July 2016

Turkmen Sahra that means "Plain
of Turkmens", is a region in the
northeast of Iran near the Caspian
Sea, bordering Turkmenistan, the
majority of whose inhabitants are
ethnic Turkmen. The most
important cities of Turkmen Sahra
are Gonbad, Aqqala, Kalaleh,
Maraveh Tappeh, Gomishan and
Bandar Torkaman. There were,
according to Ethnologue, over 2
million Turkmens in
Turkmen Sahra in 1997.
Society
Turkmens today in Turkmensahra
live fairly modern lifestyles,
although the effects of religion
and the Muslim way of life are
visible. The economy is based on
industry, even if agriculture still
plays a great role in some
Turkmens' life, like in other places
of Iran. The professions among
Turkmens shows the pattern of a
modern economy even if there are
still some shortcomings due to lack
of funding from the central
authorities. The economic
potential of Turkmensahra is big
since a vast amount of oil was
discovered early in the 1930. But
since there was a deal with the
Soviet Union that there would be
no oil extraction from Turkmen
Sahra, there is not an oil industry at
the moment.
Before the revolution in 1979 the
Turkmens lived an economically
richer life than people in other
areas of Iran. Though poverty
existed in small portions, most
people lived and could afford
material goods in their home. This
was unusual for some parts of Iran.
During the Shah's time the
difference between cities and
villages was great. Going from a city
like Bandar Torkaman to a nearby
village, the differences were so vast
that tourists felt like they had gone
back in time. In villages there were
no asphalt roads nor doctors. There
was no electricity either to light up
the town or the houses. People
used donkeys and horses to travel
until about 30 years ago. Buses,
taxis and private cars were found
only in bigger cities. The literacy
rate has also increased since the
revolution; it was not unusual for
older Turkmen women to be
analphabets. Girls began to study in
school after the revolution which
was unusual back in the Shah's
period.. 21