THE NATURE OF TURKMENISTAN

Nature of Turkmenistan - The Kara Kum Desert

 The Karakum is a sand desert stretching for 350,000 km2 from the Caspian Sea to Pamir
foothills and from Amu Darya to Kopet Dag ridge. Its name is translated as “black
sands” (“kara” - black, “kum” - sand). The dessert corresponds to its gloomy name,
because some of its parts were previously completely waterless for hundreds of
kilometers, and anyone who tried to cross it, found a terrible death under the scorching
sun of Asia.

 Structurally, the Karakum is a rugged plain with sand ridges and dunes connected with
small salt marshes and takyrs. It is divided into the Zaunguz Karakum, located on a
plateau, the Central Karakum, spread in the lowlands, and South-Eastern Karakum,
gradually developing into the Kugitangtau foothills.

 There is practically no surface water in the form of oases, but large volumes of
groundwater, hidden beneath the sands, has a discharge through dug wells. Besides, the
desert is crossed by the huge Karakum Canal, which takes water from the Amu Darya
and carries it away almost for 1,000 km to the desert. In addition, in the south, there are
several rivers flowing down from the mountains and dissolving in the sands.

 The Karakum climate is very severe. Summer temperature can reach +50°С, while the
soil can run hot as high as +80°С. Winter features strong frosts up to -30°С. Rainfall is
very scanty, and precipitates mainly in November and April.

 Flora is represented by the sand sedge, acacia, saksaul, and in spring, by grasses and
flowers which cover huge areas, except for dunes, and completely dry up by May. Fauna
of the Karakum desert includes gazelles, foxes, wolves, various rodents, lizards, snakes
and insects. Besides the wildlife, grassland farming to raise sheep and camels is also
common there.
Nature of Turkmenistan - Mountains
Koytendag (Kugitangtau)
 The country’s most scenic mountains – Kugitangtau, also called Koitendag, are
located in the very east of Turkmenistan. Their name is translated from Turkmen
as “mountains of deep canyons”. Indeed, this ridge is cut by many deep canyons
with steep cliffs, which make the sky sometimes seen only in a form of narrow
strip over the head. There are the deepest lakes, the longest caves and even the
Dinosaur Plateau bearing traces of these prehistoric reptiles. It is this mountain
system where the highest point of Turkmenistan – Mount Ayrybaba (3,139 m) is
located. In addition, Koytendag Mountains are home to the country’s deepest
lake – Kattakol.
 The Koytendag foothills are painted in red color because of outcrop of the
variegated rocks. The slopes at medium altitudes are covered with rare groves of
juniper (cedar); while stone tops, with various grasses, flowers and shrubs. In
addition, these mountains often feature mulberry trees, sycamores and various
fruit trees.
 Caves hold a special place in Koytendag Mountains. They are in huge amount
there. They form an actual dungeon system, which in addition includes a lake.
For example, the lake found in a doline near Karlyuk village harbors the blind
loach (Troglocobitis) - a fish that lives in the darkness of the cave all its life. Not
far from this place there are several caves: Gulgirin, Khashimoyuk, Tashyurak
and others. This cave system is also called Karlyuk caves.
Nature of Turkmenistan - Caves

 Turkmenistan is famous for its caves. The most known of them

are the Karlyuk caves. They are located on the slope
of Kugitangtau Ridge and are considered unique natural
sanctuaries, the are equal to none in entire Eurasia; they are by
right included in the List of the World Legacy of UNESCO.
 The Karlyuk caves are typical representation of various karst
forms. There have been found around 60 caves with total length
of 50 km, with galleries, passages, halls, labyrinths.
 The caves are rich in wandering formations of plaster, calcite,
aragonite in the form of stalactites, stalagmites, stone curtains
etc. A lot of caves have not been explored yet.
 Kov-Ata Cave is unique due to its hydrosulphuric lake. The
cave is well-known as an inhabitation of the largest colony of
bats.
Nature of Turkmenistan - Flora

