Animals and Plants

What is growing there in Turkmenistan?

The landscape of Turkmenistan consists to a very large extent of desert and steppe. Only grasses and bushes that can get by with little water grow there. In the more mountainous locations it rains more and so a greater variety of plants and trees is created here. Grapes, figs and pistachios spread wildly.

A big problem is that more and more area is becoming a desert. The soil becomes too salty and then nothing grows there and nothing can be cultivated. In addition, the soil and groundwater are often polluted by too much fertilizer and pesticides.

Which animals live in Turkmenistan?

In addition to snakes, lizards and jerboa, larger animals such as goitered gazelles and Asian donkeys also live in the desert-like steppes. These resemble horses and eat the grass that grows in the arid areas.

The yellow ground squirrel is a ground squirrel and lives in western Turkmenistan. He likes the roots and bulbs of desert plants. It hibernates from September to mid-May. Caracals also live in Turkmenistan’s drier areas. They are little big cats.

The mountainous regions are home to urials (wild sheep) and wild goats. Do you know the reddish pika? He also lives here and whistles loudly when danger threatens.

Wild boars, striped hyenas and a few hundred specimens of the Persian leopard are also native here. Persian leopards have a fairly light coat and grow larger than other leopards. They are threatened with extinction. In Turkmenistan there are said to be around 80 animals (out of around 1000 worldwide).

Economy

Natural gas from Turkmenistan

Besides crude oil, natural gas is Turkmenistan’s most valuable natural resource. The country has the fourth largest natural gas reserves in the world. Several gas lines (pipelines) transport the natural gas via Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to China and via Afghanistan and Pakistan to India. Another pipeline to the Caspian Sea is being built. While the largest natural gas field is in the south-east of the country, the oil fields are mainly located near the Caspian Sea.

Cotton from Turkmenistan

According to elaineqho, only about 3 percent of the total land area of ​​Turkmenistan is agriculturally usable. All arable land must be artificially irrigated because not enough rain falls. Although the area is so small, agriculture generates 7.5 percent of the total economic output. And after all, 48 percent of the population work in this area.

The main product is cotton. It grows to about half of the fields and is exported. This is followed by wheat, which is processed and eaten in the country. Citrus fruits, dates, figs, melons, pomegranates, olives and pistachios are also grown. There is also cattle breeding, mainly sheep, but also cattle, chickens and goats.

Everyday Life

Shopping in Turkmenistan

The Turkmen go to the market to buy groceries. It’s called a bazaar here. Everything is fresh there: fruit, vegetables, meat or herbs and spices. Small snacks or snacks are often offered at street stalls. But there are also supermarkets and small village shops in the country. The manat is used to pay for everything. It is divided into 100 tenge. Many foods have fixed prices set by the state.

Living in Turkmenistan

In the larger cities, many buildings date from the 1950s and 1960s. These are mostly apartment buildings. But there are also tall prefabricated buildings from the Soviet era and modern high-rise buildings from recent years. In the countryside, people live in simple, small houses.

The Turkmens receive water and salt free of charge from the state. Electricity and gas were also free until 2013 and 2015, respectively. Electricity now costs a small amount, and gas is only free up to a certain consumption. Petrol, grain, bread and other products are very cheap for vouchers.

Out and about in Turkmenistan

Those who do not have their own car travel by bus in Turkmenistan. The roads are mostly tarred, but there are also unpaved slopes away from the main traffic routes, for example in the mountains and in the desert. It is forbidden to drive in dirty cars!

There are also several railway lines, the main lines running from north to south and from west to east, this is the Trans-Caspian Railway. Trains run very slowly, however: while they are modern themselves, the rails have been neglected for many years. In the desert, they also have to be freed from sand by hand every day. Train and bus tickets are very cheap.

Clothes in Turkmenistan

Young people in the city often dress very similarly to ours: with jeans, T-shirts or shirts. Older women, on the other hand, are often seen in traditionally colored coats and headscarves. Men still wear the sheepskin hat, which keeps you nice and warm. Her name is Telpek.