Flag of Turkmenistan
Asia
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Ashgabat
- Flag adopted
- 2001
- Population
- 7,057,841
- Area
- 488,100 km²
- Languages
- Russian, Turkmen
- Currency
- Turkmenistan manat (m) — TMT
- Demonym
- Turkmen
- Government
- presidential republic
- Subregion
- Central Asia
- Driving side
- Right
- Timezones
- UTC+05:00
- Independence
- 1991
Religions
- Muslim 93%
- Christian 6.4%
- Buddhist 1%
- folk religion 1%
- Jewish 1%
- Other 1%
- Unspecified 1%
About This Flag
The flag of Turkmenistan features a green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side containing five carpet guls (tribal motifs), and a white crescent moon with five white five-pointed stars in the upper-left area. Each of the five carpet guls represents one of the country's five major tribes (Teke, Yomut, Arsary, Chowdur, and Saryk), and the intricate woven patterns are taken directly from traditional Turkmen carpets, one of the nation's greatest cultural treasures.
The green and crescent represent Islam, while the five stars symbolize the five provinces. The flag is one of the most detailed and complex national flags in the world.
It was last updated on January 24, 2001, when an olive branch wreath was added below the guls to mark Turkmenistan's neutrality.
What the colors & design mean
Green represents Islam and the Turkmen heritage. The crescent symbolizes hope for a bright future. The five stars represent the five provinces. The five carpet guls represent the five major Turkmen tribes and the country's famed carpet-weaving tradition. The olive branches symbolize Turkmenistan's permanent neutrality.
Pattern: Solid Field
Bordering countries (4)
Fun Facts
- Turkmenistan's flag is considered one of the most complex national flags in the world due to the five detailed carpet guls, each featuring distinct tribal weaving patterns that are nearly impossible to reproduce exactly by hand.
- In 1995, the United Nations recognized Turkmenistan as a permanently neutral state — the olive branches added to the flag in 2001 commemorate this unique international status.
- Turkmen carpets are so culturally important that the country celebrates an annual 'Carpet Day' holiday, and the art of Turkmen carpet making is recognized by UNESCO.
- The Darvaza Gas Crater, known as the 'Door to Hell,' is a burning natural gas field in the Karakum Desert that has been continuously ablaze since 1971.
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