# Türkmenbaşy

> city in Balkan Province, Turkmenistan

**Wikidata**: [Q488987](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q488987)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Türkmenbaşy,_Turkmenistan)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/turkmenbasy

## Summary

Türkmenbaşy is a city in the Balkan Province of Turkmenistan, founded in 1869 at coordinates 40.017°N, 52.967°E. Originally established as Krasnovodsk during the Russian Empire era, the city was renamed Türkmenbaşy in 1993 after Saparmurat Niyazov (who bore the title "Türkmenbaşy"). The city sits at an elevation of 27 meters above sea level and has an estimated population of approximately 91,745 as of the 2022 census, making it a significant urban center on Turkmenistan's Caspian Sea coast.

## Key Facts

- **Founded**: 1869 (established during the Russian Empire period)
- **Current Name Since**: 1993 (renamed from Krasnovodsk)
- **Location**: Balkan Province, Turkmenistan; coordinates 40.016667°N, 52.966667°E
- **Elevation**: 27 meters above sea level
- **Time Zone**: UTC+05:00
- **Postal Code**: 745000
- **License Plate Code**: BN
- **Population (2022)**: 91,745 (census)
- **Population (2005)**: 68,292
- **Population (1989)**: 58,854
- **Official Name**: Туркменбашы (since 1993); former official name: Красноводск (1869–1993)
- **Native Label**: Türkmenbaşy
- **Twin City**: Jūrmala (Latvia)
- **Commons Category**: Turkmenbashi
- **Wikipedia Languages Available**: 58 languages including English, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Turkish, and others

## FAQs

**What was Türkmenbaşy called before 1993?**
The city was officially named Krasnovodsk (Красноводск) from its founding in 1869 until 1993, when it was renamed Türkmenbaşy after the title of Turkmenistan's first president.

**What countries has Türkmenbaşy been part of throughout history?**
The city has been part of five different political entities: the Russian Empire (1869–1917), Russian Republic (March–October 1917), Russian SFSR (1917–1922), Soviet Union (1922–1991), and independent Turkmenistan (1991–present).

**What administrative regions has Türkmenbaşy served as capital of?**
Türkmenbaşy served as the capital of Krasnovodsk oblast during three separate periods: November 1939–January 1947, April 1952–December 1955, and December 1973–August 1988. Since December 1965, it has been the capital of Türkmenbaşy District.

**How has the population of Türkmenbaşy changed over time?**
The population grew from 23,262 in 1939 to 91,745 in 2022. Key milestones include 39,272 (1959), 48,840 (1970), 53,131 (1979), 58,854 (1989), 63,000 (1995), 68,292 (2005), and 86,800 (2004 estimate).

## Why It Matters

Türkmenbaşy holds significant strategic importance as Turkmenistan's primary port city on the Caspian Sea, serving as a critical gateway for maritime trade and transportation. The city's founding in 1869 during the Russian Empire era established it as a key outpost in Central Asia, and its continuous habitation and growth across multiple political regimes—from imperial Russian territory through the Soviet era to independent Turkmenistan—demonstrate its enduring geopolitical relevance. The city's role as a regional administrative center, having served multiple times as the capital of Krasnovodsk oblast and currently as capital of Türkmenbaşy District, underscores its ongoing importance in Turkmenistan's governmental structure. Its twinning relationship with Jūrmala, Latvia, indicates international cultural and economic connections.

## Notable For

- **Historical Continuity**: One of the few Central Asian cities with documented administrative history spanning the Russian Empire through independent Turkmenistan
- **Multiple Name Changes**: Successfully transitioned from Krasnovodsk to Türkmenbaşy, reflecting broader political transformations in Central Asia
- **Caspian Sea Port**: Serves as Turkmenistan's major maritime gateway, critical for international trade
- **Multilingual Documentation**: Wikipedia articles exist in 58 languages, indicating global recognition
- **Encyclopedic Recognition**: Documented in major historical encyclopedias including Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, Encyclopædia Britannica 11th edition, and Sytin Military Encyclopedia
- **Administrative Resilience**: Served as regional capital across three separate historical periods under Soviet administration

## Body

### Historical Foundations and Political Affiliations

Türkmenbaşy was founded in 1869 during the Russian Empire period, established initially under the name Krasnovodsk (Красноводск). The city's strategic location on the Caspian Sea coast made it a valuable imperial outpost. From March 2, 1917, to October 25, 1917, the city was part of the short-lived Russian Republic, before transitioning to the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic from October 25, 1917, to December 30, 1922.

Following the formation of the Soviet Union, Türkmenbaşy became part of the USSR from December 30, 1922, remaining under Soviet administration until October 27, 1991. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the city became part of independent Turkmenistan on October 27, 1991, and remains so to the present day.

