Turkmenistan: Chronology of Key Events

6th century BC - Territory of present-day Turkmenistan comprises part of the Persian Empire.

7th century AD - Arabs introduce Islam in what is now Turkmenistan, after conquering Central Asia.

15th-17th centuries - Persia rules southern part of Turkmenistan, while the Uzbek-dominated khanates of Khiva and Bukhara control northern areas.

1881 - Russia incorporates present-day Turkmenistan into its empire.

1925 - Turkmenistan becomes a fully-fledged Soviet republic.

1960s - Turkmenistan emerges as a major cotton producer.

1985 - Saparmurat Niyazov becomes chairman of the Turkmen Communist Party.

1990 - The Turkmen legislature, or Supreme Soviet, votes Niyazov as its chairman, or the chief of state.

1991 - Turkmenistan declares independence just before the collapse of the Soviet Union.

1999 - Parliament votes Niyazov president for life. He lays the foundation of his personality cult.

2001 - Niyazov publishes his spiritual guide, the Ruhnama, which goes on to become the primary textbook in Turkmen schools. Also, he bans opera and ballet.

2002 - Niyazov renames the months of the year. In November, he escapes unhurt in a reputed assassination attempt. Niyazov then embarks on widespread crackdown.

2003 - On a visit to Moscow. Niyazov signs an 25-year natural gas export pact with the Russian conglomerate Gazprom. The same year, Niyazov revokes a 1993 dual-citizenship pact with Russia, sparking tension with the Kremlin.

2005 - Rumors surface that Niyazov is seriously ill. He reportedly has an eye operation, performed by German specialists. He later orders the closure of hospitals and clinics outside of the capital, Ashgabat.

2006 - Niyazov implements drastic cutback in state pensions. Later, Turkmenistan signs gas supply deal with China and hikes gas export price for Russia.

December 21, 2006 - Niyazov's death, reportedly from heart failure, is announced. Deputy PM Kurbanguly Berdymukhammedov is named as interim leader.

February 14, 2007 - Berdymukhammedov is declared the winner of a special presidential election. He pledges to introduce educational and social reforms.