Turkmenistan

The telpek is the traditional headwear, a tall sheepskin hat worn in both summer and winter.

About 80% of the country is the Karakum Desert, one of the largest sand deserts in Asia, making Turkmenistan among the most arid countries on Earth.

The dutar, a two-stringed lute, is the central instrument, and the art of dutar playing and bagsy singing is on UNESCO’s intangible heritage list.

Permanent neutrality is written into the constitution and was recognised by the UN General Assembly in 1995, the only country with that status. 12 December is Neutrality Day.

The second Sunday of August is Melon Day, honouring the Turkmen gawun, especially the prized Vaharman variety.

UNESCO describes Ancient Merv as the oldest and most completely preserved oasis city along Central Asia’s Silk Roads; its archaeological park includes Bronze Age remains.

Ashgabat holds the Guinness record for the highest density of white marble buildings, over 500 of them, giving the capital a uniform, gleaming look.

Magtymguly Pyragy, the 18th-century poet, is the national literary figure. 2024 was declared his tercentenary year, and his poetry is treated as the foundation of Turkmen identity.

The Akhal-Teke horse is a national obsession, famed for its metallic sheen and endurance. It appears on the state emblem and currency, and the last Sunday of April is National Horse Day.

Carpet weaving is the national art. Each of the main tribes has its own gul, a distinctive medallion motif, and five of them appear on the national flag, the only flag in the world featuring carpet designs.

It holds roughly the world’s fourth-largest natural gas reserves, concentrated in the vast Galkynysh field, yet exports are constrained by limited pipeline routes.

The last Sunday of May is Carpet Day, a public holiday, and Ashgabat has a national carpet museum holding one of the world’s largest handwoven carpets.