Karakum Desert

East of the Merv oasis the sands of the Karakum stretch across the plains of Central Asia. The Murghab River descends from the mountains and disperses into an inland delta, allowing fields and successive cities to flourish amid the desert. Beyond the watered oasis, dunes and dry ground form a very different landscape. The contrast between river-fed cultivation and the surrounding sands has shaped the position of Merv and the routes that pass through it.