List of cities in Turkmenistan
This is a list of cities in Turkmenistan. For a full list of settlements see the list of cities, towns and villages in Turkmenistan.
Which municipalities are categorized as "cities" is established by law in Turkmenistan. Cities fall into three categories: one city equivalent to a province (the capital city, Ashgabat), cities "equivalent to a district" (Template:Langx), and cities "in a district" (Template:Langx). By law cities equivalent to a district must have a population of more than 30,000 and must be either a provincial capital or be one of the economic, cultural and administrative centers in its province. Cities "in a district" are subordinated to the district (etrap) government and are administered jointly. By law they must have a population of more than 8,000, and must possess industrial enterprises, construction and transport organizations, utilities, municipally owned housing stock, socio-cultural institutions, trade and social services.<ref name=osm>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=geography>Template:Cite book</ref> The government maintains a list of municipalities broken out by category, but publishes this list irregularly, and does not post it online. An authoritative list of Turkmenistan's municipalities based on published official Turkmen decrees and laws is on the OpenStreetMap wiki.<ref name=osm2>Template:Cite web</ref> The most recent published version of the list was released in 2012.<ref name=list>Template:Cite web</ref>
Districts and cities with district status are headed by a presidentially appointed häkim (district governor or city mayor). Three cities in Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Arkadag, and Turkmenbashy, are further subdivided into boroughs with district status, each with its häkim. Cities "in a district" and towns are headed by an elected council (Template:Langx) chaired by an arçyn, who serves as both council chair and mayor.<ref name=osm /><ref name=geography />
List
Municipalities designated as cities
Unless otherwise annotated, population figures are as of 2010 (estimate). Provincial capitals are bolded. Cities with district status are italicized.
| Nº | City | Population | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashgabat | 823,000
(2018)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
national capital region |
| 2 | Türkmenabat<ref>formerly Çärjew</ref> | 279,765 | Lebap |
| 3 | Daşoguz | 245,872 | Daşoguz |
| 4 | Mary | 126,141 | Mary |
| 5 | Balkanabat | 120,800 | Balkan |
| 6 | Gyzylarbat<ref>from 1999 to 2022 Serdar</ref> | 93,692 | Balkan |
| 7 | Baýramaly | 91,713 | Mary |
| 8 | Tejen | 79,324 | Ahal |
| 9 | Türkmenbaşy<ref>formerly Krasnovodsk</ref> | 73,803 | Balkan |
| 10 | Magdanly<ref>formerly Gowurdak</ref> | 68,133 | Lebap |
| 11 | Arkadag<ref name=decree20221220>Template:Cite news</ref> | 64,086 (2022)<ref name=image>Template:Cite news</ref> |
Ahal |
| 12 | Kerki<ref>formerly Atamyrat</ref> | 39,602 | Lebap |
| 13 | Ýolöten | 38,936 | Mary |
| 14 | Konye-Urgench | 35,386 | Daşoguz |
| 15 | Anau | 30,042 | Ahal |
| 16 | Andalyp<ref>formerly Gurbansoltan eje adyndaky, Ýylanly</ref> | 27,451 | Daşoguz |
| 17 | Bäherden | 25,065 | Ahal |
| 18 | Gazojak | 25,043 | Lebap |
| 19 | Bereket<ref>formerly Gazanjyk or Gazandzhyk</ref> | 23,762 | Balkan |
| 20 | Boldumsaz | 23,728 | Daşoguz |
| 21 | Gökdepe | 21,465 | Ahal |
| 22 | Hojambaz | 21,454 | Lebap |
| 23 | Saýat | 21,160 | Lebap |
| 24 | Seýdi | 21,160 | Lebap |
| 25 | Kaka | 20,218 | Ahal |
| 26 | Görogly | 18,660 | Daşoguz |
| 27 | Farap | 17,277 | Lebap |
| 28 | Gubadag | 17,118 | Daşoguz |
| 29 | Akdepe | 15,898 | Daşoguz |
| 30 | Murgap | 15,724 | Mary |
| 31 | Serhetabat<ref>formerly Guşgy</ref> | 15,713 | Mary |
| 32 | Sarahs | 9,585 | Ahal |
| 33 | Köýtendag<ref>formerly Çarşaňňy</ref> | 8,654 | Lebap |
| 34 | Magtymguly (city)<ref>formerly Garrygala</ref> | 8,412 | Balkan |
| 35 | Dänew<ref>formerly Galkynyş</ref> | 7,932 (1989)<ref name=pop1989>Template:Cite web</ref> | Lebap |
| 36 | Shabat<ref>formerly Nyýazow, Täzebazar</ref> | 7,291 | Daşoguz |
| 37 | Darganata<ref>formerly Birata</ref> | 7,212 (1989)<ref name=pop1989 /> | Lebap |
| 38 | Babadaýhan<ref>formerly Kirovsk</ref> | 7,130 (1989)<ref name=pop1989 /> | Ahal |
| 39 | Şatlyk | 7,000 (2011) | Mary |
| 40 | Garabogaz<ref>formerly Bekdash</ref> | 6,895 (1989)<ref name=pop1989 /> | Balkan |
| 41 | Etrek<ref>formerly Gyzyletrek</ref> | 6,855 (1989)<ref name=pop1989 /> | Balkan |
| 42 | Saparmyrat Türkmenbaşy adyndaky<ref>formerly Oktyabrsk</ref> | 6,770 | Daşoguz |
| 43 | Türkmengala | 6,465 (1989)<ref name=pop1989 /> | Mary |
| 44 | Esenguly | 5,823 (1989)<ref name=pop1989 /> | Balkan |
| 45 | Garabekewül<ref>formerly Karabekaul</ref> | 5,509 (1989)<ref name=pop1989 /> | Lebap |
| 46 | Halaç | 5,101 (1989)<ref name=pop1989 /> | Lebap |
| 47 | Dostluk<ref>formerly Yuzhnyy</ref> | 4,534 (1989)<ref name=pop1989 /> | Lebap |
Changes in 2022
The former cities of Gumdag and Hazar were downgraded to town status in November 2022, and thus have been removed from this list.<ref name=decree20221110>Template:Cite news</ref> The cities previously named Gurbansoltan Eje adyndaky, Nyýazow, and Serdar were renamed Andalyp, Shabat, and Gyzylarbat, respectively.<ref name=decree20221110>Template:Cite news</ref> The new city of Arkadag was formally incorporated on 20 December 2022 by act of the Turkmen parliament.<ref name=decree20221220>Template:Cite news</ref>
See also
- Districts of Turkmenistan
- List of renamed cities in Turkmenistan
- List of cities, towns and villages in Turkmenistan
- OpenStreetMap: Turkmenistan Geoname Changes
- OpenStreetMap: Districts in Turkmenistan (authoritative list of all municipal structures as of 5 January 2018)