Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan The flag of Turkmenistan was adopted officially, February 19th, 1997. The white crescent (the symbol of Islam) and the five white stars represent the five regions of Turkmenistan. The burgundy colored rectangle represents the country's famous carpet industry.



The capital of Turkmenistan is Ashgabat, 727 700 people. The other large cities are Chardzhou, 213 500, Tashauz, 160 400.

The population of Turkmenistan is (2010) 4 940 916.

The religion of the country of Turkmenistan, is 89 % Muslim, 9% Eastern Orthodox, and 2% unknown.

The language of Turkmenistan is 72% Turkish, 12% Russian, 9% Uzbek, and 7% other.

Turkmenistan has an area of 488 100 square feet.

 The government of Turkmenistan is Republic. The political parties consist of the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan (the opposition parties are outlawed). Turkmenistan is a one-party republic.

 The original national anthem of Turkmenistan was written by the first president of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov. Two years after his death the reference in the song to Turkmenbashi, in the chorus was replaced with the people. 

Janym gurban sana, erkana ýurdum Mert pederleň ruhy bardyr könülde. Bitarap, Garaşsyz topragyn nurdur Baýdagyn belentdir dünýan önünde. Halkyň guran baky beýik binasy Berkarar döwletim, jigerim - janym. Başlaryň täji sen, diller senasy Dünýä dursun, sen dur, Türkmenistanym! Gardaşdyr tireler, amandyr iller  Owal-ahyr birdir bizin ganymyz. Harasatlar almaz, syndyrmaz siller Nesiller döş gerip gorar şanymyz. Halkyň guran baky beýik binasy Berkarar döwletim, jigerim - janym. Başlaryň täji sen, diller senasy, <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;"> Dünýä dursun, sen dur, Türkmenistanym || **<span style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold,sans-serif; font-size: 17pt;">English translation (current version) ** <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">I am ready to give life for native hearth The spirit of ancestors descendants are famous for <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">My land is sacred. My flag flies in the world <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">A symbol of the great neutral country flies. <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">The forever great creation of the people Native land, sovereign state Turkmenistan, light and song of soul Long live and prosper for ever and ever! <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">My nation is united and in veins of tribes Ancestors' blood, undying flows <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;"> Storms and misfortunes of times are not dreadful for us <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;"> Let us increase fame and honour! <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">The forever great creation of the people Native land, sovereign state Turkmenistan, light and song of soul Long live and prosper for ever and ever! || <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">Türkmenbaşyň guran beýik binasy Berkarar döwletim, jigerim - janym. Başlaryň täji sen, diller senasy <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;"> Dünýä dursun, sen dur, Türkmenistanym! <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">Janym gurban sana, erkana ýurdum Mert pederleň ruhy bardyr könülde. Bitarap, Garaşsyz topragyn nurdur Baýdagyn belentdir dünýan önünde. <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">Türkmenbaşyň guran beýik binasy Berkarar döwletim, jigerim - janym. Başlaryň täji sen, diller senasy <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">Dünýä dursun, sen dur, Türkmenistanym! <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">Gardaşdyr tireler, amandyr iller <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;"> Owal-ahyr birdir bizin ganymyz. Harasatlar almaz, syndyrmaz siller Nesiller döş gerip gorar şanymyz. <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">Türkmenbaşyň guran beýik binasy, Berkarar döwletim, jigerim - janym. Başlaryň täji sen, diller senasy, <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;"> Dünýä dursun, sen dur, Türkmenistanym! <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">Arkamdyr bu daglar, penamdyr düzler Ykbalym, namysym, togabym, Watan! Sana şek ýetirse, kör bolsun gözler Geçmişim, geljegim, dowamym, Watan! || **<span style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold,sans-serif; font-size: 17pt;">English translation (original) ** <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">The great creation of Türkmenbaşy Native land, sovereign state Turkmenistan, light and song of soul Long live and prosper for ever and ever! <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">I am ready to give life for native hearth The spirit of ancestors descendants are famous for <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;"> My land is sacred. My flag flies in the world <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;"> A symbol of the great neutral country flies. <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">The great creation of Türkmenbaşy Native land, sovereign state Turkmenistan, light and song of soul Long live and prosper for ever and ever! <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">My nation is united and is veins of tribes Ancestors' blood, undying flows <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;"> Storms and misfortunes of times are not dreadful for us <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">Let us increase fame and honour! <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 19pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">The great creation of Türkmenbaşy, Native land, sovereign state Turkmenistan, light and song of soul Long live and prosper for ever and ever! <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Mountains, rivers and beauty of steppes Love and destiny, revelation of mine <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Let my eyes go blind for any cruel look at you <span style="font-family: Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Motherland of ancestors and heirs of mine! ||
 * **<span style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold,sans-serif; font-size: 17pt;">Turkmen (current version) **
 * **<span style="font-family: Helvetica-Bold,sans-serif; font-size: 17pt;">Original **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> In Turkmenistan the traditional instruments that you would see and hear are the Dutar,Tuiduk, Dili tuiduk and the Gagri tuiduk.

