Akhal-Teke Horse
This rare breed, bred in Turkmenistan for thousands of years, has a coat that gleams like polished metal in the desert sun.
Flag of Turkmenistan
Field Report
Turkmenistan is a large, mostly desert country in Central Asia, tucked between Iran, Afghanistan, and the Caspian Sea — a region most people in the Western world have never visited or even heard of. It is home to about six million people, most of whom follow Islam and have had little or no chance to hear about Jesus. The government keeps the country very closed off from the outside world, which makes it one of the hardest places on Earth for missionaries to reach.
From the Field Notebook
Akhal-Teke Horse
This rare breed, bred in Turkmenistan for thousands of years, has a coat that gleams like polished metal in the desert sun.
Karakul Sheep
Karakul sheep thrive in Turkmenistan's harsh desert climate and have been raised by Central Asian herders for over five thousand years.
Turkmenian Kulan
This wild relative of the donkey roams the Karakum Desert in small herds and can run faster than most horses over long distances.
Plov
A rich dish of rice cooked with lamb, carrots, and onions in a large iron pot, plov is the centerpiece of celebrations and everyday family meals alike.
Çelpek
These flat, fried rounds of dough are soft and slightly chewy, often made at home and served with tea during gatherings.
Dograma
Made from crumbled flatbread soaked in a broth of boiled lamb and onions, dograma is a hearty dish traditionally prepared for large feasts.
Turkmenistan sits in the heart of Central Asia and is one of the most closed countries in the world — its government controls almost everything its citizens see, hear, and read.
The Darvaza Gas Crater, nicknamed the 'Door to Hell,' is a pit in the Karakum Desert that has been burning continuously since 1971 when a Soviet drilling accident caused it to collapse and ignite.
More than seventy percent of Turkmenistan is covered by the Karakum Desert, making it one of the largest sand deserts on Earth.
The Akhal-Teke horse is so important to Turkmen identity that it appears on the country's national emblem, flag, and currency.
Turkmenistan has some of the largest natural gas reserves in the entire world, yet many ordinary people there remain very poor.
Daily Life
70
Years life expectancy
100%
Can read and write
96%
Kids go to school
Missions Field Report
Turkmenistan is home to 28 distinct people groups — 20 of them haven’t yet heard about Jesus.
Most Turkmenistan's people follow Islam (94.1%). Less than 1% of people in Turkmenistan are Evangelical Christians.
What People Believe
Unreached People Groups
These are communities of people who haven’t had the chance to hear about Jesus yet. They need missionaries — and they need kids like you to pray for them.
Turkmen
5,782,000 people
Uzbek, Northern
533,000 people
Aimaq
315,000 people
Tatar
104,000 people
Turk
67,000 people
Prayer Journal
Tick each one as you pray. God hears every word.