Ashgabat, formerly Ashkhabad, capital and largest city of Turkmenistan, in the southwestern part of the country. Ashgabat is situated in an oasis near the Garagum Desert and the border with Iran. The city is known for its handwoven carpets; other manufactures include pumps, engines, glass, and textiles. Ashgabat is the site of the Turkmen Academy of Sciences, a university, and a museum of fine arts. The city developed around a Russian fortress built in 1881 at the junction of caravan routes; major growth began when it became a station on the Trans-Caspian Railroad in 1885. In 1948 the city was almost totally destroyed by an earthquake. The city served as the capital of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic from 1924 until 1991, when Turkmenistan became an independent republic. Population (1993 estimate) 517,200.
