The Tajik people came under Russian rule in the 1860s and 1870s, but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution of 1917. Bolshevik control of the area was fiercely contested and not fully reestablished until 1925. Tajikistan became independent in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and it is now in the process of strengthening its democracy and transitioning to a free market economy after its 1992-97 civil war. There have been no major security incidents in recent years, although the country remains the poorest in the former Soviet sphere. Attention by the international community in the wake of the war in Afghanistan has brought increased economic development assistance, which could create jobs and increase stability in the long term. Tajikistan is in the early stages of seeking World Trade Organization membership and has joined NATO's Partnership for Peace.
Location
Central Asia, west of China
Geographic coordinates
39 00 N, 71 00 E
Map references
Asia
Area
total
143,100 sq km
land
142,700 sq km
water
400 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Land boundaries
total
3,651 km
border countries
Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Climate
midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains
Terrain
Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m
highest point
Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m
Natural resources
hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold
landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the Trans-Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast; highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountain in the former USSR
Population
7,076,598 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
35% (male 1,261,247/female 1,218,686)
15-64 years
61.2% (male 2,145,300/female 2,184,519)
65 years and over
3.8% (male 113,186/female 153,660) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
21.3 years
male
20.8 years
female
21.8 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
1.895% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
27.33 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
7.05 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
-1.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.035 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.982 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.737 male(s)/female
total population
0.99 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
43.64 deaths/1,000 live births
male
48.73 deaths/1,000 live births
female
38.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
64.61 years
male
61.6 years
female
67.78 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
3.09 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
less than 200 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
less than 100 (2001 est.)
Nationality
noun
Tajikistani(s)
adjective
Tajikistani
Ethnic groups
Tajik 79.9%, Uzbek 15.3%, Russian 1.1%, Kyrgyz 1.1%, other 2.6% (2000 census)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)
Languages
Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
99.5%
male
99.7%
female
99.2% (2000 census)
Country name
conventional long form
Republic of Tajikistan
conventional short form
Tajikistan
local long form
Jumhurii Tojikiston
local short form
Tojikiston
former
Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type
republic
Capital
name
Dushanbe
geographic coordinates
38 35 N, 68 48 E
time difference
UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa), Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon* [Gorno-Badakhshan] (Khorugh), Viloyati Sughd (Khujand)
note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses
Independence
9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday
Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)
Constitution
6 November 1994
Legal system
based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
President Emomali RAHMON (since 6 November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992)
head of government
Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January 1999)
cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Supreme Assembly
elections
president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 6 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2013); prime minister appointed by the president
election results
Emomali RAHMONOV reelected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 79.3%, Olimzon BOBOYEV 6.2%, other 14.5%
Legislative branch
bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (34 seats; 25 members selected by local deputies, 8 appointed by the president; 1 seat reserved for the former president; to serve five-year terms) and the Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 25 March 2005 for the National Assembly (next to be held in February 2010) and 27 February and 13 March 2005 for the Assembly of Representatives (next to be held in February 2010)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDPT 29, CPT 2, independents 3; Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 74.9%, CPT 13.6%, Islamic Revival Party 8.9%, other 2.5%; seats by party - PDPT 51, CPT 5, Islamic Revival Party 2, independents 5
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Political parties and leaders
Agrarian Party of Tajikistan or APT [Amir KARAKULOV]; Democratic Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV (imprisoned October 2005); Rahmatullo VALIYEV, deputy]; Islamic Revival Party [Muhiddin KABIRI]; Party of Economic Reform or PER [Olimzon BOBOYEV]; People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMONOV]; Social Democratic Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOYIROV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Abdualim GHAFFOROV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]
Political pressure groups and leaders
unregistered political parties: Agrarian Party [Hikmatullo NASREDDINOV]; Party of Justice [Abdurahim KARIMOV]; People's Unity Party [Abdumalik ABDULLOJONOV]; Progressive Party [Sulton QUVVATOV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Mirhuseyn NAZRIYEV]; note - this is a SPT that was disbanded, another pro-government SPT (listed above under political parties) replaced it; Unity Party [Hikmatullo SAIDOV]
1005 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone
[1] (202) 223-6090
FAX
[1] (202) 223-6091
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
Ambassador Tracey Ann JACOBSON
embassy
109-A Ismoili Somoni Avenue, Dushanbe 734003
mailing address
7090 Dushanbe Place, Dulles, VA 20189
telephone
[992] (37) 229-20-00
FAX
[992] (37) 229-20-50
Flag description
three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold, five-pointed stars is located in the center of the white stripe
Economy - overview
Tajikistan has one of the lowest per capita GDPs among the 15 former Soviet republics. Only 7% of the land area is arable; cotton is the most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but limited in amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry and food processing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in industrial and agricultural production. While Tajikistan has experienced steady economic growth since 1997, nearly two-thirds of the population continues to live in abject poverty. Economic growth reached 10.6% in 2004 but dropped to 8% in 2005 and to 7% in 2006. Tajikistan's economic situation, however, remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural reforms, weak governance, widespread unemployment, and the external debt burden. Continued privatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises could increase productivity. A debt restructuring agreement was reached with Russia in December 2002 including a $250 million write-off of Tajikistan's $300 million debt. Tajikistan ranks third in the world in terms of water resources per head. A proposed investment to finish the hydropower dams Rogun and Sangtuda I and II would substantially add to electricity production, which could be exported for profit. If finished, Rogun will be the world's tallest dam. In 2006, Tajikistan was the recipient of substantial infrastructure development credits from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to improve its roads and electricity transmission network. To help increase north-south trade, the US is constructing a $36 million bridge linking Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$9.521 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$2.066 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
7% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$1,300 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
22.7%
industry
28.5%
services
48.8% (2006 est.)
