Karakum, << `kahr` uh KOOM, >> is a large desert that occupies most of Turkmenistan. Karakum covers 135,000 square miles (350,000 square kilometers). Most of the desert was formed by sandy deposits from a river called the Amu Darya. Karakum’s terrain includes flat clay plains, salt basins, and sand mounds. Short-lived bushes and grassy plants sprout in the spring. Wildlife includes antelopes, wolves, wild cats, snakes, lizards, tarantulas, scorpions, and various rodents. Most of the desert is used throughout the year as pasture for sheep, goats, and camels. Farmers grow crops in irrigated oases along rivers. The 850-mile (1,350-kilometer) Karakum Canal provides water for one of the world’s largest irrigation systems. Karakum has deposits of natural gas, petroleum, and other minerals.
