Rising out of the ground, seemingly out of place amid the greenery, these pristine buildings dominate the landscape of the Turkmen capital. High-rise towers have proliferated since the country gained independence in 1990, fuelled by close partnerships with French construction firms (Bouygues, Vinci) and Turkish companies (Polimeks). Turkmenistan, one of the world’s most gas-rich countries, draws on export revenues to fund monumental construction projects : extravagant, almost hallucinatory visions that flourish in the capital, Ashgabat, in the heart of the Karakum Desert.

Photo credit: Cornelia Steinigen (Germany)

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