Here is a dutar.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px;"> The Dutar is a traditional long-necked two-stringed lute originating from Central and South Asia. It is pear shaped, and ranges from one to two meters. It is usually played by plucking the strings. In the 15th century, the shepherds mades the strings from gut. Which evolved into twisted silk, or nylon strings which are used today. It has a warm, sweet tone. It represents Turkmen folk music. And is used in many styles of music.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px;"> The Tuiduk is a wind instrument similar to the Zurna. The Tuiduk is used when inviting people into a ceremony. Two tuidak players, play in unison, while standing in front of each other with their instruments in an upward position.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px;"> The Dili tuidak is similar to a clarinet, a single-reed instrument. There are two kinds of this instrument. One with the reed end open and another with it closed. A reed is cut in the upper part of the pipe, with three or four finger holes, at intervals of about 5-6mm. It’s range is a 6th or 7th from fa in the first octave, to re or mi in the second. To achieve some sounds you have to overblow or play with a finger hole partly open. This instrument is commonly played in Turkmen folk music. It can easily be carved by a shepherd in a few minutes, during the spring months, when the reeds grow tall. A brass version of this instrument takes a longer time to be made.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px;"> The Gagri tuiduk is a long reed flute. That has a rich harmonic tone, mellow and slightly husky, close to the sound of a human’s voice. It has six finger holes and a thumbhole, while being an end blown flute that simply has a lip rest. A similar instrument existed in ancient Egypt.

