The region is mostly desert, and is experiencing severe environmental degradation as a result of the Aral Sea ecological catastrophe.

Increased soil salinity has ruined thousands of square kilometers of farmland.

[4][5] As of 9 November 2022 Dashoguz Province (Daşoguz welaýaty) is subdivided into 7 districts (etrap, plural etraplar):[6][7][8][9] The former districts of Gubadag and of Gurbansoltan eje adyndaky were abolished in November 2022.

[6][7] By parliamentary decree of 9 November 2022, the number of towns was increased to seven by upgrading some villages, and Köneurgenç's district status was revoked.

[9] More than three quarters of ethnic Uzbek population of Turkmenistan reside in Dashoguz Region according to 2022 census.