Regions of Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is divided into five regions or "welaýatlar" (singular "welaýat") and one capital city ("şäher"). They are Ahal, Balkan, Dashoguz, Lebap and Mary, plus the capital city of Ashgabat. Each province is divided into districts. As of January 1, 2020, there were 43 districts (), 51 cities (), including 11 cities with district status (), 62 towns (), 504 rural councils (rural municipal units, ) and 1717 villages (rural settlements ) in Turkmenistan.
Capital city.
The capital city of Turkmenistan is Ashgabat, which is an administrative and territorial unit with provincial authorities. <br>
"See also" Map of the Boroughs of Ashgabat
As of January 5, 2018, Ashgabat includes four boroughs ("uly etraplar"), each with a presidentially appointed mayor ():
This is a reduction from the previous number of boroughs. Arçabil and Çandybil boroughs were merged on February 4, 2015, and the new "etrap", named Arçabil, was in turn renamed Büzmeýin in January 2018. At that time the Abadan borough of Ashgabat, created in 2013 by annexing the town of Abadan and surrounding villages to Abadan's south, was abolished and its territory was merged into the newly renamed Büzmeýin borough. The former Ruhabat borough was abolished at the same time and its territory absorbed by Bagtyýarlyk borough.
On 15 June 2020, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow announced intention to create a fifth borough of Ashgabat, to be called Altyn etraby, centered on the new resort zone created on the shores of the former Gurtly Water Reservoir, recently renamed "Golden Lake" (Altyn köl).
List of regions.
The heads of the regions (, "the leader") are appointed by the President of Turkmenistan (Constitution of Turkmenistan, Articles 80–81).