What was an important stop on the Silk Road?
Merv
What is that road?
the Silk Road,
Is it a caravan route?
yes
What business did it aid?
for trade with China
Until when?
until the mid-15th century.
Turkmenistan has been where for centuries?
at the crossroads of civilizations
Is most of the country forest?
no
What is it, then?
Most of the country is covered by the Karakum (Black Sand) Desert.
What's one thing the residents get for free?
electricity, water and natural gas
What natural resources is in abundance there?
natural gas resources
Who ruled there until 2006?
President for Life Saparmurat Niyazov
What punishment did they end there in 2008?
capital punishment
What other punishment is no more?
the death penalty,
What's to the southwest of this country?
Iran
What did the place used to be called?
Turkmenia
What happened in 1881 there?
It was annexed by the Russian Empire
When did it become it's own country?
1991.
What caused that to happen?
the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Is it a repressed country?
yes
Do the people have much freedom?
no