Garabogaz

Garabogaz (), formerly named Bekdaş () is a city subordinate to Turkmenbashy District, Balkan province, Turkmenistan, on the shore of the Caspian Sea. In 2002, the town of Bekdaş was promoted to the status of city and was renamed on the same occasion. As of 2022, the city reached a population of 7,877 people.

==Etymology== The city takes its name from the nearby Garabogaz gulf. Atanyyazow explains that the name originally applied to the narrow strait which connects the gulf to the Caspian Sea. Because water in the strait, termed a "throat" (), was darker than the water on either side, it was termed "dark" or "black" (), hence garabogaz. Over time the name was applied to the gulf itself and ultimately to the city. The previous name, Bekdaş, is taken from the name of a small hill nearby, on which a television antenna has been installed. The origin of bek is obscure; daş means "stone, rock" and Atanyyazov suggests it refers to the pebbles found in the area.