Kerki

Kerki is a city in and capital of Kerki District, Lebap Province, Turkmenistan. It was formerly known as Zamm[1] and, between 1999 and 2017, as Atamyrat. It is situated on a plain on the left bank of the Amu Darya river.

Not to be confused with Karki, Azerbaijan.
Kerki
Atamyrat (1999-2017)
Zemm (in antiquity)
Kerki
Location in Turkmenistan
Coordinates: 37°51′11″N 65°14′13″E
Country Turkmenistan
ProvinceLebap Province
DistrictKerki District
Time zoneUTC+5

Etymology

According to Atanyyazow, the name Kerki is most likely of Persian origin, from ker ("fortress") and kuh ("mountain"), meaning "fortress on a mountain".[2] However, Muqaddasī and de Goeje assert it is a Turkified pronunciation of the Persian name Karkuh (کرکوه), meaning "deaf mountain".[3] The ancient name, Zamm, is of obscure origin.

On 29 December 1999, by Parliamentary Resolution HM-60, the city and district of Kerki were renamed Atamyrat in honor of Atamyrat Nyýazow, father of Saparmurat Niyazov, who had worked in Kerki as a teacher before being killed in World War II. On 25 November 2017, by Parliamentary Resolution No. 679-V, Atamyrat was changed back to Kerki for both the city and the district.[4]

Overview

Nearby towns and villages include Mukry (3.3 nm), Amu Dar'ya (2.1 nm), Surkhi (3.1 nm) and Kerkichi (2.2 nm).[5]

Transportation

The town was served by Kerki Airport before facilities were terminated in 2004.[6] In August 2012, state-owned Turkmenistan Airlines announced an international tender to design and construct a new terminal with capacity of 100 passengers per hour.[7] In February 2013 the road bridge connecting the city with Kerkichi was commissioned [8] The new airport was opened in June 2021.[9][10]

In 1999, the railway line from Türkmenabat to Kerki was finished, linking Kerki to the Turkmen railway network without having to detour into neighbouring Uzbekistan.[11] In late 2016, a railway line was built south to Ymamnazar on the border with Afghanistan and further to Aqina, turning Kerki into a railway hub.[12] It is expected to become part of a railway corridor through northern Afghanistan.

Climate

The all-time high temperature 47.0 °C (116.6 °F) was recorded on July 8, 2021.[13]

See also

References
  1. Bosworth, C. E. (1989). "ĀMOL (ĀMŪYA)". Archived copy. Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. I, Fasc. 9. pp. 982–983. Archived from the original on 2017-12-29. Retrieved 2016-02-08.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. Atanyýazow, Soltanşa (1980). Түркменистаның Географик Атларының Дүшүндиришли Сөзлүги [Explanatory Dictionary of Geographic Names in Turkmenistan]. Ashgabat: Ылым. p. 182.
  3. Muqaddasī, Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad, and M. J. de Goeje. 1967. Kitāb Aḥsan al-taqāsīm fī maʻrifat al-aqālīm. Bibliotheca geographorum Arabicorum, pars 3. Laydin: Maṭbaʻ Brīl.
  4. "Внесены изменения в административно-территориальное деление Лебапского велаята" [Changes to the administrative-territorial divisions in Lebap velayat] (in Russian). Türkmenistan Bu Gün. 2017-11-27. Retrieved 2018-01-05.
  5. Falling rain gazetteer
  6. Brummell, Paul (2005). Turkmenistan. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 197. ISBN 978-1-84162-144-9.
  7. "New Airport in Atamurat, East of Turkmenistan". The Gazette of Central Asia. Satrapia. 16 August 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  8. Президенты Украины и Туркмении открыли мост через Амударью и заложили новый аэропорт
  9. "Turkmenistan's new airport receives int'l certificate of compliance". Trend. 25 June 2021.
  10. "Kerki Airport awarded ICAO Code and International Certificate of Conformity". "Turkmenistan: Golden Age". 24 June 2021.
  11. Grantham, Andrew (15 July 2008). "Atamyrat to Afghanistan railway plan". Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  12. Salehai, Zarghona (28 November 2016). "Afghan-Turkmenistan railroad inaugurated". Pajhwok Afghan News. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  13. "38911: Kerki (Turkmenistan)". ogimet.com. OGIMET. 8 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
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