Turkmenabat, Turkmenistan

Capital City

With a population of just over 230,000, Turkmenabat is no quaint provincial town. This former Soviet railway junction is a gritty, industrial center that serves as the economic hub of northeastern Turkmenistan. The tax burden is heavy, and bureaucracy is a persistent headache for residents. Summers are scorching, with the city's desert climate bringing temperatures well over 100°F. Yet despite these challenges, Turkmenabat remains an important trade and transit point, home to food processing and textile factories that keep the regional economy churning.

This is a city for those who can handle the heat, the red tape, and the rough-and-tumble pace of life in a major Turkmen industrial center. Those seeking a slower, more comfortable lifestyle would be better off looking elsewhere.