This Is Why You Can’t Go To Turkmenistan

Quick Overview

Turkmenistan is difficult to visit due to its extremely repressive government, which imposes strict visa requirements, heavily censors media, and exhibits autocratic tendencies exemplified by its leaders, such as the current president's son immediately succeeding his father, creating a unique and isolated country with bizarre characteristics like the Darvaza Gas Crater burning non-stop since 1971.

Key Points: Turkmenistan is among the world's most repressive countries, ranking 178th out of 180 in press freedom, right behind North Korea. The country's first president, Saparmurat Niyazov, declared himself 'Turkmenbashi' (Father of all Turkmen) and mandated that all citizens read his book, the 'Ruhnama,' renaming months and holidays after himself and his mother. The Darvaza Gas Crater, nicknamed the 'Door to Hell,' has been burning continuously since 1971 after Soviet engineers intentionally set it alight to prevent the spread of methane gas. The crater is about 230 feet wide and 100 feet deep, and explorer George Kourounis became the first person to visit the floor in 2013, collecting soil samples containing extremophiles that metabolize methane. Under Niyazov, Soviet-era restrictions were maintained, including banning opera, ballet, circuses, lip-syncing, and even the word for bread, replacing it with 'Gurbansoltan' (his mother's name). The current president, Serdar Berdimuhamedow, took power in 2022, continuing the family dynasty and authoritarian rule established by his father. The Karakum Desert covers 70% of Turkmenistan, which has an extremely low population density of one person every two and a half miles.

Context: This video explores the peculiar and intensely restrictive nature of Turkmenistan, a Central Asian nation that gained independence from the USSR in 1991. The discussion centers on the country's extreme authoritarianism, bizarre cultural mandates imposed by its first president, Saparmurat Niyazov, and unique geological features like the Darvaza Gas Crater, often referred to as the 'Door to Hell.'