Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia that is bounded to the northwest by Kazakhstan, to the north, east, and northeast by Uzbekistan, to the southeast by Afghanistan, to the south and southwest by Iran, and to the west by the Caspian Sea. The largest and capital city is Ashgabat. Turkmenistan has a population of about 6 million people, the fewest of the Central Asian republics, and it is one of the Asia countries with the fewest people.

Turkmenistan has long been a gateway to other cultures and nations. Merv is one of Central Asia's oldest oasis cities and was once the world's largest. It was also a significant stop on the Silk Road and one of the great Islamic cities. Turkmenistan was an active participant in the Central Asian anti-Bolshevik movement after it was annexed by the Russian Empire in 1881. The Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Turkmen SSR) was established as a constituent republic of Turkmenistan in 1925. It gained independence in 1991 when the Soviet Union broke up.

Turkmenistan has the fifth-largest natural gas reserves in the world. The Karakum Desert covers the majority of the country. From 1993 to 2017, the government provided natural gas, water, and electricity to citizens at no cost.

Turkmenistan is a member of the United Nations, the Türksoy community, and an observer state in the Organization of Turkic States. In addition, the United Nations General Assembly recognizes it as the only permanent neutral nation in Asia.