Answer
Saparmyrat Niyazov was the President of Turkmenistan from 1991 to 2006. He was a former Communist Party leader who became the country's first president after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Niyazov was a controversial figure who was known for his authoritarian rule and his eccentric personality. He died in 2006 and was succeeded by Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.