Aşgabat (; , UniPers: Ešq-âbâd; - Ashkhabád) is the capital city of Turkmenistan. It also spelled as Ashgabat, Ashkabat, Ashkhabad, Ashgabad, a former Soviet republic. Aşgabat has a population of 695,300 (2001) and is between the Kara Kum desert and the Kopet Dag mountain range. The name is believed to borrow from the Persian Ashk-abad meaning "the City of Arsaces". Another explanation is that the name is a corruption of the Persian Eshq (Love) + abad (natured place or city), and therefore loosely translates as "The city built by/from love". Aşgabat is at 37°58′N 58°20′E (37.9667, 58.333). Aşgabat's ethnic groups are: Turkmen, Russians, Armenians, and Azeris. Arsaces was king of Persia and his name appears between 3 and 4 times in the Bible.