 Flora of Turkmenistan is made of relic forests, subtropics with a set of rare plants,
picturesque nooks with preserved centuries-old vegetation.
 More than 2.5 thousand plant species grow on the territory of Turkmenistan
including about 700 ones in the Kara Kum Desert. Among the most precious plants is
2,000-thousand-old juniper (Turkmen archa) growing on inaccessible tops of the
Kopet Dagh. The unique country's grove called Unabi (Kugitang) has the trees
whose age exceeds 200 years.
 In Karakala, in Ajdere gorge grows the well-known 500-year-old Shakhoz (King of
Nuts). Another unique nut grove is located in Ipaikala. Another attraction is the
pistachio savanna Badkhyza with century-old trees on Kugitang. The savanna is
unsurpassed in its beauty and rarity. In the foothills of the Kopet-Dagh grow about
1,700 kinds of plants - this is the largest "collection" in Central Asia.
 The desert flora is represented by the oldest black saxaul which has survived in
Yeradzhin natural reserve.
Nature of Turkmenistan-Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea, the world’s largest lake, separates Europe and Asia, and is, at the same time, the
Turkmen western border with a coastline of 1,200 km. The Caspian is called a sea due to its size and
geologic structure, which once was an ocean bottom. The total area of the Caspian, located at the
height of 27 m below sea level, is about 371,000 km2, while its maximum depth reaches 1,025 m,
which also makes it one of the deepest lakes in the world. The Caspian water is salt.
The Turkmen part of the Caspian Sea shore is predominantly indented and composed of limestone.
The only major city there, is Turkmenbashi (former Krasnovodsk). There are also several bays, the
largest of which is the Kara-Bogaz-Gol, connected with the Caspian Sea by a narrow isthmus.
Kara-Bogaz-Gol
This bay is located in the north-western part of Turkmenistan. Its name is translated from the
Turkmen language as a “lake of black strait”; however its other interpretation translates Kara-
Bogaz as a “black throat”. Indeed, in centuries past, these places were considered deadly.
In fact, the Gulf of Kara-Bogaz-Gol is a separate lake, connected with the Caspian Sea only by a
small isthmus with the width of less than 200 m. Moreover, it is located below the Caspian Sea, and
each year millions of cubic meters of water flow down there, bringing 13-15 million tons of salt. Due
to the high-level evaporation, the water surface of Kara-Bogaz-Gol constantly changes in total area
and when dried, forms clusters of crystals of mirabilite (Glauber's salt) on its shores. Therefore, in
contrast to its name, sometimes it is also called a “sea of white gold”. The place is famous for
production of mirabilite, which is widely used in chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
Nature of Turkmenistan- The Darvaza Gas
Crater

 The Darvaza Gas Crater is a large crater in the Karakum Desert of north-central 
Turkmenistan where thousands of flames fueled by seeping natural gas have been
burning for decades. The flaming crater's sights and sounds are frightening
enough that local people call it the "Door to Hell" or the "Gates of Hell".
 Each dancing flame marks the spot where natural gas (methane) emerges from
the walls, from the floor, or from the talus piles within the crater. When the
natural gas emerges, oxygen in the atmosphere causes it to burst into flames.
 People approaching the crater hear the sound of the flames and feel heat that is
too intense to stand at some points along the crater's edge. The heat and an odor
of combustion can be sensed for some distance downwind.
 The crater is located near the village of Darvaza, also known as Derweze, in
north-central Turkmenistan - about 160 miles (260 kilometers) north of the
Turkmen capital of Ashgabat.
 The crater is about 226 feet (69 meters) across and about 98 feet (30 meters) deep.
It has an area that would nearly cover ¾ of an American football field - including
the end zones.
Nature of Turkmenistan-“Altyn asyr” Lake

 Grandiose construction project in the heart of great Garagum desert of the artificial
water reservoir – “Altyn asyr” Lake should play special role in ecological strategy,
being realized by the Turkmen state and aimed at prevention of desertification
processes, provision of environmental safety. Foreign scientists called this
hydrotechnical project a sample of the state concern about health of population, about
environment and wonderful example of rational use of water resources.

After completion of the first stage of Turkmen Lake “Altyn asyr” and its main
branches, running through Garagum desert, it was started a new stage – involvement
of the lake into our country’s single system of water flows of collector and drain waters
(CDW). Staff of the Turkmen State Scientific Production and Planning Economic
Institute (“Turkmensuwylymtaslama”) of the Ministry of Water Economy of
Turkmenistan worked out a program of research events intended for five years. From
beginning of 2014, the specialists of six laboratories and research department of the
Institute fulfilled a complex activity in nine directions. The issues of further increase of
efficiency of exploitation of this unique hydrotechnical facility with systematic increase
of flow of collector and drain waters in main collectors in the course of next stages of its
construction became priority in the investigation.

The scientists consider particularly prospective the researches related to the potential
of the lake for development of pasture management, fish breeding with desalinated
water, cattle-breeding, halophytic plant growing (sectors, engaging in study and
cultivation of plants, growing in conditions of high salinity), recreational sphere of
services, touris
Nature of Turkmenistan- Mountain river Sekizyap

 Tourist oasis stretches from the valleys of Sekizyab and Germab on

the western fringe of Uldepe mountain range to the Sherlock brook
on the east including the lowlands of small rivers Archabil and
Gyokdere. These popular resort places are for inveterate tourists as
they have everything that can attract the lovers of active life style
like small hills and forbidding rocks, highland plateaus and rocky
canyons, rivers and freshness of the shrubs along their streams.
Large recreation zone with modern developed system of children
health-improving centres, cosy restaurants and resorts expanded in
comfort climate of the foothills. There are aerial cableway,
Gyndyvar amusement park and old parking plantations of
Ashgabat “green belt” in the outskirts of Bagyr settlement nearby.
The attention of the tourists is attracted by the ruins of Ancient
Nissa where one can walk along the streets of antique city. Largest
part in these places are occupied by parking zones, which have pine
trees, almonds, elms and other species of deciduous trees and
shrubs.