Марыйский велаят: География, экономика и история

Region of Turkmenistan

Mary Region is one of five provinces in Turkmenistan. It is located in the south east of the country, bordering Afghanistan. Its capital is the city of Mary. Its area is and population 1,613,386 (2022 census). The average population density is about 15 persons per square kilometer, but it reaches 150–200 per square kilometer in the most developed oases. In 2000, Mary Region accounted for 23% of Turkmenistan's population, 19% of the total number of employed, 26% of agricultural production (by value), and 21% of the country's total industrial production. The region's industries include natural gas extraction (the Galkynysh Gas Field), electric power generation, textiles, carpet weaving, chemical and food industry. In 2001 it accounted for 74% of Turkmenistan's electricity generation 26% of natural gas extraction. Agriculture in Mary Region is irrigated by the Karakum Canal, which runs east to west through the center of the province, and by the Murghab River, which runs south to north, entering the province from Afghanistan. While the northern portion of the province is within the Central Asian southern desert ecoregion, the southern portion of the province is characterized by a savanna of pistachio and desert sedges, classified as the Badkhiz Karabil semi desert by the World Wildlife Fund. Ancient Merv, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the main archeological attraction of Mary Province. This is one of the best preserved oasis cities on the ancient Silk Road. The capital of Mary Region is the city of Mary, located at the intersection of Murghab River with the Karakum Canal. Other major cities are Baýramaly (Байрам Али), Ýolöten (Iolotan, Иолотань), and Serhetabat (Серхетабад, formerly , Кушка) on the border with Afghanistan.

Mary Province: Production of selected industrial and processed goods, 2017–2019 201720182019Electricity, million kwh8,074.78,260.88,831.7Natural gas, billion m320.624.826.6Gas condensate, thousand tonnes45.747.442.7Mineral fertilizers, NPK basis, thousand tonnes324.4318.5256.7Bricks, million179.3178.0201.6Cotton lint, thousand tonnes99.963.689.8,Wool, degreased, thousand tonnes4.04.04.0Cotton yarn, thousand tonnes17.317.919.1Cotton textile, million m243.646.047.2Unrefined vegetable oil, thousand tonnes25.326.013.2Flour, thousand tonnes168.0176.6173.6

Bronze Age and Iron Age finds support the probability of advanced civilizations in the area including finds associated with a society known to scholars as the Bactria Margiana Archaeological Complex (BMAC) – near the modern city of Mary, and at the Jeitun and Gonur Tepe archeological sites.

Alexander the Great conquered the territory in the 4th century BC on his way to South Asia. In 330 BC, Alexander marched northward into Central Asia and founded the city of Alexandria Margiana (Merv) near the Murghab River. A busy Silk Road caravan route, connecting Tang dynasty China and the city of Baghdad (in modern Iraq), passed through Merv. The city of Merv was occupied by the lieutenants of the caliph Uthman ibn Affan, and was constituted as the capital of Khorasan. Using this city as their base, the Arabs, led by their commander Qutayba ibn Muslim, brought under subjection Balkh, Bokhara, Fergana and Kashgaria, and penetrated into China as far as the province of Gansu early in the 8th century. Merv achieved some political spotlight in February 748 when Abu Muslim (d. 750) declared a new Abbasid dynasty at Merv, and set out from the city to conquer Iran and Iraq and establish a new capital at Baghdad. The goldsmith of Merv famously challenged Abu Muslim to do the right thing and not make war on fellow Muslims. The goldsmith was put to death. In the latter part of the 8th century, Merv became obnoxious to Islam as the centre of heretical propaganda preached by al Muqanna "The Veiled Prophet of Khorasan". Present Turkmenistan was ruled by Tahirids between 821 and 873. In 873, Arab rule in Central Asia came to an end due to the Saffarid conquest. During their dominion, Merv, like Samarkand and Bokhara, was one of the great schools of learning, and the celebrated historian Yaqut studied in its libraries. Merv produced several scholars in various branches of knowledge, such as Islamic law, Hadith, history, literature, and the like.