Marshall Islands, Nauru, North Korea, Palau, Turkmenistan and Tuvalu – these are the six countries in which, according to the latest information, no one officially lives with a Swiss passport.
While the four mini-islands in the South Seas come as no surprise, the reason for the “lack of Switzerland” in North Korea and Turkmenistan is not the size of the countries, but probably also politics.
North Korea is known as the most isolated country in the world. Turkmenistan is not far behind in this regard. The country in Central Asia is considered one of the most repressive in the world, Human Right Watch writes.
Long-serving president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov (2007-2022) stepped down in January 2022, but his son Serdar continues to lead the oppressive and authoritarian government (and father Gurbanguly continues to pull the strings as chairman of the Volksraad).
There has been no progress in the human rights situation, fundamental rights and freedoms are severely restricted. People disappear and end up in jail for no reason, and activists and independent correspondents are monitored and harassed even in exile. Human Right Watch writes that the country remains closed to independent audits.
The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) writes, among other things, when it comes to travel advice to the country with almost six million inhabitants: “Foreigners who stay in Turkmenistan for more than three days must report to the State Registration Office for Foreigners (= OVIR) at – and sign out. For multi-leg journeys, travelers must register with the local OVIR in each place of residence.»
All previous articles in the series can be found here.
As of 2016, no one officially lives in Turkmenistan with a Swiss passport; in 2010 there were eight. Since the data collection, no more have been registered at the same time. The country on the Caspian Sea has a lot to offer in terms of landscape and architecture in the capital Ashgabat, as these 25 photos from one of the most extraordinary countries in the world show:
Statues at the Independence Monument
door to hell
Derweze crater
(Almost) tallest flagpole in the world
Monorail at the Olympic complex
The arc of neutrality
Great Kyz Qala
The Kutlug Timur Minaret
The ancient city of Nisa
The mountains
The Yangikala Gorge
Traditional clothing
The wedding palace
The golden statue
Cleaning the image
The Independence Monument at night
The melon seller
The city park with a view of the skyline
Such streets
The mosque
The National Instrument
The Presidential Palace
The highway
The skyline
The tallest building in Turkmenistan
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
