenistan became independent. It has kept its formerly [[Communist Party of the Soviet Union|Communist]] leader, [[Saparmurat Niyazov]] in place.
== Politics ==
Go go Turkmenbashi
{{main|Politics of Turkmenistan}}
[[President for Life]] [[Saparmurat Niyazov]], a former bureaucrat of the Communist Party of the [[Soviet Union]], has ruled Turkmenistan since [[1985]], when he became head of the local branch of the Communist Party. He retains absolute control over the country and opposition is not tolerated. The president's party, the [[Democratic Party of Turkmenistan|Democratic Party]] (the former Communists), is the only one legally permitted. Turkmenistan is dominated by an all-pervasive [[cult of personality]] extolling President Niyazov as '''Turkmenbashi''' ("Leader of all Turkmen"). His face adorns almost everything in Turkmenistan, from banknotes to bottles of [[vodka]]. The logo of Turkmen national television is his profile. The two books he had written are mandatory readings in schools, motorclubs, and homes. Institutions that cannot be named after him are named after his mother. All watches and clocks made must bear his portrait printed on the dial-face. A 15-meter (50 feet) tall gold-plated giant statue stands on a rotating pedestal, so it will always face into the sun and shine light onto the capital city. In reality, Niyazov is a very short person, barely taller than 150 centimeters (5 feet).
A slogan popular among Turkmens is "Halk! Watan! Türkmenbashi!" meaning "People! Motherland! Leader!". Niyazov renamed the week days after members of his family and wrote the new turkmen national anthem-oath himself, including phrases that say people who defame the motherland or the Turkmenbashi should lose their arms.
Foreign companies seeking Turkmenistan's vast [[natural gas]] resources have had to cooperate with Niyazov since he also controls access to the natural resources. His "[[Ruhnama]]" book has been published by foreign industrialists in all major languages, including [[Croatian language|Croatian]], [[Polish language|Polish]], [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]] and [[Bantu]], exactly for this reason.
== Provinces ==
{{main|Provinces of Turkmenistan}}
Turkmenistan is divided into 5 provinces or ''welayatlar'' (singular - ''[[welayat]]'') and one independent city:
[[Image:TurkmenistanNumbered.png|200 px|right|]]
{| {{prettytable}}
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Division !! [[ISO 3166-2]] !! Capital City!! Area (sq. km)!! Pop (1995) !! Key
|-
! [[Ashgabat]]
| || [[Ashgabat]] || || 604,000 ||
|-
! [[Ahal Province]]
| TM-A || [[Ashgabat]] || 95,000 || 722,800 || 1
|-
! [[Balkan Province]]
| TM-B || [[Balkanabat]] || 138,000 || 424,700 || 2
|-
! [[Dashhowuz Province]]
| TM-D || [[Daşoguz]] || 74,000 ||1,059,800 ||3
|-
! [[Lebap Province]]
| TM-L || [[Turkmenabat]] || 94,000 || 1,034,700 || 4
|-
! [[Mary Province]]
| TM-M || [[Mary, Turkmenistan|Mary]] ||87,000 || 1,146,800 || 5
|}
== Geography ==
[[Image:Turkmenistan-map.png|thumb|300px|Map of Turkmenistan]]
{{main|Geography of Turkmenistan}}
The country is approximately 488,100 square kilometers. 90% of the country is covered by the [[Karakum Desert]]. The center of country is dominated by [[Turan Depression]] and the [[Karakum Desert]] which are mostly flatlands. The [[Kopetdag Range]], along the southwestern border, reaches 2,912 meters. The Balkan Mountains in the far west and the Kugitang Range in the far east are the only other appreciable elevations. Rivers include the [[Amu Darya]] and [[Hari Rud]].
The climate is [[subtropical]] desert, with little rainfall. Winters are mild and dry, with most precipitation falling between January and May. Heaviest precipitation is in the Kopetdag Range.
Other cities include: [[Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan|Turkmenbashi]] (formerly Krasnovodsk).
== Economy ==
{{main|Economy of Turkmenistan}}
One-half of its irrigated land is planted in [[cotton]], making it the world's 10th-largest producer; and it possesses the world's fifth-largest reserves of [[natural gas]] as well as substantial oil resources. In 1994, [[Russia]]'s refusal to export Turkmen gas to [[hard currency]] markets and mounting debts of its major customers in the former [[Soviet Union]] for gas deliveries contributed to a sharp fall in industrial production and caused the budget to shift from a surplus to a slight deficit.
Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to economic reform, hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its inefficient economy. [[Privatization]] goals remain limited. Between 1998 and 2002, Turkmenistan has suffered from the continued lack of adequate [[export]] routes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive short-term external [[debt]]. At the same time, however, the value of total exports has risen sharply because of higher international oil and gas prices. Prospects in the near future are discouraging because of widespread internal [[poverty]], the burden of foreign debt, and the unwillingness of the government to adopt market-oriented reforms.
