Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is one of the most isolated countries in the world and has dubbed itself as the "motherland of neutrality". Formerly a part of the Soviet Union, it is situated in Central Asia and is surrounded by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Iran. The country has been a thoroughfare for several empires and cultures; many of Turkmenistan's cities were main points of trade on the Silk Road, linking Eastern and Western civilizations. Three of its cities are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.