### Name Changes and Etymology

The city operated under the official name Krasnovodsk from its founding in 1869 until 1993. In 1993, following Turkmenistan's independence, the city was renamed Türkmenbaşy, meaning "Head of the Turkmen," derived from the title held by Saparmurat Niyazov, the country's first president. The official name in Cyrillic script is Туркменбашы. Alternative historical names include Kyzyl-Su and Şagadam.

The city is known by numerous aliases internationally, including Turkmenbashy, Turkmenbashi, Turkmenbasy, Turkmenbachi, Krasnowodsk, and various transliterations across languages: トルクメンバシ (都市) in Japanese, 土库曼巴希 in Chinese, 克拉斯诺沃茨克 in Russian, 크라스노보츠크 in Korean, and Туркменбашы in Cyrillic Turkmen.

### Administrative History

Türkmenbaşy has served in various administrative capacities throughout its history. The city functioned as the capital of Krasnovodsk oblast during three distinct periods:
- November 21, 1939 to January 23, 1947
- April 4, 1952 to December 9, 1955
- December 27, 1973 to August 25, 1988

During these same periods, the city was also located within Krasnovodsk oblast. Since December 23, 1965, Türkmenbaşy has served as the capital of Türkmenbaşy District, a role it continues to hold.

### Demographics and Population Growth

Türkmenbaşy has experienced steady population growth over the past century:
- 1939: 23,262 residents
- 1959: 39,272 residents
- 1970: 48,840 residents
- 1979: 53,131 residents (census)
- 1989: 58,854 residents (census)
- 1995: 63,000 residents (census)
- 2004: 86,800 residents (estimation, January 1)
- 2005: 68,292 residents
- 2022: 91,745 residents (census)

This represents nearly a fourfold increase in population over approximately eight decades, reflecting the city's continued growth and urbanization.

### Geographic and Physical Characteristics

Türkmenbaşy is positioned at coordinates 40.016667°N latitude and 52.966667°E longitude in Balkan Province, Turkmenistan. The city sits at an elevation of 27 meters above sea level, characteristic of its coastal location on the Caspian Sea. The city operates in the UTC+05:00 time zone.

### International Recognition and Documentation

The city has been documented in numerous authoritative encyclopedic sources, including:
- Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary
- Small Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary
- Encyclopædia Britannica 11th edition (under the entry for Krasnovodsk)
- Sytin Military Encyclopedia
- Great Russian Encyclopedia (online edition, 2017)
- Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana

The city maintains an Encyclopædia Britannica Online identifier (place/Turkmenbashi) and a Great Russian Encyclopedia online identifier (4210155).

### Digital and Database Identifiers

Türkmenbaşy is catalogued in multiple international databases and identifier systems:
- GND ID: 4534699-9
- VIAF ID: 241208915
- Geonames ID: 601594
- GNS Unique Feature ID: -2559540
- Freebase ID: /m/02tkls
- BBC Things ID: b6b6fd74-af69-4601-a2f6-7c490db1592a
- Who's on First ID: 421176819
- OpenStreetMap Relation ID: 2603973
- archINFORM Location ID: 7646
- Online PWN Encyclopedia ID: 3990125
- Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana ID: krasnovodsk (current scheme), 0035982 (former scheme)

### Wikimedia Presence

The city maintains a substantial presence across Wikimedia projects with 66 sitelinks and Wikipedia articles available in 58 languages. The Wikimedia Commons category is "Turkmenbashi," and the main Wikipedia title is "Türkmenbaşy, Turkmenistan." Available imagery includes a port view photograph (Vue sur le port de Türkmenbaşy) and a historical image showing a general view of the town from its Krasnovodsk period. A page banner featuring a local bazaar is also available.

### Civic and Cultural Designations

Türkmenbaşy is twinned with Jūrmala, a city in Latvia, establishing an international municipal partnership. The city has designated categories for people associated with it, including "Category:People from Türkmenbaşy" for associated individuals, "Q8076147" for people born in the city, and "Category:Deaths in Türkmenbaşy, Turkmenistan" for those who died there.

The city's main topic category on Wikimedia projects is "Category:Türkmenbaşy, Turkmenistan." Additionally, there is a Google Play store reference with the identifier "Turmenbasji," suggesting some form of digital application or service associated with the city's name.

### Postal and Administrative Codes

The city uses postal code 745000 and vehicle license plate code BN, which corresponds to Balkan Province (the province in which Türkmenbaşy is located). The Japanese katakana name for the city is トルクメンバシュ (Torukumenbashu).

## References

1. archINFORM
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. 1939 Soviet census
4. 1959 Soviet census
5. 1970 Soviet census
6. [1979 Soviet census](https://citypopulation.de/en/turkmenistan/)
7. [1989 Soviet census](https://citypopulation.de/en/turkmenistan/)
8. [Population census of Turkmenistan 1995](https://citypopulation.de/en/turkmenistan/)
9. [Source](https://citypopulation.de/en/turkmenistan/)
10. GeoNames
11. BBC Things
12. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)