Saparmurat Niyazov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
His Excellency Türkmenbaşy
Saparmurat Niyazov
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| Saparmyrat Ataýewiç Nyýazow | |
Niyazov in 2002
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| 1st President of Turkmenistan | |
| In office 2 November 1990 – 21 December 2006 |
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| Prime Minister | Han Ahmedow (1990–1992) |
| Vice President |
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| Preceded by | office established |
| Succeeded by | Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow |
| First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan | |
| In office 21 December 1985 – 16 December 1991 |
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| Preceded by | Muhammetnazar Gapurow |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Full member of the 28th Politburo | |
| In office 14 July 1990 – 29 August 1991 |
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| Leader of the Democratic Party | |
| In office 27 October 1991 – 21 December 2006 |
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| Preceded by | position established |
| Succeeded by | Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov
19 February 1940 Gypjak, Turkmen SSR, Soviet Union |
| Died | 21 December 2006 (aged 66) Ashgabat, Turkmenistan |
| Political party | Democratic Party of Turkmenistan (1991–2006) |
| Other political affiliations |
Communist Party of Turkmenistan (1962–1991) |
| Spouses | Muza Niyazova Russian: Му́за Ния́зова |
| Children |
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| Education | Leningrad Polytechnic Institute |
| Profession | Electrical engineer |
Saparmurat Niyazov (born February 19, 1940 – died December 21, 2006) was the very first President of Turkmenistan. He led the country from 1993 until his death in 2006. Niyazov gave himself the special title of Türkmenbaşy, which means "Leader of the Turkmen people." He created a "cult of personality," meaning he made sure his image and ideas were everywhere. This made him seem like a super important and powerful figure to everyone in the country. During his time as president, Niyazov introduced many unusual laws. For example, he made it against the law to grow a beard or to perform ballet dancing. He passed away from a heart attack on December 21, 2006. After his death, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow became the new president of Turkmenistan.
Contents
Early Life and Rise to Power
Saparmurat Niyazov was born in a place called Gypjak in Turkmenistan. This was when Turkmenistan was part of the Soviet Union. He became an Electrical engineer after studying at the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute.
Niyazov started his career in politics within the Communist Party of Turkmenistan. He slowly moved up the ranks. In 1985, he became the leader of the Communist Party in Turkmenistan. This was a very important job in the Soviet system.
When the Soviet Union began to break apart, Turkmenistan became an independent country. Niyazov then became its first president. This happened in 1990, and he was officially elected president in 1991.
Leading Turkmenistan
As president, Saparmurat Niyazov had a lot of power. He wanted to make Turkmenistan a strong and unique country. He focused on building a new national identity. This meant promoting Turkmen culture and history.
He also made sure Turkmenistan used its natural resources, like natural gas. The country has a lot of gas, and selling it helped the economy. Niyazov used this money for big building projects.
Türkmenbaşy: The Leader of All Turkmen
Niyazov gave himself the title Türkmenbaşy. This means "Head of the Turkmen" or "Leader of all Turkmen." It showed his goal to unite all Turkmen people. He wanted to be seen as the father of the nation.
To create his "cult of personality," Niyazov put up many statues and pictures of himself. His face was on money and buildings. He even renamed places after himself and his family members. This was to make sure everyone knew who was in charge and respected him.
Unusual Rules and Changes
Niyazov introduced many unique and sometimes strange rules. He believed these rules would help Turkmenistan. For example, he changed the names of the days of the week and months of the year. Some were named after himself or his mother.
He also wrote a book called Ruhnama, or "The Book of the Soul." This book was about Turkmen history, culture, and Niyazov's ideas. It became required reading in schools. People even had to pass exams on it to get a driver's license.
Some of his other rules included banning things like ballet, opera, and even circus performances. He thought these were not part of traditional Turkmen culture. He also made it illegal for men to grow long hair or beards.
His Legacy
Saparmurat Niyazov led Turkmenistan for many years. He helped the country become independent. He also shaped its government and culture in a very strong way. His rule was known for being very strict.
He passed away in 2006 from a heart attack. After his death, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow became the new president. Niyazov is still a very important figure in Turkmenistan's history.
Images for kids
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Statue of Gurbansoltan Eje with her son, the future first president of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov
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Askar Akayev, Nursultan Nazarbayev, Niyazov, Islam Karimov during the CIS meeting c. 1991
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Saparmurat Niyazov is depicted on the 10,000 Manat Banknote from 1996
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Postage stamp of Niyazov and Russian president Boris Yeltsin, 1993
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Niyazov with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Moscow Kremlin, June 2000
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Uzbek president Islam Karimov, Russia's Vladimir Putin, Niyazov and Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan in 2002
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The rotating statue of Niyazov.
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Niyazov in profile on Turkmenistan army flag
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Exterior of the Mausoleum of Saparmurat Niyazov.
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Tomb of Niyazov in Ashgabat.
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See also
In Spanish: Saparmyrat Nyýazow para niños
