Karakum Desert
Central Asian desert covering most of Turkmenistan.
The Karakum Desert, also spelled Qaraqum and Garagum, is a desert located in Central Asia. The name refers to the shale-rich sand beneath the surface. The population is sparse, with an average of one person per 6.5 km², and rainfall is rare, ranging from 70 to 150 mm per year.
- Area
- ~350,000 km² (140,000 sq mi)
- Percentage of Turkmenistan
- ~70%
- Population density
- 1 person per 6.5 km²
- Annual rainfall
- 70–150 mm
Reader's Guide
The Karakum Desert is significant as the dominant geographic feature of Turkmenistan, covering roughly 70% of the country. Its sparse population and extreme aridity shape the region's ecology and human settlement. The Karakum Canal, one of the world's largest irrigation canals, supports cotton growing in oases such as Mary and Tejen.
Did You Know?
- The population density is an average of one person per 6.5 km².
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Karakum Desert?
Karakum Desert (also spelled Qaraqum or Garagum) is a vast Central Asian desert that blankets roughly 70 percent of Turkmenistan's territory. It ranks as the 12th largest desert on Earth, stretching across approximately 350,000 square kilometers.
What are Karakum Desert's powers/role?
The desert is defined by its shale-rich sand, extreme aridity of just 70–150 mm of rain per year, and the 1,375-km Karakum Canal that threads across its surface. Its most iconic feature is the Darvaza gas crater, which has burned continuously since a 1971 drilling accident.
How does Karakum Desert's story end?
As a permanent landscape, Karakum has no fixed ending—it simply endures as a defining feature of Central Asia. The Darvaza crater, once expected to burn out within a few years of the 1971 incident, has kept its fire alive for over five decades, making it one of the desert's most enduring ongoing 'plot points.'
Why is Karakum Desert important?
It shapes Turkmenistan's entire geography, economy, and way of life by occupying the overwhelming majority of the country's land. Its extremely sparse population (about one person per 6.5 km²) and scarce rainfall make water management, particularly through the Karakum Canal, a critical survival issue.
What does Karakum Desert's name mean?
The name 'Karakum' (or Qaraqum) translates to 'black sand,' a reference to the dark, shale-rich material found beneath the surface grains. Older Western texts often render the name as 'Garagum.'
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