The Kopetdag Mountains

Kopetdag is a large mining system serving as the border between Turkmenistan and Iran. Translated from Turkmen, Kopetdag means "many mountains." The mountain range stretches from east to west for 650 km and is heavily cut by numerous rivers, the largest of which are the Atrek and Sumbar. On the northern slopes of Kopetdag is the capital of Turkmenistan - Ashgabat. In addition, this mountainous area has high seismicity, which in 1948 led to the strongest earthquake, which killed tens of thousands of people.

The nature of Kopetdag is semi-desert in the lower part and a temperate alpine landscape at altitudes. It is home to animals such as cheetah, leopard, jackal, striped hyena, Kopetdag ram, and oar-free goat. In the middle of the 20th century, the Kopetdag Reserve was created on the territory of the ridge.

In the mountain gorges there are small villages where Turkmen and Iranians live. Also, the recreational sector is constantly developing in Kopetdag. In some areas, there are mountain resorts, among which Firyuzinka is most famous. In 2000, near Ashgabat, the Health Trail was created, which a 36 km long pedestrian path is passing along the picturesque slopes of Kopetdag. The tourist potential of this mountainous area is quite large and every year there are more and more opportunities for a comfortable vacation.