A Sample of the Turkmenistan carpets.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Turkmenistan is famous for their carpets, metalwork, embroidered garments, cotton, melons and chicken. Turkmenistan is not allowed to export their chicken, because it is labelled “unfit for human consumption”, because they feed their chickens caviar on a regular basis.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">The currency of the country is manat.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> The government of Turkmenistan is Secular democratic. The Eternal President is Saparmurat Niyazov. The people of Turkmenistan have called him their ruler through his mortal and afterlife. Seeing as he no longer is with us, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, continues to do what he did while Saparmurat Niyazov was alive.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> The people of Turkmenistan love to sing and dance. They very much enjoy singing about Saparmurat Niyazov. As well as playing games such as “spot the Turkmenbashi” and “kick the non-neutral interloper”. One popular dance that they dance is the Yelpesse. The dance consists of many movements from daily everyday life, which could include playing music, weaving or spinning yarn. The dress of the dancers consists of a highly embroidered garment with false sleeves (during the dance the false sleeves are not worn) which is commonly worn over the head, like a paranjah. But can be worn on the shoulders so that a headdress may be seen. Pieces of jewelery have been sewn on to the dress so that we needed they can be removed and sold. In their “freestyle” dancing everyone is positioned in a circle with everybody slowly turning in one direction. Males and Females only intermingle by meeting in the middle of the circle and turning around each other, never touching, while moving their arms and hands up and down in rhythm with the music. The music is usually at a moderate-fast tempo, very heavy on the drums and the synthesizer. It is usually recorded, but sometimes is preformed by a live singer, reed instrument and dutar player.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> The food of Turkmenistan is similar to Central Asia. The food usually does not use spices or seasonings and is cooked with large amounts of cottonseed oil for flavour. Some specialties of food are : <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">· Shashlyk – Which is skewered chunks of mutton, pork, chicken or sometimes fish, grilled over charcoal, and garnished with raw sliced onions and a special vinegar-based sauce <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">· Lipioshka – Which is rounds of unleavened bread <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">· Manty – Which is larger noodle dumplings filled with meat and onions or pumpkin <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">· Shorpa – Which is a meat and vegetable soup <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">· Ka’urma – Which is mutton deep-fried in its own fat <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">· Churban Churpa – Which is mutton fat dissolved in green tea <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">· Plov – Is the staple food, and consists of chunks of mutton, carrots, onions, spices, raisins, peas or quinces and rice fried in a large cast-iron cauldron. Sometimes chicken is used instead of mutton. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">· Ichlekli – Which is meat and onion pies, cooked in hot sand <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">· Gutap – Which is a type of pie, filled with mea, potatoes, spinach or pumpkin <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Meals are eaten while sitting down on the carpet, with utensils. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Bread is a staple. During a day of three meals, bread is eaten at every meal. For example, for breakfast they may have butter and honey with their bread. At lunch, tea and pickled salads, with bread, and at supper, rice and lamb with bread. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Popular drinks in Turkmenistan are green tea, Beer, wine, vodka, brandy, sparkling wine (shampanski) and kefir. Kefir is a thick drinking yogurt. As well as chal, this is a fermented camel’s milk, which is a white sparkeling beverage with a sour taste.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> The Russian Bazaar, is the only place where you can find everything. Food, local and foreign, textiles, furniture, sports equipement, CD’s, DVD’s, books office supplies, Turkmen souvenirs, and black market money changers. The gouvernement rate is about $1 = 5 000 manat, and the black market rate fluctuates around $1 = 25 000 manat. The “Altyn Asyr” or “Golden Century” is the retail mall. There is a large model of the book (15 feet tall) that the president wrote “Ruhnama” (“book of the soul”), that opens up every evening with lights and music and imparts one passage of the book to the people who gather to listen. This book is studied and memorized by every child in the school. There is a monument that commemorates the country’s neutrality. There is a golden statue of the president Saparmyrant Nyazov, on top that rotates throughout the day to continuously face the sun. The government building is a white marble and gold building with fountains. All very nice places to visit while you are there.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> In Turkmenistan, there isn’t a wide variety of sports. They have a national futsal team which is controlled by the football Association of Turkmenistan. As well as a rugby union team, a Fed Cup/ Davis Cup team, the Fed Cup team is the women’s tennis, and the Davis cup team is men’s tennis. Turkmenistan has participated in the Paralymic Games since 2000, but only ever participating in the Summer Paralympics, never the Winter Paralympics. Turkmens have only participated in the powerlifting competition, and have never won a medal. As well as the Paralympics, Turkmenistan has participated in 4 Summer Olympics, the first one in 1996, and have never won a medal. They have never participated in Winter Olympics.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> The native animals to Turkmenitstan are :

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Wild boar <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Elk <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Argali <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Goitered gazelle <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Saiga antelope <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Corsac fox <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Cross fox <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Beech marten <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Cheetah <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Badger <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Marbled polecat <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Honey badger <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Brown bear <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Least weasel <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Asiatic jackal <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Artic wolf <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">African caracal <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Pallas’s cat <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Leopard <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Tiger <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Jungle cat <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Sand cat <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Wild cat <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Striped <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; line-height: normal;">hyena <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Common otter <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Eurasian lynx <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Afghan fox <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Lesser mouse-eared bat <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"> Geoffroy’s bat <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Natterer\s bat <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Bobrinski’s serotine <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Botta’s serotine <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Blasius’s horseshoe bat <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Mediterranean horseshoe bat <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"> Greater horseshoe bat <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Lesser horsesho bat <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">European free-tailed bat <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"> Afghan pika <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Asian wild ass <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Libyan jird <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Mid-day jird <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Persian jird <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Tamarisk jird <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Small five-toed jerboa <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Zarundny’s jird <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Great jerboa <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Persian vole <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Svertzov’s jerboa <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Tien shan vole <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Mongolian five-toed jerboa <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Transcaspian vole <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Bobrinski’s jerboa <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Afghan vole <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Afghan mouse-like hamster <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Masked mouse-tailed dormouse <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Northern three-toed jerboa <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Short-tailed bandicoot rat <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Forest dormouse <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Southern mole vole <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Northern mole vole <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Zaisan mole vole comb-toed jerboa <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Lichtenstein’s jerboa <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Long-clawed ground squirrel <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Turkmen jerboa <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Yellow <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> ground squirrel <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Thick-tailed three-toed jerboa <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Menzbier’s marmot

