No more than 2 packets of 20. All foreign visitors, with the exception of accredited diplomats, are charged a tourism tax of 2 US dollars for each day of their stay in Turkmenistan. 60 Weird Laws Around the World By Lissa Poirot and Brittany Alexandra Sulc, updated on February 7, 2023 Getty Images Every country is different, and every country's laws are different. Pilaf, the staple diet of Turkmenistan. During the second Sunday of August every year, every person in the country is advised to eat melons grown in the country. Good to know, right? P.iva: 202474539 But if you ask the same question to a Turkmen, he will firmly answer you: The plane is flying to Turkmenistan because the passengers have received visas, and Gurbanguly Mlikgulyewi, our wise guide and leader, has agreed to accept the plane on Turkmen land. You can even be fined if you own a vehicle that is not painted white! 3. It is against the law to give tobacco products as a gift; if you are caught you could be fined. On 21 June 1992 the Turkmenistani presidential election of 1992 featured Niyazov as the sole candidate, and chosen as the country's first popularly elected president. Unfortunately for barbers, all Turkmens we spoke to indicated to us that this rule was myth. Someone, at some point, did something so nutty that people felt compelled to make it illegal. Turkmenistan, the small country in Central Asia, might be the world's strangest country when it comes to both architecture and the bizarre laws that the locals have to obey under the firm control of Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, the President of the country. Those of you whose teeth have fallen out did not chew on bones. Some of his creations remain unchanged, including the celebration of Melon Day. In March 2014, 15,000 public health workers were dismissed from their roles. Also, dirty cars are not allowed. Niyazov supported the Soviet coup attempt of 1991. And remember: having a criminal record is definitely not cool if you're a man over 40. In kitapcy.com. Check the full list here. 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 . The authorities were unable to stop the campaign and the President responded by firing his Interior Minister and director of the police academy on national television. Ashgabat holds the Guinness World Record for the world's largest collection of marble buildings. [20][21] Nevertheless, Turkmenistan had an emergent period during which there was heavy investment in plant and machinery so the country could change from a producer of raw cotton to a cotton processor. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. Telpek, a large sheepskin hat worn by men is one of the signs of the nomadic tradition. It is hard to get photos of the city because the photographing of public buildings is banned. Interesting to note that every person gets 25 kilowatt of electricity, 50 cubic metres of natural gas, and 250 litres of water every month. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Fact Site is the number one source for the most interesting & random facts about animals, celebrities, food, films, games & so much more. Struggling For News In Turkmenistan", The World Factbook entry for Turkmenistan, "President of Turkmenistan closes hospitals, libraries and nature reserves", "Turkmenbashi, Crazy Dictator of Absurdistan", "Russian media outlets disseminate "deliberately perverted" information on republic's pension maintenance", "Turkmen leader pardons 8,145 thousand convicts", "Turkmenistan to set free 10056 prisoners", "Saparmurat Niyazov bans use of "phonograms" at concerts and TV programs", "Channel 4 News on the death of Turkmenbashi", "Turkmenistan bans converted left-hand-drive vehicle imports", "Saparmurat Niyazov - President of Turkmenistan", "TURKMEN LEADER SAPARMURAT NIYAZOV BANS CHEWING TOBACCO-PRODUCT "NAS" IN PUBLIC PLACES", "Turkmenistan lifts curtain on banned arts". We do know that bathing suits are not banned. Somewhere, a bit of greasing of the palms of the license-givers. Sending a delicious pepperoni pizza pie to a friend out of the blue sounds like a thoughtful gesture. Niyazov also ordered the closure of all libraries outside the capital, stating that the reason was that ordinary Turkmens did not read anyway. Turkmenistan was ruled by a dictator and President for Life, Saparmurat Niyazov between 1991 and 2006. In 1948, one of the world's deadliest earthquakes struck Turkmenistan. Here are some crazy Turkmen laws you probably don`t know about. In Turkmenbashi`s time, utility prices were so low that bills for these services arrived every year. 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. If we were asked why a plane flies to Turkmenistan, we would say it is because of the buoyancy force. Home Travel No Beards, No Spandex: Rules to Live By? Image: Stocksy #13. No, that's "Leader of Turkmen" month. However, Saparmurat Niyazov has remained a celebrated figure in Turkmenistan. Thankfully, because it's one of the weirdest laws around the world, we're guessing it never really has to be enforced. Male homosexual activity is illegal, punishable by a custodial sentence. President Berdymukhamedov had visited the site in 2010, and back then too he had asked for the closure of the site. He grew up in a Soviet orphanage before the state put him in the custody of a distant relative. If you believe something to be incorrect, please leave us a message below. If you are found guilty, you could face a lengthy prison sentence in very basic conditions. Fortunately, her diplomatic status saved her from fines and her car from the impound lot. Via Emil Delavele 18 A He has over 14 years of experience in researching, informative writing, fact-checking, SEO & web design. The new names came into effect with the introduction of a new labor law which stated that "the dates of professional holidays are specified by decrees of the President of Turkmenistan". The current president, Berdimuhamedow, ordered the removal of the statue in 2010. New York: Overlook Press, 2009. p227. 