Köýtendag District

Köýtendag District (formerly Çarşaňňy District) is a district of Lebap Province in Turkmenistan. The administrative center of the district is the city of Köýtendag.

Köýtendag District Köýtendag Etraby
District
Country	Turkmenistan
Province	Lebap Province
Capital	Köýtendag
Area
• Total	2,557 sq mi (6,623 km2)
Population  (2022 census)[1]
• Total	199,820
• Density	78/sq mi (30/km2)
Time zone	UTC+5 (+5)

Dinosaur Plateau in Koytendag District, Lebap Province, Turkmenistan

Administrative subdivisions

• Cities (şäherler)
  • Dostluk
  • Köýtendag
  • Magdanly
• Towns (şäherçeler)
  • Amyderýa
  • Garlyk (Inc. Garlyk, Künjek)
  • Gurşun magdan käni (inc.' Mes)
  • Kelif
  • Kerkiçi
  • Mukry
• Village councils (geňeşlikler)
  • Akgumolam (Akgumolam)
  • Burguçy (Hatap, Çanakçy, Daýhan, Olamsurhy)
  • Çärjew (Çärjew, Ýürekdepe, Aýrybaba)
  • Daşrabat (Daşrabat, Bozarygoba, Güneşli, Sarymeýdan, Ýagtylyk)
  • Garahowuz (Garahowuz)
  • Garnas (Çarşaňňy, Garnas, Garabagşyly, Balh)
  • Garrygala (Garrygala, Gökmiýar, Hojaşüllük)
  • Köýten (Köýten, Bazardepe, Gyzylaý, Leýlimekan, Mälik, Hojeýpil, Täzeçarwa)
  • Megejik (Megejik, Akderi, Gumpetde, Şagundy)
  • Ters (Ters)
  • Türkmenistan (Tutlykak, Arpasaý, Garaşsyzlyk, Lebap, Täzegüýç, Ýaşlyk, Ýylangyz, Serdar, Dostluk)
  • Ýalkym (Surhy, Baýdak, Türkmenistan)
  • Zarpçy (Zarpçy)

History

Formed in August 1926 as Charshangi in the then-region of Kerkin, it came under direct control of the Turkmen SSR government in November 1930, when the aforementioned district was abolished. The region was restored back in February 1933, of which this district was once again a part of. In November 1939, it became part of the newly formed region of Chardzhou (now Lebap).

December 1943 saw the reincorporation of this district into the district of Kerkin, and in January 1947 this district became part of Chardzhou once again.

This district was abolished in January 1963, but was reestablished in December 1964, of which it came under direct control of the central government of the Turkmen SSR at Ashgabat. When Chardzhou was reestablished again in 1970, it again became part of it.

In 1992, this district was incorporated into the newly formed Lebap region; its name was first renamed into its Turkmenized form, Çarşaňňy, before being renamed into Köýtendag, as it is known today.

On 9 November 2022, Döwletli District was dissolved and its territories were divided, some going to this district, and the rest including the town of Döwletli to Hojambaz District.^[2] Previously, on 28 November 2017, Beýik Türkmenbaşy District was dissolved, and its territories were included in Döwletli District.^[3]

Nature reserve

The district contains the Köýtendag Nature Reserve which was established in 1986. It is located in the Köýtendag Range of the district and covers an area of 271.4 km². The district is also the site of the "Dinosaur Plateau", a prehistoric mudflow which preserves 160-million-year-old footprints of dinosaurs.