wind raises clouds of fine dust which fill the air, rendering it opaque, almost obscuring the noonday sun. These clouds make breathing difficult. In winter the climate is pleasant. Snow falls rarely, and when it does, it melts at once. The annual rainfall rarely exceeds , and there is often no rain from June until October. In summer temperatures can reach , while in winter they can be as low as . The average yearly temperature is . International relations UNESCO has listed the site of ancient Merv as a World Heritage Site. Twin towns – sister cities Merv is twinned with: Aleppo, Syria Balkh, Afghanistan Baghdad, Iraq Bukhara, Uzbekistan Damascus, Syria Dubai, United Arab Emirates Gaza City, Palestine Jerusalem, Israel Karbala, Iraq Khujand, Tajikistan Kirkuk, Iraq Konye-Urgench, Turkmenistan Kuwait City, Kuwait Lahore, Pakistan Mecca, Saudi Arabia Medina, Saudi Arabia Nisa, Turkmenistan Nishapur, Iran Samarkand, Uzbekistan Gallery See also Greater Khorasan Nishapur Herat Balkh Gunar Tepe Margiana List of cities founded by Alexander the Great Mary, Turkmenistan Bayramali Murghab river List of World Heritage Sites in Turkmenistan Tahmuras, the mythical father and founder of Merv References Citations Sources Ettinghausen, Richard; Grabar, Oleg (1994), The Art and Architecture of Islam 650–1250, New Haven: Yale University Press Herrmann, Georgina (1999), Monuments of Merv: Traditional Buildings of the Karakum, London: Society of Antiquaries of London, Herrmann, Georgina; Masson, VM; Kurbansakhatov, K (1992), "The International Merv Project, Preliminary Report on the First Season (1992).", Iran, 31, pp. 39–62. Herrmann, Georgina; Kurbansakhatov, K (1993), "The International Merv Project, Preliminary Report on the Second Season (1992).", Iran, 32, pp. 53–75. Herrmann, Georgina; Kurbansakhatov, K (2000), "The International Merv Project, Preliminary Report on the Ninth Year (2000).", Iran, 39, pp. 9–52. Herrmann, Georgina; Kurbansakhatov, K (1999), "The International Merv Project, Preliminary Report on the Seventh Season (1998).", Iran, 37, pp. 9–52. Williams, Tim; Kurbansakhatov, K (2002), "The Ancient Merv Project, Turkmenistan. Preliminary Report on the First Season (2001)", Iran, 40, pp. 15–42. Williams, Tim; Kurbansakhatov, K (2003), "The Ancient Merv Project, Turkmenistan. Preliminary Report on the First Season (2002)", Iran, 41, pp. 139–172. British Museum Research Project Hazlitt's Classical Gazetteer Ancient Merv Project UCL Merv Digital Media Archive (creative commons-licensed photos, laser scans, panoramas), particularly focusing on Sultan Kala (Gala), with data from a University College London/CyArk research partnership External links Populated places established in the 6th century BC Populated places disestablished in 1789 Parthian cities Sasanian