Türkmenbaşy (Turkmen Cyrillic: Түркменбашы,ürkmenbaş Turkmen Arabic; توركمنباشی, also spelled Turkmenbashy and Turkmenbashi, the latter a back-formation of the Cyrillic Түркменбаши), formerly known as Krasnovodsk (), Kyzyl-Su, and Shagadam (), is a city in Balkan Province in Turkmenistan, on the Türkmenbaşy Gulf of the Caspian Sea. It sits at an elevation of . The population (est 2004) was 86,800, mostly ethnic Turkmens but also Russian, Armenian and Azeri minorities. As the terminus of the Trans-Caspian Railway and site of a major seaport on the Caspian, it is an important transportation center. The city is also the site of Turkmenistan's largest oil refining complex.
This city should not be confused with the similarly named town of Türkmenbaşy (), formerly called Janga (, Cyrillic ), also in Balkan Province, or the city of Saparmyrat Türkmenbaşy adyndaky in Daşoguz Province.
History
In 1717, Russian Prince Alexander Bekovich-Cherkassky landed and established a secret fortified settlement on this location, where the dry bed of a former mouth of the Amu-Darya River once emptied into the Caspian Sea. His intent was to march an army up this dry riverbed and conquer the Khanate of Khiva. The expedition failed, and the Russians abandoned the settlement for over 150 years.
Krasnovodsk
In 1869, the Russians invaded a second time. Having captured the settlement, they named their fort Krasnovodsk (Красноводск), which is a Russian translation of the original name, Kyzyl-Su (Red Water). The fort, Krasnovodsk, served as Imperial Russia's base of operations against Khiva and Bukhara, as well as the semi-nomadic Turkmen tribes.
The railway had originally begun from Uzun-Ada on the Caspian Sea, but the terminus was shifted north to the harbour at Krasnovodsk.
It fell to the Red Army in February 1920.
On November 21, 1939, was formed with its administrative center in Krasnovodsk. The oblast was repeatedly liquidated and restored (January 23, 1947, liquidated; April 4, 1952, restored; December 9, 1955, liquidated; December 27, 1973, restored; August 25, 1988, eliminated).
Türkmenbaşy
January 10, 1991, Balkan province was created, and on May 18, 1992, was designated a velayat () with its capital in Balkanabat. On 8 October 1993, Krasnovodsk was renamed by of President for Life Saparmurat Niyazov after his self-proclaimed title Türkmenbaşy ("Head of [all] Turkmens") by Resolution No. 904-XII of Turkmenistan Parliament.
The second President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, pledged in July 2007 to invest $1 billion in a project slated to turn Türkmenbaşy into a major tourist resort. He ordered development of the Awaza tourist zone with 60 modern hotels to be built along a stretch of the Caspian Sea shoreline. Aside from Awaza, Türkmenbaşy city has three modern hotels: Türkmenbaşy Hotel, Charlak Hotel, and the new Silk Road Hotel at the seaport, in addition to the old Soviet-era Hazar Hotel.
In recent years, the city has undergone large-scale reconstruction: historic district, entrance roads, vital infrastructure. A new Turkish Park and the cascade of fountains. By the end of 2012 Magtymguly Avenue had been completely renovated. The new route merged with the city's waterfront, Bahry Hazar, and from the west motorway junction at Balykçy Traffic Circle a dual carriageway leads westward out of the city along a dike across Soymonov Bay to Turkmenbashy Airport and to Awaza. In 2014, the Oilworkers Palace of Culture, which was built in 1951, was renovated.
The city is home of the Türkmendeňizderýaýollary Agency, part of the Government of Turkmenistan.
Administrative divisions
As of July 2013 the city was divided into two boroughs (): Awaza etraby (Avaza Borough) and Kenar etraby (Kenar Borough). However, on 9 November 2022, the borough of Kenar was formally abolished, leaving Turkmenbashy officially with only one borough (uly etrap), Awaza etraby.
Boroughs differ from ordinary municipal "districts" in that boroughs are led by a presidentialy appointed mayor (), whereas ordinary municipal districts are subordinate to municipal authorities. Awaza etraby, an area of 9660 hectares, includes the Awaza national tourist zone, Turkmenbashy International Airport and a small residential area.
The abolished Kenar etraby, an area of 7262 hectares, included the main part of the city of Turkmenbashy and the territory of the former town of Kenar. It encompassed the Turkmenbashy International Seaport, including the Kenar Oil Loading Terminal as well as the Kenar Oil Storage and Loading Enterprise (, ).