TASHAUZ

also spelled Taauz, city, northern Turkmenistan, in the western Khorezm oasis. The Shavat Canal, which gets its water from the nearby Amu Darya (river), divides the city into northern and southern sections. Originally a fort and the bazaar of western Khwarezm, it became a town in 1924. The old, typically Asiatic part of the city lies north of the canal, while the new part, with its wide tree-lined streets, occupies the southern bank. The city developed particularly after the construction of the railway in the 1950s. It has a cotton gin, food-processing plants, and vehicle-repair works and is a centre of carpet making. The city lies on the Chardzhou-Makat railway. Cotton, alfalfa, grains (sorghum, barley, rice, millet), and melons are produced in the surrounding area. Silk production is also practiced. Pop. (1991 est.) 117,000.