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. Keep your passport separately in a safe place. Here, if you want a driving license, your skills with the steering wheel don't matter as much as your rote-learning of the Ruhnama. In 1998, President for Life Niyazov ordered the construction of a "monument to neutrality" at the cost of $12 million dollars. However, President Berdymukhamedov is now planning to close Hell's Gateciting negative effects on the environment. During his rule, Niyazov created a strong cult of personality around himself, which resembled the one around the Kim dynasty in North Korea. SUBSCRIBE for More Travel Videos: http://bit.ly/2hyQnZ1 Get My Top 100 Travel Pics FREE! In 2017, the World Press Freedom Index ranked 178th of 180 countries, just below Eritrea and North Korea. It is popular across the entire country and is a must-have dish at every event from family picnics to weddings and social gatherings. Apart from the the Hells Gate, the country has one of the most bizarre set of rules and living conditions for its people. The president of Turkmenistan (who called himself Turkmenbashi, leader of the Turkmen) is known for his strange YouTube videos and even stranger laws. We could go on all day about this amazing country in Asia. More than 100 countries later, we are still goingand still married. Friday was renamed after her, too. Connecting people to experiences that will change their lives. From dictators who make strange laws to fires that can`t be extinguished, Turkmenistan is a pretty bizarre place. Today we are going to look at 20 facts about this little unknown country. [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 crater burns continuously in the desert, creating the impression of the gates of hell. 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. Turkmenistan under Turkmen Presidents Niyazov and Berdymuhamadov has. However, Ataew was arrested on 21 December 2006 and Berdimuhamedow was subsequently named acting president. Cars that are not white are forbidden from the streets of Ashgabat, the non-white vehicles taken from the owners as hostages and forcibly painted white no matter what. He took the name for bread. Homosexuality is still very much disapproved of socially. 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. 2023 The Fact Network Ltd | All Rights Reserved. One of the many strange rules established by Niyazov in 2004 was that young men were forbidden to have a beard or long hair. However, be sure never to do it in Louisiana. [31] All libraries outside of the capital were also closed, as Niyazov believed that the only books that most Turkmen needed to read were the Qur'an and his Ruhnama. President Niyazov got the statue of Ruhnama made and installed at the capital city of Ashgabat. The presidents passed other laws just because he had the power to do so; for example, he named the days of the week after his immediate family members. Turkmenistan declared independence from the Soviet Union on October 27, 1991. The city is heavily surveilled by police and so this ban is strongly enacted. Gurbansoltan Eje was named in honor of Niyazov's mother, and Serdar ("leader" in Turkmen) referred to Niyazov himself. Niyazov started quite early and joined the Communist Party in 1962. Here are some that Saparmurat Niyazov has implemented. They were given bones to gnaw to strengthen their teeth. Turkmenistan News/ Archiv Saparmurat Niyazov's (in English), Ruhnama Book by Turkmenbashy (online in English), Transcript of 2004 profile on news program, 28th Politburo of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saparmurat_Niyazov&oldid=1152487197, Members of the Central Committee of the 27th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Members of the Central Committee of the 28th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Members of the Politburo of the 28th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, First secretaries of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan, Democratic Party of Turkmenistan politicians, Recipients of the Order of Holy Prince Daniel of Moscow, Recipients of the Order of Friendship of Peoples, Recipients of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University alumni, Heads of government of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic, Articles with dead external links from January 2023, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from June 2016, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Russian-language text, Articles containing Turkmen-language text, Articles needing additional references from April 2022, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2022, Articles needing additional references from December 2008, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2022, Articles with Turkmen-language sources (tk), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Niyazov declared Turkmenistan a "neutral state" and said that the country would not participate in any. In February 2004, he decreed that men should no longer wear long hair or beards because of the apparent association with, In March 2004, he fired doctors and gymnastics instructors and replaced them with military. Saparmyrat Ataewi Nyazow or Turkmenbashi [wiki] (1940 - 2006)After the USSR broke up in 1991, the Soviet Republic of Turkmenistan became an independent nation but had no identity of its own. Some historians believe that over one million people were killed. On 13 January 1990, Niyazov became Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Turkmen SSR, the supreme legislative body in the republic. [58] Critics claim the government staged the attempt in order to crack down on mounting domestic and foreign political opposition. A man in Zhengzhou was forbidden from naming his newborn son "@" because of the rule stating that all given names must be translatable into Mandarin. The first, Niyazov, ruled for 15 years and called himself the "President for Life". * Most of these rules fell after the death of Saparmurat Niyazov in 2006 and the coming to power of Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. When it comes to peculiar sites, Turkmenistan Is off the charts. In 2016, 6,000 tourists visited Turkmenistan. m. (34,875 sq. In 1962, Niyazov started his political career, becoming a member of the Communist Party. But that is irrelevant to his story as his weird political career is what interests us. By Author Christian L. Posted on Published: December 22, 2021 - Last . The highest number of fountains in public spaces and the highest concentration of white marble buildings with 543 in an area of 4.5m square meters. