Turkenistan is another of the former Soviet Republics that formed part of the USSR and became independent when that state fell to pieces in 1991.  Since then it has had two rulers, both of whom had previously been high ranking officials in the Turkmen SSR.  It was ruled initially by President for Life Saparmurat Niyazov until his death in 2006.  Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow was elected president in 2007.

According to Human Rights Watch Turkmenistan remains one of the world's most repressive countries.  The country is virtually closed to independent scrutiny, media and religious freedoms are subject to draconian restrictions, and human rights defenders and other activists face the constant threat of government reprisal.  Still, most of us knew all that before we came...

As part of the Great Game the Russian Empire eventually crushed the Uzbek khanates that controlled the country and in 1881 the final Turkmen resistance was destroyed at the Battle of Geok Tepe.  

There followed a period of confusion and conflict which resulted in 1924 in the formation of the Turkmen SSR from the tsarist province of Transcarpia.  Events in 1991 then led to the creation of the independent state of Turkmenistan - a change the country was woefully ill-prepared for.  The rule of Niyazov has been likened to that of Kim Il-sung of North Korea and little has changed under his successor Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow who contrived to be re-elected to the presidency in 2012 with 97% of the vote. 

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