Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is the least densely populated Central Asian state after Kazakhstan. Most of its waterless area is inhospitable to flora and fauna. With the exception of oases in the foothills of the Kopet-Dag Range and narrow bands along the Amu Darya, Morghāb and Tejen rivers, deserts characterize the sunny sandy area. For a long time, Turkmenistan has served as a thoroughfare for many empires and cultures. One of the oldest oasis cities in Central Asia, Merv was once one of the largest cities in the world, a major city of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Turkmenistan was annexed by the Russian Empire in 1881, and played a prominent role in the anti-Bolshevik movement in Central Asia. Turkmenistan was the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic from 1925 to 1991, a constituent republic of the Soviet Union. The country declared independence on 27 October 1991. Its capital is Ashgabat, near the southern border with Iran. The country's Karakum Desert is one of the driest deserts in the world. In some places, the average annual rainfall is just 12 mm. The desert is inhabited by foxes, wild cats, gazelles and tortoises, while the mountains are home to goats, cheetahs, lynx, snow leopards and hedgehogs. Jackals, wild boars, several species of birds and the rare pink deer inhabit the Tugai area, while wild donkeys roam the southwestern Badkhyz and Garabil plateaus. The eastern coast of the Caspian Sea is home to huge flocks of ducks, geese and swans in winter, and fishermen can find plenty of herring, sprat, roach and sturgeon here.