Where is the Darvaza gas crater?

The crater lies near the former village of Derweze in central Turkmenistan, in the middle of the Karakum Desert. It is about 70 metres wide and 20 to 30 metres deep, and natural gas seeping from the ground has been burning inside it for decades. The most commonly told story is that the ground collapsed during Soviet gas exploration and that geologists set the gas alight, expecting it to burn out in a few weeks, although the exact date and details are poorly documented. The glowing pit has become one of Central Asia's best-known tourist sights, especially at night. In 2022 Turkmenistan's president ordered officials to find a way to put the fire out because of the gas being wasted and the environmental impact.