The Karakum Desert, also spelt Qaraqum and Garagum, is a desert in Central Asia. The name refers to the shale-rich sand beneath the surface. It occupies about 70 percent, or roughly 350,000 km², of Turkmenistan.
The population is sparse, with an average of one person per 6.5 km². Rainfall is also rare, ranging from 70 to 150 mm per year. From Wikipedia
