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At first glance, it almost does not look real. Giant white marble buildings dominate the skyline, huge roads appear to be spotless, and huge monuments stand tall amidst surprisingly vacant roads. It may seem very surprising for tourists who browse through the pictures of Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, but the common question that pops up in their mind is always the same: Where are all the people?

While it seems that most of the major cities have become synonymous with traffic jams, crowded metro stations, and bustling crowds, Ashgabat seems to stand out with a completely different picture. The city became viral many times in social media for looking like a scene from a movie rather than a bustling capital. Even though the idea of a "vacant city" is partially true, the answer is not as simple as nobody lives here.

A city reborn with ambitious dreamsOne of the most important reasons Ashgabat looks the way it does today lies in its history. In 1948, a devastating earthquake struck the city and destroyed a large portion of it. Reconstruction over the decades gradually reshaped the capital, but many of the large-scale changes visible today came during later development projects.

There were numerous efforts of construction and modernization, which gave birth to huge avenues, grandiose constructions, parks and plazas. Not like the compact urban form of old cities, Ashgabat is built on the principle of open space.


Consequently, numerous streets look much wider compared to those of other cities. Even if there is no lack of cars on the street, the road itself is a huge, multi-lane one.

The effect of a “white marble city”Another characteristic feature of Ashgabat is its whiteness. Ashgabat has been known around the world due to its peculiar use of white marble in governmental constructions, monuments, and apartment buildings.
The unique architectural style gives an illusion of an unreal city, especially with its shining buildings under the bright sun.

Population matters tooAnother factor is simple demographics.

The population of Turkmenistan is not so large in comparison with many countries whose capital cities are actively mentioned in social media. People who will compare Ashgabat with very crowded cities like Tokyo, Bangkok, Mumbai, or Istanbul will definitely note a significant difference.

Population density and urban activity often influence how “busy” a city feels. In those cities where millions of people live in the smallest territories, crowded streets are a usual thing. But in Ashgabat everything is quite different.


Why photos make it look even emptierThe majority of those pictures which were posted online and watched by many people represent administrative zones, monumental architecture, and governmental districts. Such locations are often designed for official purposes rather than everyday commercial activity.

The largest public plazas and places of celebration are not so crowded as crowded markets, commercial centers, and transit hubs. The timing of shooting can also be a factor. For example, photographs made in the morning hours create an even more empty impression of the city. If a city has large roads and spaces, then it can look almost deserted in some photographs.


A quieter atmosphere than many capitalsTourists who visit Ashgabat usually claim that the city looks rather calm and organized than many other capitals.
Whereas most cities have busy streets, chaotic traffic, and overcrowded public places, Ashgabat is often referred to as a place with a more quiet atmosphere. Indeed, such an impression can be quite different for people coming from more populous cities. For some tourists, this fact makes Ashgabat interesting. For others, it's rather surreal.

Is Ashgabat empty then?Not quite.

There are people living in the city, working there, commuting, going through their ordinary routine. It is not a deserted city at all. But a mixture of urban planning, number of inhabitants, architectural style, and photography has made Ashgabat look much less crowded than many other capitals.

It seems like that is one of the reasons why the city attracts tourists. In the time when cities are usually associated with chaos, Ashgabat is something special, a capital city which can feel like it belongs to the future.

And that unusual contrast may be exactly what keeps people asking the same question: where is everybody?