Kara Kum

Kara Kum, desert region in Turkmenistan, in central Asia, covering about 135,000 sq mi (330,000 sq km) in area. The Kara Kum canal, extending from the Amu Darya River through two oases to the city of Ashkhabad, enables parts of the desert to be irrigated and used for grazing sheep, goats, and camels.