Mary, Turkmenistan
From Freepedia
Mary is a city of Turkmenistan, capital of the Mary Province. Its population (est. 1999) was 123,000.
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Geography
It is located at latitude 37.6000 North, longitude 61.8333 East. The city is an oasis in the Karakum Desert, located on the Murghab river.
History
The city was founded in 1884 as a Russian military and administrative center. It was developed by the Soviet Union as a center for cotton production through the use of extensive irrigation. In 1968, huge reserves of natural gas were discovered 20 kilometers west of town.
Economy
Mary is Turkmenistan's second city, and a large industrial centre, for the natural gas and cotton industries, the nation's two major export industries. It is a trade center for cotton, cereals, hides, and wool.
Sights
Mary has little to recommend it other than its interesting Regional Museum. However, it lies near the remains of the ancient Islamic city of Merv, which in corrupted form gives its name to the modern town.
