The
Turkmens or
Turkomans (, plural Türkmenler/Түркменлер) are a
Turkic people located primarily in
Central Asia, in the state of
Turkmenistan, as well as in
Iran,
Afghanistan, North Caucasus (
Stavropol Krai), and northern
Pakistan. They speak the
Turkmen language, which is classified as a part of the
Eastern Oghuz branch of the
Turkic languages. Examples of other
Oghuz languages are
Turkish,
Azerbaijani,
Qashqai,
Gagauz,
Khorasani, and
Salar.