What is the capital of Turkmenistan?
Ashgabat lies between the Karakum Desert and the Köpetdag mountain range in Central Asia, approximately 50 kilometres from the border with Iran.
Ashgabat is the capital and seat of government of Turkmenistan, a role it has held since 1924. Turkmenistan itself has an estimated population of 7,618,847 (2025).
Ashgabat is also the largest city in Turkmenistan, which is the usual arrangement, though it is far from universal: see the countries where capital and largest city differ.
Ashgabat at a glance
| City population | 1,030,063 (2022 census) |
|---|---|
| Country | 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan |
| Founded | 1881 |
| Capital since | 1924 |
| Largest city in Turkmenistan | Ashgabat |
| Time zone | UTC+05:00 (TMT) |
| Currency | Turkmenistan manat (TMT) |
About Ashgabat
The city was founded in 1881 on the basis of an Ahal Teke tribal village.
Ashgabat has been the capital of Turkmenistan since 1924, when it was made the capital of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic, at the time under the name Poltoratsk; it remained the capital of independent Turkmenistan.
Much of the city was destroyed by the 1948 Ashgabat earthquake, and it was later extensively rebuilt under Saparmyrat Nyyazow's 'White City' urban renewal project, resulting in monumental buildings sheathed in white marble.
The Soviet-era Karakum Canal runs through the city, carrying water from the Amu Darya from east to west.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Ashgabat.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Turkmenistan?
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Capitals of neighbouring countries
See the full profile of Turkmenistan on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.