President Niyazov has squandered much of his country's revenue on self-glorification, with cities, [[Ashgabat]] in particular, being given extensive renovations whilst the people living outside the capital struggle in conditions of poverty. President Niyazov has pledged free water, electricity and gas, however, shortages are frequent.
== Demographics ==
[[Image:Turkmen man with camel.jpg|thumb|A Turkmen man in traditional clothes, around 1905–1915]]
{{main|Demographics of Turkmenistan}}
The majority of Turkmenistan's citizens are [[Turkmen people|ethnic Turkmen]]; other ethnic groups include [[Russians|Russian]] and [[Uzbek]]. [[Turkmen language|Turkmen]] is the [[official language]] of Turkmenistan, though [[Russian language|Russian]] still is widely spoken as a "language of inter-ethnic communication" (per the [[1992]] Constitution). Education is universal and mandatory through the secondary level, the total duration of which was recently reduced from 11 to 9 years.
== Culture ==
{{main|Culture of Turkmenistan}}
* [[Akhal-Teke]] [[horse breed]]
* [[Carpets]]
* [[Geok-Tepe]]
* [[Holidays in Turkmenistan]]
* [[Islam in Turkmenistan]]
* [[Merv]]
* [[Music of Turkmenistan]]
Everyone in Turkmenistan is silly.
== Miscellaneous topics ==
*[[Communications in Turkmenistan]]
*[[Foreign relations of Turkmenistan]]
*[[Human rights in Turkmenistan]]
*[[Military of Turkmenistan]]
*[[Transportation in Turkmenistan]]
== External links ==
*[http://www.eurasianet.org/turkmenistan.project/ The Turkmenistan Project] - weekly news and analysis in English and Russian
*[http://www.freedomhouse.org/research/freeworld/2004/countryratings/turkmenistan.htm Freedom House annual report on freedom] - Freedom House report on Turkmenistan from 2004
*[http://web.amnesty.org/report2004/tkm-summary-eng/ Amnesty Interntional annual report ] - Amnesty International report on Turkmenistan from 2004
*[http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=1445&l=1/ Cracks in the Marble: Turkmenistan's Failing Dictatorship, International Crisis Group Report from 2003 ] - free registration required for access to whole report
*[http://www.essex.ac.uk/ecpr/events/jointsessions/paperarchive/grenoble/ws2/cummings.pdf Niyazov's Turkmenistan: a sultanistic regime?]- Defining regime in Turkmenistan as sultanistic regime, pdf file
*[http://www.uni-graz.at/franz.koelbl/turkmenistan/ Photo Gallery from Turkmenistan] (In German)
*[http://www.studyrussian.com/seidenstrasse/silkroad/Turkmenistan.htm Travel report from Turkmenistan]
*[http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/tx.html CIA Factbook]
{{Central_Asia}}
{{Commonwealth_of_Independent_States}}
[[Category:Central Asian countries]]
[[Category:Turkmenistan|*]]
[[an:Turkmenistán]]
[[bg:Туркменистан]]
[[zh-min-nan:Turkmenistan]]
[[ca:Turkmenistan]]
[[cs:Turkmenistán]]
[[cy:Turkmenistan]]
[[da:Turkmenistan]]
[[de:Turkmenistan]]
[[et:Türkmenistan]]
[[es:Turkmenistán]]
[[eo:Turkmenio]]
[[fa:ترکمنستان]]
[[fr:Turkménistan]]
[[gl:Turcomenistán - Türkmenostan]]
[[ko:투르크메니스탄]]
[[id:Turkmenistan]]
[[is:Túrkmenistan]]
[[it:Turkmenistan]]
[[he:טורקמניסטן]]
[[ka:თურქმენეთი]]
[[kk:Түрікменстан]]
[[lt:Turkmėnija]]
[[li:Turkmenistan]]
[[hu:Türkmenisztán]]
[[ms:Turkmenistan]]
[[nl:Turkmenistan]]
[[nds:Turkmenistan]]
[[ja:トルクメニスタン]]
[[no:Turkmenistan]]
[[nn:Turkmenistan]]
[[pl:Turkmenistan]]
[[pt:Turquemenistão]]
[[ro:Turkmenistan]]
[[ru:Туркмения]]
[[sq:Turkmenistani]]
[[sk:Turkménsko]]
[[sl:Turkmenistan]]
[[sr:Туркменистан]]
[[fi:Turkmenistan]]
[[sv:Turkmenistan]]
[[th:ประเทศเติร์กเมนิสถาน]]
[[tk:Türkmenistan]]
[[tr:Türkmenistan]]
[[uk:Туркменістан]]
[[ur:ترکمنستان]]
[[zh:土库曼斯坦]]
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