Balkanabat

Balkanabat, formerly Nebitdag or Nebit-Dag, city and administrative centre of Balkan oblast (province), western Turkmenistan. It is located at the southern foot of the Bolshoy (Great) Balkhan Ridge.

The city’s former name, Nebitdag, means “Oil Mountain,” and it is the headquarters of the Turkmen oil industry. Balkanabat grew up on the Transcaspian Railway after large oil deposits were discovered in the area in the early 1930s; it became a city in 1946. It has been carefully planned, with much greenery to mitigate the effects of the surrounding desert. Pop. (2004 est.) 139,000.