A neutral country in Central Asia, covered by 70% of desert – Karakum – which means black sand in the Turkmen language.
The Darvaza gas crater (Turkmen: Garagum ýalkymy),[1] also known as the Door to Hell or Gates of Hell, officially the Shining of Karakum, is a burning natural gas field collapsed into a cavern near Darvaza, Turkmenistan.[2] Hundreds of natural gas fires illuminate the floor and rim of the crater. The crater has been burning since 1971. Drilling punctured a natural-gas cavern, the cavern’s roof collapsed, and some sources state that engineers ignited the crater to prevent poisonous gases from spreading.[3]
The crater is near the village of Darvaza in the middle of the Karakum Desert. Located about 260 kilometres (160 mi) north of Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, it has a diameter of 60–70 metres (200–230 ft)[4][5] and a depth of about 30 metres (98 ft).[6] Another nearby gas crater is fenced off and has a distinct odor.[5]
Interesting facts about Turkmenistan
- Neutral country – Neutrality written in the Constitution
- President appointed for a lifetime – family rule – dynastic dictatorship
- The Karakum desert covering 70% of the country’s land
- A country of 7 million people (as of 2026)
- Economy based on Oil
- White marble buildings all over the capital Ashgabat
- Black cars not allowed, only white cars
- The Akhal Teke horse
The Turkmen Language
Turkmen is the official language of Turkmenistan. A Turkic language of the Oghuz branch, it is written in a modified Latin alphabet. Additionally, Russian is widely used and recognized as a “language of inter-ethnic communication” across the country.