Ashgabat holds the Guinness World Record for the world's largest collection of marble buildings. In 1994 a plebiscite extended Niyazov's term to 2002 so he could oversee a 10-year development plan. Niyazov himself had short hair and was clean shaven. That's "Ruhnama", which is the title of Niyazov's book. At the same time, he closed all libraries outside the capital because people in the countryside could not read. Within mosques, it was to be treated the same as the Quran. [73] The eccentric nature of some of his decrees, and the vast number of images of the president led to the perception, especially in western countries, of a despotic leader, rich on oil wealth glorifying himself whilst the population gained no benefit. Somewhere, a bit of greasing of the palms of the license-givers. 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. [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. Weird laws in Florida. Pilaf, the staple diet of Turkmenistan. However, as of 2019 it still hasn't been. Every second Sunday in the month of August is celebrated as the National Melon Day by the people. The locals were ordered to recite Ruhnama every day. Turkmenistan has no ties to NATO or the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The Bayou State has declared it illegal to send anything to a person's house . For example, September was renamed Ruhnama in honour of the book written by Niyazov (which he finished writing on 19 September 2001). The doting actions of the official Turkmen media supported his cult of personality. Additionally, numerous petroleum transportation projects were completed such as a pipeline from the Korpedje field to Kort-Koi in Iran. Connecting people to experiences that will change their lives. But it's a highly secretive country that is often referred to as a . Many of the ordinary citizens wept dramatically as they walked, some even clinging to the coffin and fainting. The full independence of Turkmenistan was recognised by a UN General Assembly resolution "The permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan" of 12 December 1995. [70][71], During Niyazov's presidency there was no freedom of the press nor was there freedom of speech. 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. In 2013, seven years after Niyazovs death, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov ordered the removal of Ruhnama from all public schools. In March 2005, he ordered the closure of all hospitals outside Ashgabat, stating that the sick should go to the capital for treatment. Could you imagine enforcing this law in the U.Sor India? The Ruhnama a book written by Saparmurat Niyazov had to be displayed in locations of prominence, all government buildings, and shops. Via Emil Delavele 18 A The following year, in 2014, the current president of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, declared that all Turkmen universities would no longer test their students for their knowledge of Ruhnama.It that the strange laws in Turkmenistan would end. 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. Turkmenistan holds the Guinness World Record for the largest indoor Ferris wheel in an architectural structure. Moreover, there is also a carpet on the national flag of Turkmenistan. Photo:Getty Images. Friday was renamed after her, too. 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. You must smile in public in Idaho. The city of Kerki was renamed for his father, and city of ylanly for his mother. Young people can not grow beards, black cars, a record fascination with world records are some of the strange facts about Turkmenistan. One of the contentious laws outlaws gold teeth, opera, and spandex. A Turkmen could easily leave the gas on so as not to waste a match in the light later! A remarkable fact about the country is that it was home to a giant sea 30 million years ago. It is made in compounds of rice with chunks of meat, carrot, and spices, fried in a large pan or a cauldron. 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. [33][34] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan strongly denied allegations that the cut in pensions resulted in the deaths of many elderly Turkmens, accusing foreign media outlets of spreading "deliberately perverted" information on the issue. Some of the first strange laws that were introduced occurred under Turkmenistan`s first president, Saparmurat Niyazov. 20. But Berdymuhamedov also passed bizarre laws. Sabol, Steven. The desert landscape is the prominent feature in Turkmenistan. 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). The month September was also named after his book Ruhnama. "Eavesdropping" on your own conversations is a Class 4 felony punishable by up to three years in state prison in Illinois. [78], Foreign news reports also claimed that Niyazov also suffered from ischemic heart disease and kidney failure due to being overweight and overindulgence of alcohol. [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. When he tried to quit, he instigated this ban so as to eliminate temptation from people smoking on the street. The book is supposed to orbit earth for the next 150 years. 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. Telpek, a large sheepskin hat worn by men is one of the signs of the nomadic tradition. [30] In February 2005 all hospitals outside Ashgabat were ordered closed, with the reasoning that the sick should come to the capital for treatment. 