Turkmenistan was formerly known as Turkmenia

It is the 52nd largest country in the world by land size

The name of the capital city, Ashgabat, means “city of love”

The Karakum Desert covers approximately 70% of the country

Uzbekistan is one of two double landlocked countries in the world

It has two national parks and nine nature reserves

The city of Bukhara is more than 2,000 years old and is the most complete example of a medieval city in Central Asia

It is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of cotton

Green tea is the national hot beverage

Mountains cover over 90% of Tajikistan

The country experienced a five year civil war between 1992 and 1997

The name of the capital city, Dushanbe, means “Monday” in Tajik

The highest mountain in Tajikistan is named after Ismoili Somoni, who was a popular ruler at the beginning of the 10th century (there are also many monuments of Ismoili Somoni throughout Dushanbe)

Kyrgyzstan is one of the world’s least crowded countries. There are just 29.5 residents for each square kilometre of land

The mountainous Tian Shan region covers 80% of the country. It has even been described as the “Switzerland of Central Asia”

Horse meat and horse milk are very popular

Gold accounts for the majority of Kyrgyzstan’s exports. Another significant export is dried legumes!

Kazakhstan is the ninth largest country in the world by land size

The majority of the population is under the age of 30

It is one of the only countries to ever denuclearize (Kazakhstan handed over all its nuclear weapons to Russia by 1995)

It is home to the Baikonur Cosmodome, the world’s first and largest space launch facility. It is leased by the Russians until 2050

The New Year is called Nauryz and is celebrated in March

The name of the major city and the former capital, Almaty, means a “place full of apples”