If you drive around the capital of Turkmenistan, you will probably notice that most of the cars on the road are white. This is no accident. Back in 2018, a regulation was passed according to which driving in black and brightly colored cars is prohibited in the capital Ashgabat.
No one has explained why this bizarre decision was made, although many claim that it is connected to the superstition of former Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov. Namely, he believes that the color white brings happiness.
Not only are most cars on the road white – silver and gold carsare allowed with some exceptions, but they must be spotlessly clean. If the police catch you on the road with a dirty car, you will have to pay a fine.
Ashgabat is often called the white city because all new buildings since 2000 have been built from white marble. Moreover, the Turkmen capital holds the record for the highest concentration of white marble buildings in the world.
Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia and along the Caspian Lake, which was created after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and is bordered by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Iran.
Although it has many attractions, few have the opportunity to see them live. The top government is not interested in tourism, and according to some statistics, they approve only about 10,000 tourist visas per year.
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