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]. Unlike other Central Asian countries, Turkmenistan under Niyazov put emphasis on the country's sacrifice during the Second World War. It is nearly incomprehensible that a desert place can produce melon, but some of the best melons in the world are grown in Turkmenistan. Niyazov said: Let this humane act on the part of the state serve strengthening truly moral values of the Turkmen society. [35] On 19 March 2007 Turkmenistan's new president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow reversed Niyazov's decision by restoring pensions to more than 100,000 elderly citizens.[36]. Even locals you talk to in Turkmenistan don`t know the site, although it remains the biggest attraction that attracts tourists to Turkmenistan. 7) Thou shalt not name thy children strangely. Here are 20 such weird facts about Turkmenistan: 1. He made the book mandatory to be studied in schools, universities and government offices. No less idiosyncratic than its architecture, Turkmenistan's laws are the stuff of laughter and legend. ASHGABAT IN THE GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS, A picture of capital city Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. One of the many weird rules framed by Niyazov in 2004 was that young men were barred from having beard or long hair. Guinness World Records - Largest Indoor Ferris Wheel. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. This is also why there are a number of car-washing stations on the outskirts of the city, so that people can get their cars cleaned before entering the city. One can only theorize that he wanted all of the men of his country to follow suit and resemble him. [4], In 2005, Niyazov appointed Gurbanmyrat Ataew as Minister of Oil and Gas, succeeding Atamurad Berdyev.[19]. [7] He made it mandatory to read the Ruhnama in schools, universities and governmental organizations, new governmental employees were tested on the book at job interviews and an exam on its teachings was a part of the driving test in Turkmenistan. Inside Central Asia. Circus is also banned. 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. Remember him, because we will be talking about him quite a bit. Now, these subsidies are only given to a certain group of government employees, such as those who work in the oil and gas industry. President Berdymukhamedov is obsessed with Akhal-Teke horses. The Darvaza Gas Crater is also called "the Door to Hell". On the afternoon of 21 December 2006, Turkmen state television announced that President Saparmurat Niyazov had died of a sudden heart attack in the early morning hours at around 01:10 local time at his residence, the Turkmenbashy Palace, age 66. Dictatorships aren't exactly known for their reasonable laws. 7. However, the rule of no public smoking is enforced. Melons of Turkmenistan are famous all throughout the region. According to the Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru, right-hand-drive imported cars converted to left-hand-drive were banned due to a perceived increased risk in accidents. The official results showed that 99.9% of voters approved this proposal. The market has adapted to the rule and many female students simply buy fake braids and attach them to their takhyas or buy ready-made headgear to hide shorter haircuts. However, it still exists, albeit in a non-rotating form, out in the suburbs of Ashgabat. . Transfixed in Turkmenistan: so fitting. If you are found guilty, you could face a lengthy prison sentence in very basic conditions. You have rejected additional cookies. Vistors to this city describe it as "strange" and "eerie". It is against the law to give tobacco products as a gift; if you are caught you could be fined. [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. Smoking is definitely allowed. Although reliable numbers are not readily available, it is estimated that less than 15,000 people visit the country annually. 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. Turkmenistan is the only country in the world that has been recognised asneutral by the United Nations. In 1995, all 185 members voted for Turkmenistan to remain neutral and in celebrationof this, an olive branch was added to the flag. He also ordered that each broadcast begin with a pledge that the broadcaster's tongue would shrivel if he/she slanders the country, flag, and/or president. Drivers will be fined for splashing pedestrians with rainwater Image credit: @iarjunphotography The autocrat even got the book launched in space, in August 2005, so that the book could conquer space as well. [66] Niyazov claimed those who read it thrice were destined for heaven. An unmarried woman cannot go skydiving on a Sunday. Turkmen rules are getting even weirder. The first, Niyazov, ruled for 15 years and called himself the "President for Life". Seychelles, Sierra Leone . A picture of the Hell's Gate or the Darwaza Crater. The view is awe-inspiring at night as the flames light up against the pitch darkness of the desert. Berdimuhamedow and the Halk Maslahaty announced on 26 December 2006 that the next presidential elections would be held on 11 February 2007 to elect Niyazov's successor. In most countries, getting a driving license requires a fair understanding of driving. Given that there is an abundance of natural gas in Turkmenistan, people never switch off the gas. Pensions received during the prior two years were ordered paid back to the state. ", "Turkmen Government Removes Ruhnama as Required Subject | Eurasianet", "Turkmenistan Is Finally Putting the 'Ruhnama' Behind Them", "Education in Turkmenistan Under the Second President: Genuine Reforms or Make Believe?
turkmenistan weird laws