History of Turkmenistan

Seljuk Empire, 1037–1194 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Seljuk Empire was a high medieval, culturally Turco-Persian empire established and ruled by the Qïnïq branch of Oghuz Turks. The Seljuk Empire was founded in 1037 by Tughril (990–1063) and his brother Chaghri (989–1060), both of whom co-ruled over its territories. Contemporary sources place them in Dehistan/Mishrian, Gyzylarbat, and Nisa, as well as Sarakhs, all in present-day Turkmenistan. The Seljuks were eventually supplanted in the east by the Khwarazmian Empire in 1194 and in the west by the Zengids and Ayyubids.

Seat of power: Merv

Transcaspian Oblast, 1881–1921 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Transcaspian Oblast, or simply Transcaspia, was an oblast of the Russian Empire and early Soviet Russia to the east of the Caspian Sea. Part of Russian Turkestan, it corresponded roughly to the territory of present-day Turkmenistan and southwestern Kazakhstan. Transcaspia was conquered by Russia in 1879–1885, in a series of campaigns led by Generals Nikolai Lomakin, Mikhail Skobelev, and Mikhail Annenkov. Until 1898 Transcaspia was part of the Governor-Generalship of the Caucasus Viceroyalty administered from Tiflis, but in that year it was made an oblast of Russian Turkestan governed from Tashkent.

Seat of power: Ashgabat

Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic, 1924–1991 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union, located in Central Asia. Initially, on 7 August 1921, it was established as the Turkmen Oblast of the Turkestan ASSR before being made a separate republic of the USSR as the Turkmen SSR. On 22 August 1990, the republic declared its sovereignty over Soviet laws. On 27 October 1991, it became independent as Turkmenistan.

Seat of power: Ashgabat

Turkmenistan, 1991 to today Draft, not yet reviewed

In 1925, Turkmenistan became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Turkmen SSR); it became independent after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. With over 7 million people, Turkmenistan is the 35th most-populous country in Asia and has the lowest population of the Central Asian republics while being one of the most sparsely populated nations located on the Asian continent. Most of the country is covered by the Karakum Desert.

Seat of power: Ashgabat

Rulers

• Saparmyrat Nyýazow, President of Turkmenistan, 1990–2006
• Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, President of Turkmenistan, 2006–2022
• Serdar Berdimuhamedow, President of Turkmenistan, 2022 to today