Ashgabat: what to see and whether to move there

What the city lives on and who it suits

Ashgabat is the capital of Turkmenistan at the foot of the Kopetdag mountains, with about a million people. The city has been almost entirely rebuilt in recent decades: white marble buildings, wide avenues, monuments, fountains and almost empty streets. The country's economy rests on natural gas exports, construction and state projects, and the private sector is small.

Turkmenistan is one of the most closed countries in the world. Ashgabat suits mainly specialists of construction, oil and gas and trading companies, diplomats and people with relatives here. It does not suit remote work, business without a local partner or a free lifestyle.

History

Ashgabat grew out of a late 19th-century Russian fortress near the ancient Silk Road. In October 1948 an earthquake almost completely destroyed the city, and it was rebuilt in Soviet times. After independence in 1991 and UN recognition of the country's permanent neutrality in 1995, the capital was rebuilt again in white marble, with monuments and palaces, and Guinness World Records listed it as the city with the most white marble buildings.

The city

• Centre and avenues - government buildings, the Independence Monument, the Neutrality Arch and parks.
• White marble residential blocks - high-rises along the avenues, home to civil servants and well-off families.
• Berzengi - the southern part of the city with hotels and the Olympic complex.
• Altyn Asyr market - a huge market on the outskirts selling carpets, fabrics and household goods.

Money and prices

The currency is the manat. The official rate is about 3.5 manat to the dollar, but on the unofficial market the dollar costs several times more, so prices for a foreigner depend heavily on how money is exchanged. Foreign bank cards hardly work, and visitors bring cash dollars. Local food and utilities are cheap, while imported goods are expensive and not always available.

Taxes

Personal income tax is a flat 10% and VAT 15%. Foreign companies and their representative offices follow separate rules, and foreigners carry out most projects through local partners and state contracts.

Practicalities

• Entry. A visa is required, issued on the invitation of a host organisation or travel agency. Tourists usually travel with a guide on an agreed itinerary.
• Internet. Access is heavily restricted: many websites, messengers and circumvention tools are unavailable, and speeds are low.
• Rules. Photographing government buildings is forbidden, there are many police, and the appearance of cars and streets is strictly regulated.
• Language. Turkmen; many people speak Russian, especially in the capital.
• Climate. Sharply continental: summer heat of 40 degrees and above, and winter frosts and snow.

Work and legal status

Foreigners live in Turkmenistan on a work visa and work permit arranged by the host company, most often Turkish, Chinese or working on gas projects. Opening a business independently without a local partner and state permits is difficult, and obtaining residence without an employer is practically impossible.

Sights and trips

In the city: the National Museum, the Turkmen Carpet Museum, the Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque in Kipchak and the cable car into the Kopetdag mountains. The best-known trip outside the capital is the Darvaza gas crater in the Karakum desert, about 260 kilometres north, as well as the ruins of ancient Merv and Nisa, both UNESCO sites.

Is Ashgabat worth considering for life

Pros: street safety, cheap local food and services, Russian spoken in the capital and unique architecture. Cons: a closed country, a difficult visa, restricted internet, a dual exchange rate and almost no private business. Ashgabat suits only contract work. If you need a Central Asian country for living and business, Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan are more convenient. Write in the chat and we will find an option.