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.