A şäherçe, translated as "town," is a form of third-level administrative division of Turkmenistan. In terms of hierarchy, a şäherçe is slightly less important than a şäher (city) and more important than a geňeşlik (rural council). Towns are usually subordinate to an etrap (district) or, in some cases, to a city with district status. Towns may subordinate one or several oba (village).
A municipality is granted the status of town by law. They are headed by a presidentially appointed häkim ("mayor;" "governor").
List
Municipalities designated as towns Here is a list of the 71 municipalities designated as towns by law in Turkmenistan, arranged by administrative divisions and alphabetical order as of September 8, 2025. Towns acting as the capital of their respective district are bolded. TownPopulation (2022)DistrictProvinceNoteBereketli zaman1,429Ak bugdaý DistrictAhal ProvinceBerkarar2,747Ak bugdaý DistrictAhal ProvinceBokurdak7,726Ak bugdaý DistrictAhal ProvinceÝaşlyk8,172Ak bugdaý DistrictAhal ProvinceAba AnnaýewArkadagAhal ProvinceTown established on May 10, 2022.Arçman6,014Bäherden DistrictAhal ProvinceYzgant6,547Gökdepe DistrictAhal ProvinceDuşak8,405Kaka DistrictAhal ProvinceGaňňaly3,580Sarahs DistrictAhal ProvinceBagtyýarlyk9,804Tejen DistrictAhal ProvinceGumdag30,884BalkanabatBalkan ProvinceHazar14,671BalkanabatBalkan ProvinceJebel15,056BalkanabatBalkan ProvinceOglanly1,715BalkanabatBalkan ProvinceUzboý730BalkanabatBalkan ProvinceGalkynyşBereket DistrictBalkan ProvinceTown established on December 10, 2022.Ekerem3,972Esenguly DistrictBalkan ProvinceGaradepe9,016Esenguly DistrictBalkan ProvinceJanahyr3,664Gyzylarbat DistrictBalkan ProvinceAkdaş6,750Türkmenbaşy DistrictBalkan ProvinceBelek1,720Türkmenbaşy DistrictBalkan ProvinceGuwlymaýak1,853Türkmenbaşy DistrictBalkan ProvinceGyzylgaýa993Türkmenbaşy DistrictBalkan ProvinceGyzylsuw859Türkmenbaşy DistrictBalkan ProvinceTürkmenbaşy7,334Türkmenbaşy DistrictBalkan ProvinceOrazgeldi Ärsaryýew8,040Akdepe DistrictDaşoguz ProvinceGökçäge7,569Gubadag DistrictDaşoguz ProvinceDistrict established on September 19, 2025.Rejepguly Ataýew2,760Garaşsyzlyk DistrictDaşoguz ProvinceDistrict established on September 19, 2025.Bereket13,549Köneürgenç DistrictDaşoguz ProvinceBitaraplykKöneürgenç DistrictDaşoguz ProvinceTown established on September 8, 2025.Aşyr Kakabaýew9,603Saparmyrat Türkmenbaşy DistrictDaşoguz ProvinceSadylla Rozmetow2,316Şabat DistrictDaşoguz ProvinceRuhubelent1,653Ruhubelent DistrictDaşoguz ProvinceÇärjew1,825Çärjew DistrictLebap ProvinceHojagala4,752Çärjew DistrictLebap ProvinceKiştiwan5,989Çärjew DistrictLebap ProvinceAsuda6,807Dänew DistrictLebap ProvinceBahar3,090Dänew DistrictLebap ProvinceGaraşsyzlyk7,136Dänew DistrictLebap ProvinceLebap3,058Darganata DistrictLebap ProvinceAmyderýa10,330Döwletli DistrictLebap ProvinceDistrict established on September 19, 2025.Döwletli4,942Döwletli DistrictLebap ProvinceDistrict established on September 19, 2025.Kerkiçi14,996Döwletli DistrictLebap ProvinceDistrict established on September 19, 2025.Jeýhun9,496Farap DistrictLebap ProvinceDistrict established on September 19, 2025.Yslam4,869Garabekewül DistrictLebap ProvinceDistrict established on September 19, 2025.Çohpetde7,503Halaç DistrictLebap ProvinceBeşir6,971Hojambaz DistrictLebap ProvinceAstanababa11,466Kerki DistrictLebap ProvinceBaşsaka3,498Kerki DistrictLebap ProvinceGaramätnyýaz1,844Kerki DistrictLebap ProvinceGaraşsyzlygyň 15 ýyllygy1,598Kerki DistrictLebap ProvinceGarlyk16Köýtendag DistrictLebap ProvinceGurşun magdan käni3,953Köýtendag DistrictLebap ProvinceKelif3,701Köýtendag DistrictLebap ProvinceMukry7,013Köýtendag DistrictLebap ProvinceÇaltut4,857Saýat DistrictLebap ProvinceSuwçyoba1,758Saýat DistrictLebap ProvinceBagtyýarlyk1,727Baýramaly DistrictMary ProvinceBerkarar1,408Baýramaly DistrictMary ProvinceMekan12,115Baýramaly DistrictMary ProvinceÝagtyýol10,488GaragumMary provincePeşanaly935Mary DistrictMary ProvinceSaparmyrat Türkmenbaşy13,251Mary DistrictMary ProvinceDeňizhan4,686Oguzhan DistrictMary ProvinceDistrict established on September 19, 2025.Oguzhan6,430Oguzhan DistrictMary ProvinceDistrict established on September 19, 2025.Döwletli zaman982Oguzhan DistrictMary ProvinceDistrict established on September 19, 2025.Parahat2,494Oguzhan DistrictMary ProvinceDistrict established on September 19, 2025.Tagtabazar13,312Tagtabazar DistrictMary ProvinceZähmet3,855Türkmengala DistrictMary ProvinceMollanepes2,878Wekilbazar DistrictMary ProvinceWekilbazar2,832Wekilbazar DistrictMary Province
See also
Districts of Turkmenistan List of cities in Turkmenistan List of cities, towns and villages in Turkmenistan
References