Turkmenistan

American  

[turk-me-nuh-stan, -stahn] / ˌtɜrk mɛ nəˈstæn, -ˈstɑn /

noun

1. a republic in central in Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, Iran, and Afghanistan. 188,417 sq. mi. (488,000 sq. km). Ashkhabad.

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Turkmenistan British  

/ ˌtɜːkmɛnɪˈstɑːn /

noun

1. a republic in central Asia: the area has been occupied by a succession of empires; a Turkmen state was established in the 15th century but suffered almost continual civil strife and was gradually conquered by Russia; in 1918 it became a Soviet republic and gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991: deserts including the Kara Kum cover most of the region; agricultural communities are concentrated around oases; there are rich mineral deposits. Official language: Turkmen. Religion: believers are mainly Muslim. Currency: manat. Capital: Ashkhabad. Pop: 5 113 040 (2013 est). Area: 488 100 sq km (186 400 sq miles)

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Turkmenistan Cultural  

1. Republic in west-central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, by Uzbekistan to the north and northwest, by Afghanistan and Iran to the south, and by the Caspian Sea to the west. Its capital and largest city is Ashkhabad.

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This former member of the Soviet Union declared its independence in 1991.

Example Sentences

They had departed from Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

Energy-rich Turkmenistan, one of the world's most reclusive and sealed-off states, has stated its desire to diversify its exports towards Europe and the Indian subcontinent.

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

In the desert expanse of Turkmenistan, Chinese engineers are hard at work at the vast Galkynysh gas field -- a mega project that is deepening the closed Central Asian state's already extensive ties with Beijing.

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

“The Happy Dictator,” released as the lead single in September, parodies megalomaniac Saparmurat Niyazov’s approach to governing in Turkmenistan.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

From 1998-2005, Turkmenistan suffered from the continued lack of adequate export routes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive short-term external debt.

From The 2008 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency