# Kerki

Kerki is a city in and capital of Kerki District, Lebap Province, Turkmenistan. It was formerly known as Zamm and, between 1999 and 2017, as Atamyrat.

## Geography

It is situated on a plain on the left bank of the Amu Darya river. Nearby towns and villages include Mukry (3.3 nm), Amydarýa (2.1 nm), Surhy (3.1 nm) and Kerkichi (2.2 nm).

### Climate

Climate data for Kerki (1991–2020) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 24.4 (75.9) | 29.9 (85.8) | 35.4 (95.7) | 39.0 (102.2) | 42.8 (109.0) | 44.4 (111.9) | 46.0 (114.8) | 45.5 (113.9) | 41.1 (106.0) | 36.7 (98.1) | 32.9 (91.2) | 27.4 (81.3) | 46.0 (114.8) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 19.5 (67.1) | 23.0 (73.4) | 29.5 (85.1) | 34.9 (94.8) | 39.1 (102.4) | 42.2 (108.0) | 43.7 (110.7) | 42.1 (107.8) | 38.5 (101.3) | 32.7 (90.9) | 27.7 (81.9) | 21.1 (70.0) | 32.8 (91.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.7 (40.5) | 7.1 (44.8) | 12.7 (54.9) | 19.1 (66.4) | 25.1 (77.2) | 29.7 (85.5) | 31.0 (87.8) | 28.8 (83.8) | 23.2 (73.8) | 16.6 (61.9) | 10.2 (50.4) | 5.6 (42.1) | 17.8 (64.0) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | −6.8 (19.8) | −5.8 (21.6) | −0.9 (30.4) | 4.7 (40.5) | 11.2 (52.2) | 16.3 (61.3) | 18.0 (64.4) | 14.7 (58.5) | 8.9 (48.0) | 2.3 (36.1) | −2.9 (26.8) | −6.1 (21.0) | 4.5 (40.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −22.8 (−9.0) | −19.0 (−2.2) | −6.9 (19.6) | −0.3 (31.5) | 6.2 (43.2) | 12.6 (54.7) | 16.4 (61.5) | 11.2 (52.2) | 4.8 (40.6) | −3.6 (25.5) | −9.0 (15.8) | −20.9 (−5.6) | −22.8 (−9.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 25.7 (1.01) | 36.9 (1.45) | 37.0 (1.46) | 28.2 (1.11) | 10.0 (0.39) | 1.7 (0.07) | 0.9 (0.04) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.2 (0.01) | 3.5 (0.14) | 17.6 (0.69) | 23.3 (0.92) | 185.0 (7.28) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 16.1 | 18.4 | 17.5 | 13.9 | 6.7 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 12.0 | 12.2 | 100.9 |
| Source: NOAA ||||||||||||||

## Etymology

According to Atanyyazow, the name Kerki is most likely of Persian origin, from ker ("fortress") and kuh ("mountain"), meaning "fortress on a mountain". However, Muqaddasī and de Goeje assert it is a Turkified pronunciation of the Persian name Karkuh (کرکوه), meaning "deaf mountain". The ancient name, Zamm, is of obscure origin.
On 29 December 1999, by Parliamentary Resolution HM-60, the city and district of Kerki were renamed Atamyrat in honor of Atamyrat Nyýazow, father of Saparmurat Niyazov, who had worked in Kerki as a teacher before being killed in World War II. On 25 November 2017, by Parliamentary Resolution No. 679-V, Atamyrat was changed back to Kerki for both the city and the district.

## Architecture

The urban core consists of numerous one-story brick structures dating back to the period of the Russian Empire..

## Transportation
### Air

The town is served by the new Kerki Airport, which replaced a defunct municipal airport in 2021.

### Road

Kerki lies on the P-36 and P-39 highways, which both lead northwest to Turkmenabat, one on each side of the Amu Darya. Nearby junctions connect to the P-89, which leads north to the border with Uzbekistan at Tallymerjen, and the P-37, which leads southeast to the border with Uzbekistan at Kelif. In the opposite direction the P-36 also continues south to a junction with the Kerki-Ymamnazar ýoly, which in turn leads to the border with Afghanistan at Ymamnazar. In February 2013, a road bridge connecting the city with Kerkichi was commissioned; it replaced an old pontoon bridge.

### Rail

In 1999, the rail line from Türkmenabat to Kerki was finished, linking Kerki to the Turkmen railway network without having to detour into neighbouring Uzbekistan. In late 2016, a railway line was built south to Ymamnazar on the border with Afghanistan and further to Aqina, turning Kerki into a railway hub.

## Sights

Astana Baba Mausoleum is managed by the Kerki city museum, and consists of a minaret and tomb built in the 11th century. Allamberdar Mausoleum (ru) is also part of the Kerki city museum. This 11th-century building represents Seljuk architecture of northern Khorasan.