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">A few words translated from English to Turkish.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Hello || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Merhaba ||
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Bless you || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Seni Korusun ||
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Lip chap || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Dudak adam ||
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Fantasy || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Fantezi ||
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Clothes || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Giysi ||
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Toilet || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Tuvalet ||
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Jump || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Atlama ||
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Towel || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Havlu ||

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Stereotypes <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">- Turkmen women wear veils or have practiced strict seclusion <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">- Has lots of turkeys <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">- People of Turkmenistan eat turkey at every meal

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">The standard living of Turkmenistan, 70 % of it is urban housing and about 10 percent is rural housing. The average citizen has 11.2 square meters of housing space in the urban areas, or 10.5 square meters in rural areas. In 1989, 31 % of the housing had running water, 27 % had central heating, and 20 % had a sewer line. In 1991 almost all families had T.V. sets, refrigerators, and sewn g machines, and 84 % had washing machines. As well, 26 % of the people owned cars.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">When the turkmen people play their music they wear what they would normally wear in everyday life. Men wear high, shaggy sheepskin hats and red robes over white shirts. Women wear long sack-dresses over narrow trousers (the pants are trimmed with a band of embroidery at the ankle). Female headdresses usually consist of silver jewelry. Bracelets and brooches could have semi-precious stones. Young women with two braids and a small scarf are unmarried; those with one braid and a big kerchief have been wed.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Musical celebrations and ceremonies: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">First Sunday of April is "The drop of water is the grain of gold" festival. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Last Sunday of April is a day to celebrate the Turkmen horse. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> May 19 is Makhtumkuli poetry festival. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Last Sunday of May is Turkmen carpet day. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Second Sunday of August is a day to celebrate the Turkmen melon. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Last Sunday of September is bakhshy day to celebrate the Turkmen folk singers. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Last Sunday of November is the harvest festival. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> First Sunday of December is the neighborhood day.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">The differences and similarities between Turkmenistan and Canada:

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> - No snow <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> -Shopping malls <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> -Variety of food <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> -Schooling system <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> -Variety of sports teams <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> - Secular democratic government || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> - Imported and exported goods <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> - Religion <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> - Many natural resources ||
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Differences || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Similarities ||
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> - They eat on the floor

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">The popular genres of music in Turkmenistan are pop, rock, rap, classical, orchestra and contemporary. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">The genres of music played are dance, pop, and rock to classical and orchestra, with all in between there. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Top 10 artists of 2009 in Turkmenistan are, in no particular order: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">- Azari, uyghur

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">- Lazgi <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">- Borymayman <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">- Devona qilsun <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">- Qayroq <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">- Tovba <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">-Gul bodom <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">- Ulugbek Sobirov Popuri <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">- Oyna Var <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">- Rayhon Ishonmmay

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">The most popular (most albums sold) artist of the country is Azari, uyghur. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">There are no music award shows in Turkmenistan. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">A few famous artists from Turkmenistan are Leyla Shadurdyeva, sisters Annagul and Gulshat Gurdovs, Nuryagdy Tokgayev, Akysh Saparov, Kerim Gurbanaliyec, and Atabai Charyguly. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Students typically get their music background form private lessons and school. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">In the everyday life of a Turkmen person, they will hear music all around them. The radio and/ or television is always on, as well as people performing in the streets. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Sources Citied. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[]

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[] <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[] <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">http://en.wikipedia.org [] [|http://www.orexca.com/] [] [] []

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