What is the name of the desert that covers much of Turkmenistan?

The desert that covers much of Turkmenistan is the Karakum Desert. Its name means “Black Sand,” referring to the dark-coloured sand or underlying shale deposits found across parts of the region.

The Karakum occupies roughly 70 percent of Turkmenistan, covering about 350,000 square kilometres in a broad east–west belt east of the Caspian Sea. It is divided into the Trans-Unguz Karakum, Central Karakum, and southeastern Karakum, each with different elevations, soils, and salt-marsh landscapes.

The desert is not completely waterless. The Murghab and Tejen rivers flow out of the Hindu Kush toward its southern areas, while the Karakum Canal carries water from the Amu Darya for irrigation. A common mix-up is the Kyzylkum, or “Red Sand,” Desert, which lies mainly in Uzbekistan and extends into parts of Kazakhstan rather than covering most of Turkmenistan.