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. [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. Failure to do this would lead to the destruction of the mosque. To put this in perspective, 90 million visitors went to France, and 76 million visited the United States. This rule is supposed to help families avoid going broke when throwing weddings for their daughters. Sofia, Bulgaria, Tel: 00359 32585000 As for the reasoning behind the make-up ban, anyone's guess is as good as one another's apparently he believed that news reporter should look "natural". In 2008, less than two years after Niyazov's death, the names of months and days of the week changed by Niyazov were restored,[90] and reference in the National Anthem of Turkmenistan to Niyazov was replaced with "the people". Constitution Constitution of Turkmenistan external link (University of Texas at Arlington) in English Executive President and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Judicial COURTS: Supreme Court Legislative PARLIAMENT: Halk Maslahaty (People’s Council) FAOLEX: Turkmenistan external link (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) database of national laws and regulations on . He introduced a new Turkmen alphabet based on the Latin alphabet to replace Cyrillic. It is a cultural sign of appreciation for a family to offer guests a plate of plov whenever they visit. [56], In January 1996, Niyazov met with Sayid Abdulloh Nuri in Tehran to inform him that the attendees of a CIS summit in Moscow had agreed to renew the mandate of CIS peacekeepers in Tajikistan, which was going through a civil war at the time. One of outgoing President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov`s most bizarre laws is that you can`t have black cars in the capital, Ashgabat. Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. In his time, he was one of the world's most totalitarian, despotic and repressive dictators. At any time,. 1st president of Turkmenistan (19402006), "Nyazow" redirects here. The government has used central planning, such as state control of production and procurement, direct bank credits with low interest rates, exchange rate restrictions, and price controls, since it existed as a Republic within the USSR.[18]. Niyazov and his wife, Muza Melnikova, who was of Russian and Jewish descent, had a son (Murat) and a daughter (Irina). Well send you a link to a feedback form. Photo: Getty Images. In 1970, Soviet scientists drilled for natural gas, but their devices accidentally fell into the abyss, causing a natural gas leak. So yes, this weird Japanese law is actually enforced. Between 2002 and 2008, the days of the week and months of the year were renamed to Turkmen National Symbols. The Turkmen government closely controls what goes on in Turkmenistan's many theaters. In January 2018, the president banned black vehicles in the city because he associates black with bad luck. Some Turkmen opposition sources also claim that Niyazov died several days before the officially announced date of 21 December. Through our stories, advisory, and speaking we are creating a movement of travelers and businesses who live at the intersection of adventure, meaningful travel, and caring for our planet and its people. Not to mention that most of these records are, of course, thought of and executed by only - and we mean, really, only - Turkmenistan. But it's a highly secretive country that is often referred to as a . From a burning gas crater (Darvaza) known as the Gates of Hell, to the Abandoned Capital City of Ashgabat (which holds the Guinness World Record for being the largest marble city in the world), Turkmenistan is full of surprises. In 2012, the country had an average of 8,900 visitors annually, which makes it one of the least explored countries in Central Asia. This page was last edited on 30 April 2023, at 14:53. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. You should carry a copy of the details page of your passport at all times. m). Pensions received during the prior two years were ordered paid back to the state. 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. Among his actions after naming himself Turkmenbashi (Leader of All Ethnic Turkmen) and declaring himself president of Turkmenistan for life after the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991, Niyazov set out to create a new image for his country of five million by quite literally making it in his own image. INLED There are no laws in Turkmenistan; There is only the will of the Fhrer. Sadly, thanks to the Licensing Act 1872, it's also illegal and could land you a 200 fine and almost a year in jail. According to the newspaper Neytralny Turkmenistan physicians were ordered to swear an oath to the President, replacing the Hippocratic Oath.[63]. In May 2000, the government revoked all Internet licenses except for the state-owned Turkmen Telecom and in June 2001 shut down all Internet cafs. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. The official results showed that 99.9% of voters approved this proposal. 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. 