Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, already a prolific writer, said he penned the book while on vacation and that it contained the "fruit" of his own research on the Central Asian republic.
"As for its content, I have included materials devoted to the influence of Magtymguly Pyragy's works on human values, our glorious history, and the contribution of the nation's culture to world civilisation," the 67-year-old leader said in a government meeting.
Magtymguly Pyragy was an 18th-century poet who made significant contributions to Turkmen literature and is greatly venerated in the republic.
Berdymukhamedov has ruled Turkmenistan since 2006, heading an authoritarian and personalistic regime that some rights groups have compared to North Korea.
Images of the former dentist are plastered on billboards across the country and he is regularly shown on state TV, sometimes riding horses or exercising in sports gear.
The reclusive country unveiled a newly built city in his honour last year at a cost near $5 billion.
In 2022, he ceded the presidency to his son, but de-facto governs alongside him as chair of the country's supreme constitutional authority.
Berdymukhamedov's new book, entitled "The Jewel of Mind", is not yet available to the general public but copies are in the process of being printed, Turkmenistan's state publishing house told AFP.
At a working meeting to present his writings, Berdymukhamedov acknowledged the need to "supply clean drinking water to the population" in what appeared to be a rare admission regarding water shortages in his country.
Water is scarce in Central Asia, a problem made worse by rising temperatures due to climate change.
Related Links
News From Across The Stans
Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |