Flag Day in Turkmenistan
Flag Day in Turkmenistan is celebrated on February 19 each year, marking the significance of the national flag and the country’s independence. The flag, characterized by its emerald green field and vertical red stripe, features five traditional Turkmen carpet patterns, symbolizing the country's cultural heritage. The design also includes a white crescent moon and five stars, which represent hope and the five regions of Turkmenistan, respectively. Flag Day was first observed in 1997, celebrating both the flag and the establishment of Turkmenistan as an independent nation following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. The holiday reflects the country's national identity and pride, rooted in a rich history shaped by nomadic traditions and various empires. As a landlocked nation primarily consisting of desert, Turkmenistan has a unique cultural landscape influenced by its Turkmen majority and significant Russian minority. This day serves not only as a national celebration but also as a reminder of the country’s journey towards sovereignty and the importance of its symbols.
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Flag Day in Turkmenistan
Flag Day in Turkmenistan
The newly independent central Asian nation of Turkmenistan celebrates Flag Day every February 19. Turkmenistan is primarily landlocked, except for the Caspian Sea to its west, and is mostly desert. The country is named for its largely Turkmen ethnic population, although there is a significant Russian ethnic minority, thanks to many years of Russian and later Soviet domination. Turkmenistan's population is a little over 4 million. Its capital is Ashgabad, a city of approximately 400,000 people.
The Turkmen people have inhabited the region for centuries, living primarily as nomads and constantly at war with each other until the 20th century. The region was ruled by Genghis Khan in the 13th century and incorporated into the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Turkmenistan was part of the Soviet Union from 1917 to 1991, when for the first time it had a territory with defined borders.
The Republic of Turkmenistan became an independent nation on October 27, 1991, after the Soviet Union collapsed, keeping the same borders that it had had under the old regime. It joined the United Nations in 1992 and has established a government consisting of an elected president and a legislative assembly called the Majlis.
Turkmenistan's emerald green state flag is adorned with a vertical red stripe on the left consisting of five basic Turkmen carpet patterns, or göl. The nation's policy of permanent neutrality is reflected in the two crossed olive branches at the base of the stripe. To the immediate right and toward the top of the stripe are a white crescent moon, symbolizing hope for the Turkmen people, and five white stars, which represent the five Turkmen regions, or velyaty—Ahal, Balkan, Daşoguz, Lebap, and Mary. Flag Day, to honor the country's independence and its newly designed flag, was first observed in 1997.