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Uninhabited
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Turkmen Sahra (Persian: ترکمن صحرا, Turkmen: Türkmen sähra) that means Plain of Turkmens, is a region in the northeast of Iran near the Caspian Sea, bordering Turkmenistan, the majority of whose inhabitants are ethnic Turkmen. The biggest city is Gorgan which is dominated by Persian inhabitants though in recent years there has been immigration of Turkmen and Zabuli from southern Iran. Other cities of Turkmensahra are Gonbad called Kummet in Turkmen, Aqqala (Ak Qala), Kalaleh (Kelalal) and Gomishan (Kumushdepe), meaning the "silvery hill" in Turkmen, and Bandar Torkaman (Bender Turkmen), generally just called Bandar. Bandar Torkaman should not be confused with Bandar Gaz which is also a city in Turkmensahra but inhabited by Persians. There were according to Ethnologue over 2 million Turkmens in Turkmensahra in 1997;[1] according to the opposition of Iran of Turkmen origin there are 3 million Turkmens, but these figures are disputed.
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Turkmens today in Turkmensahra live fairly modern lifestyles although the effects of religion and the Muslim way of life are visible. The economy is based on industry even if agriculture still plays a great role in some Turkmens' life, like in other places of Iran. The professions among Turkmens shows the pattern of a modern economy even if there are still some shortcomings due to lack of funding from the central authorities. The economic potential of Turkmensahra is big since a vast amount of oil was discovered early in the 1930. But since there was a deal with the Soviet Union that there would be no oil extraction from Turkmensahra there is not a oil industry at the moment.
Before the revolution in 1979 the Turkmens lived a economically richer life than other areas of Iran. Even if poverty exist in small portions most people lived and could afford material goods in home something unusually for some parts of Iran. During the Shah's time the difference between cities and villages was great. Going from city like Bandar Torkaman to a nearby village the difference were so vast that tourist felt like them were back in time. In villages there were no asphalt roads nor doctors that could examinate sick people. There were no electricy either to light up the town or the houses. People used donkey and horse to travel until about 30 years ago. Buses, taxis and private cars were found only in bigger cities. The literacy rate has also increased since the revolution; it was not unusual for older Turkmen women to be analphabets. Girls began to study in school after the revolution which was unusual back than in the Shah's period.
Turkmens came first to the region at the time of their forefathers, the Seljuk Turks. Before the era of Reza Khan later Reza Shah, the communication between other Turkmen and those which were part of Turkmensahra was greater. Turkmens are considered by outsiders who visited their area to be generous, kind-hearted thought even having the trait of being hot-headed, a characteristic they are famous for. Ahmad Shamlou, a famous Persian writer wrote a novel about a Turkmen character, Amin. He also indicated the generousity and kind-hearted spirit of the Turkmens in his poem about Amin.
Famous Turkmens from within Turkmensahra include the spiritual leader, national poet and unifier of Turkmen society Magtymguly Pyragy who was born in a village outside Gonbad. The central Iranian authorities erected a mausoleum over his grave. Other persons born are Agha Mohammed Khan founder of the Qajar dynasty of Iran. Also there are claims of Nadir Shah being Turkmen but that's doubtgul according to his own campaigns and official biography. The Nadir Shah's first enemies were the Turkmens of Turkmensahra. Well-known visitors of the region include Ármin Vámbéry who wrote a book about his passage among Turkmens in Turkmensahra.[2]