Labor force
3.7 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
67.2%
industry
7.5%
services
25.3% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate
12% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line
64% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
3.2%
highest 10%
25.2% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
34.7 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
7.5% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
19.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$527.5 million
expenditures
$622 million; including capital expenditures of $86 million (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products
Industries
Industrial production growth rate
8.2% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production
16.5 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel
1.9%
hydro
98.1%
nuclear
0%
other
0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption
15.7 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports
4.459 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports
4.81 billion kWh (2004)
Oil - production
252.8 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption
28,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports
NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production
39 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
1.389 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports
1.35 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance
-$73.95 million (2006 est.)
Exports
$1.16 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities
Exports - partners
Norway 13.9%, Russia 13%, Turkey 12.2%, Uzbekistan 9.4%, US 6.4%, Italy 5.3%, Iran 5.2%, Greece 4.2% (2006)
Imports
$1.513 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery and equipment, foodstuffs
Imports - partners
Russia 21.2%, China 17.2%, Kazakhstan 10.6%, Uzbekistan 9.6%, Azerbaijan 7.3%, Ukraine 5.2%, Turkey 4% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$209.2 million (2006 est.)
Debt - external
$829 million (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$67 million from US (2005)
Currency (code)
somoni (TJS)
Currency code
TJS
Exchange rates
Tajikistani somoni per US dollar - 3.3 (2006), 3.1166 (2005), 2.9705 (2004), 3.0614 (2003), 2.7641 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
245,200 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular
265,000 (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
poorly developed and not well maintained; many towns are not linked to the national network
domestic
the domestic telecommunications network has historically been under funded and poorly maintained; main line availability has not changed significantly since 1998; cellular telephony is rare and coverage remains limited
international
country code - 992; linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 2 Intelsat (2006)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002)
Radios
1.291 million (1991)
Television broadcast stations
6 (2006)
Televisions
820,000 (1997)
Internet country code
.tj
Internet hosts
98 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
4 (2002)
Internet users
5,000 (2005)
Airports
40 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
17
over 3,047 m
2
2,438 to 3,047 m
4
1,524 to 2,437 m
5
914 to 1,523 m
3
under 914 m
3 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
23
914 to 1,523 m
1
under 914 m
22 (2006)
Pipelines
gas 549 km; oil 38 km (2006)
Railways
total
482 km
broad gauge
482 km 1.520-m gauge (2005)
Roadways
total: 27,767 km (2000)
Waterways
200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2006)
Military branches
Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Mobile Forces, National Guard (2007)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49
1,556,415
females age 18-49
1,568,780 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49
1,244,941
females age 18-49
1,297,891 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49
87,846
females age 18-49
85,869 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
3.9% (2005 est.)
Disputes - international
in 2006, China and Tajikistan pledged to commence demarcation of the revised boundary agreed to in the delimitation of 2002; talks continue with Uzbekistan to delimit border and remove minefields; disputes in Isfara Valley delay delimitation with Kyrgyzstan
Illicit drugs
major transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption; Tajikistan seizes roughly 80% of all drugs captured in Central Asia and stands third worldwide in seizures of opiates (heroin and raw opium); significant consumer of opiates
