One of the world’s most closed countries has just made it easier to visit

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Turkmenistan, long one of the world's most closed countries, has adopted a law that will bring in electronic visas and make it easier for foreigners to enter.

Since it became independent after the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991, the gas-rich Central Asian nation has placed strict entry requirements on would-be visitors. All foreign nationals have needed to obtain a visa in advance, and supply a formal "letter of invitation." Even so, many have been turned down for unclear reasons.

Under the new law, foreign nationals will be able to fill in a simplified online form. Visa support letters will no longer be needed, allowing for smoother business visits and potentially boosting foreign tourism.

President Serdar Berdymukhamedov will now decide what types of electronic visas will be available, how they will be issued, and how long they will be valid for, according to the Neutral Turkmenistan state newspaper.

Turkmenistan's President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin pose for a photo on the sidelines of the Caspian Sea littoral states summit in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. (Grigory Sysoyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) (Sputnik)

The country, which has remained under autocratic rule since independence and heavily relies on its vast natural gas reserves for revenue, has recently signalled a willingness to integrate into expanding regional trade networks.

In March, it began implementing a long-negotiated gas swap deal with Turkey, marking a significant step in energy cooperation between the two nations and the first time Ashgabat has shipped gas westward through a route that bypasses Russia.

Map of Turkmenistan:

One of the country’s best known tourist attractions is the blazing natural gas crater widely referred to as the “Gates of Hell.”

The desert crater located about 260 kilometers (160 miles) north of the capital, Ashgabat, has burned for decades and is a popular sight for the small number of tourists who come to Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan Gates of Hell (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The Turkmen news site Turkmenportal said a 1971 gas-drilling collapse formed the crater, which is about 60 meters (190 feet) in diameter and 20 meters (70 feet) deep. To prevent the spread of gas, geologists set a fire, expecting the gas to burn off in a few weeks.

The spectacular if unwelcome fire that has burned ever since is so renowned that state TV showed President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov speeding around it in an off-road truck in 2019.

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