Daşoguz Province

Coordinates: 41°0′N 58°30′E / 41°N 58.5°E / 41; 58.5

Daşoguz Province (Turkmen: Daşoguz welaýaty) (formerly Daşhowuz / Дашховуз) is one of the welayat (provinces) of Turkmenistan. It is in the north of the country, bordering Uzbekistan. The area of the province is 73,430 square kilometers, and the total population is 1,370,400 (2005 est.).^[1] The capital is Daşoguz (Дашогуз).

The province is mostly desert, and is experiencing severe environmental degradation as a result of the Aral Sea ecological catastrophe. Increased soil salinity has ruined thousands of square kilometers of farmland.

The province contains the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Köneürgenç.

Both Turkmen citizens and foreigners require special permission to visit the province, as the government regards it as a "closed" border zone.

Districts

Daşoguz Province is administratively divided into 9 districts (etraplar; singular etrap) and 2 cities (il).^[2][3] Name changes since 1995 are shown in parentheses:

• Daşoguz City (formerly Daşhowuz)
• Köneürgenç City (formerly Kunya Urgench) – granted etrap status on 3 February 2008^[4]
• Akdepe District
• Boldumsaz District
• Görogly District (formerly Tagta)
• Gubadag District
• Gurbansoltan Eje District (formerly Ýylanly)
• Köneürgenç District
• Ruhubelent District — created March 30, 2007^[5]
• Saparmyrat Nyýazow District (formerly Daşoguz/Daşhowuz etrap)
• Saparmyrat Türkmenbaşy District

References

1. ^ Statistical Yearbook of Turkmenistan 2000-2004, National Institute of State Statistics and Information of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, 2005.
2. ^ Дашогузский Велаят
3. ^ Turkmenistan Districts
4. ^ Halk Maslahaty resolution changing the status of Köneürgenç City
5. ^ Изменения наименований географических объектов Туркменистана, Rosreestr, 2010.