Present-day Turkmenistan covers territory that has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. In medieval times, Merv (located in present-day Mary province) was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. The region was annexed by Russia in the late 1800s and became the Soviet republic of Turkmenistan in 1924, which achieved independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. Today, Turkmenistan is a presidential republic with civil law system with Islamic (sharia) law influences.
Turkmenistan has 5 provinces and 1 independent city in terms of administrative regions.
Economically, Turkmenistan is largely a desert country with intensive agriculture in irrigated oases and significant natural gas and oil resources. The two largest crops are cotton, most of which is produced for export, and wheat, which is domestically consumed. Although agriculture accounts for almost 8% of GDP, it continues to employ nearly half of the country's workforce. Hydrocarbon exports, the bulk of which is natural gas going to China, make up a significant portion of Turkmenistan’s GDP.
Source: CIA World Factbook - Turkmenistan
