Mary, Turkmenistan

Mary
Site of the Ancient city of Merv
Mary Location in Turkmenistan
Coordinates: 37°36′N 61°50′E / 37.6°N 61.833°E / 37.6; 61.833
Country	Turkmenistan
Province	Mary Province
Population (1989 census)[1]
- Total	92,290

Mary (pronounced Mur-ree) is the capital city of Mary Province in Turkmenistan. Former names include Merv, Meru and Margiana. It is located at 37°36′N 61°50′E / 37.6°N 61.833°E / 37.6; 61.833Coordinates: 37°36′N 61°50′E / 37.6°N 61.833°E / 37.6; 61.833. The city is an oasis in the Karakum Desert, located on the Murghab river. In 2009, Mary had a population of 123,000^{[citation needed]}, up from 92,000 in the 1989 census.

History

The ancient city of Merv was an oasis city on the Silk Road. It was occupied by Imperial Russia in 1884, triggering the Panjdeh Incident between Afghan forces and the Imperial Russian Army. The modern settlement was founded later that year as a Russian military and administrative post.

A force of the British Indian Army consisting of a machine gun detachment comprising 40 Punjabi troops and a British officer resisted the Bolsheviks near Merv in August 1918 in what was the first direct confrontation between British and Russian troops since the Crimean War.^[2]

Mary 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 the city.^{[citation needed]}

Economy

Mary is Turkmenistan's fourth-largest 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.

Culture

Mary is known for its Regional Museum. The city lies near the remains of the ancient city of Merv, which in corrupted form gives its name to the modern town. The main football team is Merw Mary who play at the Mary Stadium.

Notable citizens

• Akmammedov Myratgeldy - politician
• Khadyr Saparlyev - politician

Sister cities

• Istanbul, Turkey
• Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Samarkand, Uzbekistan

References

1. ^ Population census 1989, Demoscope Weekly, No. 359-360, 1–18 January 2009 (search for Туркменская ССР) (Russian)
2. ^ On Secret Service East of Constantinople by Peter Hopkirk, John Murray, 1994