Mary RegionMary Region (Turkmen: Mary welaýaty) is one of five provinces in Turkmenistan. It is located in the south-east of the country, bordering Afghanistan. Its capital is the city of Mary. Its area is 87,150 km (33,650 sq mi) and population 1,613,386 (2022 census). The average population density is about 15 persons per square kilometer, but it reaches 150–200 per square kilometer in the most developed oases.
Karakum DesertThe Karakum Desert ( ; Russian: Каракумы, IPA:), also spelt Qaraqum and Garagum (Turkmen:; lit.'Black Sand'), is the 12th largestdesert in the world, located in Central Asia. The name refers to the shale-rich sand beneath the surface. It occupies about 70 percent, or roughly 350,000 km (140,000 sq mi), of Turkmenistan. The population is sparse, with an average of one person per 6.5 km (2.5 sq mi). Rainfall is also rare, ranging from 70 to 150 mm (3 to 6 in) per year.
BactriaBactria (; Bactrian: βαχλο, Bakhlo), or Bactriana, was an ancient civilization in Central Asia, located in the area south of the Oxus River (modern Amu Darya) and north of the Hindu Kush mountains, within modern-day Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Bactria was strategically located south of Sogdia and west of the Pamir Mountains.
MervAncient major city in Central Asia Merv (Turkmen: Merw [ˈmeɾβ]; Persian: مرو [ˈmæɹv]), also called the Merve Oasis, was a major Iranian city in Central Asia, located on the historical Silk Road, near today's Mary, Turkmenistan. Human settlements on the site of Merv existed from the 3rd millennium BC until the 18th century AD. It changed hands repeatedly throughout history. Under the Achaemenid Empire, it was the center of the satrapy of Margiana.
SogdiaSogdia () or Sogdiana was an ancient Iranian civilisation located between the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya rivers, in what is now Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Sogdiana was also a province of the Achaemenid Empire, and is listed on the Behistun Inscription of Darius the Great. Sogdiana was first conquered by Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, and was later annexed by the Macedonian ruler Alexander the Great in 328 BC.
ZoroasterIranian prophet and spiritual founder of ZoroastrianismZarathushtra Spitama, more commonly known as Zoroaster or Zarathustra, was an Iranian religious reformer who challenged the tenets of the contemporary Ancient Iranian religion, becoming the spiritual founder of Zoroastrianism. In the oldest Zoroastrian scriptures, the Gathas, which he is traditionally believed to have authored, he is described as a preacher and a poet-prophet.
CottonPlant fiber from the genus GossypiumCotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus Gossypium in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose and may contain minor percentages of waxes, fats, pectins, and water. Under natural conditions, cotton bolls facilitate the dispersal of the seeds.
TurkmenistanTurkmenistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to the north, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest, and the Caspian Sea to the west. It is one of six independent Turkic states. Ashgabat is the capital and largest city.
Natural gasGaseous fossil fuelFor the Canadian band, see Natural Gas (band).Natural gas burning on a gas stoveNatural gas (also gas, methane gas or fossil gas) is a fossil fuel, naturally occurring in geological formations. Typically, the gas is a mix of gaseous hydrocarbons, primarily methane (95%), small amounts of higher alkanes, and traces of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and helium.
OasisFertile area in a desert environmentThe desert oasis city of Jubbah in Saudi Arabia as photographed from space.In ecology, an oasis (; pl.: oases) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment that sustains plant life and provides habitat for animals. Surface water may be present, or water may only be accessible from wells or underground channels created by humans.
Marghab RiverThe Marghab River (Dari/Pashto: مرغاب, Murghāb, Balochi: مرگاپ), anciently the Margiana (Ancient Greek: Μαργιανή, Margianḗ), is an 850-kilometre (530 mi) long river in Central Asia. It rises in the Paropamisus Mountains (Selseleh-ye Safīd Kūh) in Ghor Province, flows through the Marghab District in central Afghanistan, then runs northwest towards the Bala Murghab.
Behistun inscriptionThe Behistun inscription (also Bisotun, Bisitun or Bisutun; Persian: بیستون, Old Persian: Bagastana, meaning "the place of god") is a multilingual Achaemenid royal inscription and large rock relief on a cliff at Mount Behistun in the Kermanshah Province of Iran, near the city of Kermanshah in western Iran, established by Darius the Great (r. 522–486 BC).*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.