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. Students of all levels must adhere to a strict dress code. The largest architectural constructed star in the world, a glass construction, which has a total area of 3,240 sq. 17 Mind Blowing Facts About Mount Rushmore, 7 Conspiracies That Flat Earthers Believe Are True. It is cheaper to let the gas burn than spend money on matchboxes. He banned news reporters and presenters from wearing makeup on television. However, many police are using the law and people's ignorance of the details to fine anyone with an extremely filthy car, even if the license plate can be seen just fine. Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov (Russian: ; Turkmen: Saparmyrat Ataewi Nyazow[a]; 19 February 1940 21 December 2006), also known as Trkmenbay[b], was a Turkmen politician who ruled Turkmenistan as a dictator from 1985 until his death in 2006. [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 National Revival Movement, an organisation to promote Turkmen culture (Turkmen: "Galkynish"), was also founded. This Central Asian country between Kazakhstan, Iran and a vast desert has been ruled for 15 years by a dictator with really bizarre laws. The roads provide an in-depth history of the role of the region during the Silk Road era between the early 8th and late 13th centuries. We were so close to a visit when we were in this area in 2018, but we were a little nervous about Turkmenistan and Tajikistan and were also running out of time. Check before taking photographs near potentially sensitive sites such as airports, military barracks, police stations, government buildings, embassies and the Presidential Palace. The doting actions of the official Turkmen media supported his cult of personality. 2. A mixture of Disneyland meeting North Korea with its incredible architecture, yet lack of freedoms, this country has a very rich history of violence. In 2008, President Berdymukhamedov added a new subsidy, of giving 120 litres of fuel to every individual every month. . Prior to being moved to the village, Niyazov's body lay in state in an open coffin in the presidential palace from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Photo:Getty Images. In 2005, Nizayov flew to Moscow to celebrate the diamond jubilee of the war's end, and just days prior, he awarded Turkmen veterans of the war as well as Russian veterans on behalf of Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian veterans on behalf of Viktor Yushchenko. Lots of wacky laws have been written over the years, and they were all written for a reason. 15. In late 2020, teachers in Turkmenabat, the country`s second largest city, were banned from dyeing their lighter hair. No one that we spoke to could provide confirmation of weddings being raided by the attendance police. 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. His presidency was characterised by an initial crumbling of the centralised Soviet model that in many respects was unsuited for a transition to smaller, separate, states. Here are 20 such weird facts about Turkmenistan: A complex visa regimen makesTurkmenistan one of the least visited countries in the world. "Eavesdropping" on your own conversations is a Class 4 felony punishable by up to three years in state prison in Illinois. It was not amended or repealed by Berdymukhamedov. People say that subsidized mortgages are also available to teachers and doctors, but I couldn`t find a teacher who would confirm this to me. It was reopened in 2009 after his death, by his successor Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow. By Ella Morton. His renaming of months, as well as most of the days of the week, to Turkmen heroes, poets, historical events,[22] family members and himself was an unexpected development. "Turkmenbashi and his 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. Turkmenistan declared independence from the Soviet Union on October 27, 1991, Turkmenistan was ruled by a dictator and President for Life, Saparmurat Niyazov between 1991 and 2006. Many of the ordinary citizens wept dramatically as they walked, some even clinging to the coffin and fainting. He also took part in creating new holidays with a specific Turkmen nature and introduced a new Latin-based Turkmen alphabet to replace Russian Cyrillic. (9 May 2020). You will learn something about everything! Oral sex is illegal. THE PRESIDENT'SOBSESSION WITH HORSES, Turkmenistan's Akal-Teke horse. Illustration: Seemon. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. After learning all these Turkmenistan facts its clear to see that this little unknown country deserves to be on anyones travel bucket list. Turkmenistan president Saparmurat Niyazov (1991-2006) passed unusual laws during his term in the pretext of preserving ancient Turkmen culture. President Berdymukhamedov is obsessed with Akhal-Teke horses. 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. During his reign, which ended in 2006, he cultivated a cult of personality, and did many things in his time that were questionable to say the least. 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). Niyazov himself had short hair and was clean shaven. Remember him, because we will be talking about him quite a bit. There was outside concern about press freedom and to a lesser extent religious rights of minority religious groups. Turkmen are descendants of the ancient Oghuz communities that migrated to the region around the seventh century. [29], In March 2004, 15,000 public health workers were dismissed including nurses, midwives, school health visitors and orderlies. [28] By 2005, there were 36,000 Internet users in Turkmenistan, representing 0.7% of the population. 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. Photo: Getty Images. Kids in Turkmenistan get to horse training centres at a young age to become horse trainers. The cap is designed in such a way that it maintains a stable body temperature in scorching summers or cold winter nights of the desert. The state was annexed by Russia in 1881 and consequently became part of the Soviet Union in 1925 as the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic.

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