Lebap Region

Lebap Region (Turkmen: Lebap welaýaty, IPA: [leˈbɑːp βeˌɫɑːjɑˈtɯ]) is one of the five regions of Turkmenistan. It borders Afghanistan and Uzbekistan along the Amu Darya river. Its administrative centre is Türkmenabat (formerly Çärjew). Lebap covers an area of 93,727 square kilometres (36,188 mi2), and it has a population of 1,447,298 as of the 2022 census. The name Lebap is derived from Persian Lab-e âb (لب آب [ˌlæb‿e ˈʔɒːb]) 'riverside', and has long been used to designate the middle reaches of the Amu Darya. It contains the Repetek Nature Reserve as well as the Köýtendag Nature Reserve, which includes Turkmenistan's highest mountain, Aýrybaba. Lebap is also home to the Dayahatyn caravansaray. The region is located along the Amu Darya. The Kyzylkum Desert is located on the east side of the river and Karakum Desert is located on the west side of the river. About three-quarters of the region's land area is in the Karakum Desert. The region's sunny weather and abundance of water resources help produce high-quality long-staple cotton.