Turkmenistan unveils a futuristic city in honor of former president
What's the story
The beautiful Central Asian country of Turkmenistan on Thursday presented former President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov with a special gesture, giving other nations a beautiful takeaway. According to Reuters, the country has unveiled a new, futuristic "smart" city named Arkadag, an unofficial title given to Berdymukhamedov by the country's media, where 'Arka' means "behind" and "dag" means "protector." It was to honor his 66th birthday!
City
Arkadag can house 73,000 people, cost $3.3 billion to build
A source working closely with the Turkmenistan government told Reuters that this new, smart city can house 73,000 people. It took a whopping $3.3 billion to establish it and the authorities are planning to spend more in a few years down the line. The city was inaugurated on July 29 and is approximately 30 km outside the capital Ashgabat.
Location
It is built on the foothills of Kopet-Dag mountains
Arkadag has been built on the foothills of the immensely stunning Kopet-Dag mountains, also known as the Turkmen-Khorasan Mountain Range. The city is in an earthquake zone and features a sculpture of Berdymukhamedov atop an Akhal-Teke horse, his favorite breed. All the buildings are white and the apartment blocks have seven stories each. Only electric vehicles are allowed in the city.
Information
Green technologies were used in the construction
Officials working on this project revealed that "green" technologies were used to construct Arkadag. They even stated that the former president's son Serdar Berdymukhamedov, who is now the current leader of Turkmenistan, had closely overseen the work being done and provided his valuable suggestions.
President
Why is ex-President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov so popular?
Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov had been ruling Turkmenistan for 15 long years until he passed on the leadership to his son in 2022. He carries the title 'Hero Arkadag' for his significant contribution to strengthening solidarity between the Turkic-speaking population. Additionally, he is also highly regarded for developing cooperation between the neighboring states. His works have also thrived healthcare, education, and science sectors in the country.