Türkmenabat Charjew, Chardzhou |
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Location in Turkmenistan | |
Coordinates: 39°05′N 63°34′E / 39.083°N 63.567°E | |
Country | Turkmenistan |
Province | Lebap Province |
Elevation | 187 m (614 ft) |
Population (2009 census) | |
• Total | 253,000 |
Türkmenabat (Cyrillic Turkmen: Түркменабат), formerly and since medieval times, Chardzhou (Russian: Чарджоу, Turkmen: Чәрҗев), also spelled Çärjew, Chardjui, Charjou, Chardzhev, Charjev, Chärjew, or Charjew (Persian: چهارجوی for 'four canals'), ancient Amul, is a city in Turkmenistan, capital of Lebap Province. As of 2009[update], it had a population of approximately 254,000 people (up from 161,000 in the 1989 census).
Türkmenabat is located at an altitude of 187 m (614 ft) on the banks of the Amu-Darya River, near the border with Uzbekistan. Türkmenabat is at the center of Lebap province, which has borders with three provinces in Turkmenistan: Mary, Ahal and Daşoguz. The province also borders with Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.
Some 70 kilometres (43 miles) south of Türkmenabat in the East Karakum Desert is the Repetek Nature Reserve, famed for its zemzen, or desert crocodiles.
Although now a modern industrial city, Türkmenabat has a history of over 2,000 years. In ancient times, it was known as Āmul (to be distinguished from the Iranian city of Amol). The river Amu Darya is said to mean River of Āmul, named after this ancient city. Türkmenabat was the hub in an intersection between 3 paths of the Great Silk Way leading to Bukhara, Khiva and Merv.. For centuries, Āmul was an important town of the relatively backward Uzbek feudal khanate (later emirate) of Bukhara.