1998 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1998 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 143,100 sq km land: 142,700 sq km water: 400 sq km
Area-comparative
slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Climate
midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Syrdariya 300 m highest point: Qullai Kommunizm 7,495 m
Environment-current issues
inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides; part of the basin of the shrinking Aral Sea suffers from severe overutilization of available water for irrigation and associated pollution
Environment-international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates
39 00 N, 71 00 E
Geography-note
landlocked
Irrigated land
6,390 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 3,651 km border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km
Land use
arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 4% other: 65% (1993 est.)
Location
Central Asia, west of China
Map references
Commonwealth of Independent States
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
NA
Natural resources
significant hydropower potential, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten
Terrain
Pamirs and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 41% (male 1,258,424; female 1,230,891) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,616,257; female 1,636,732) 65 years and over: 5% (male 118,485; female 159,306) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate
27.67 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate
7.77 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups
Tajik 64.9%, Uzbek 25%, Russian 3.5% (declining because of emigration), other 6.6%
Infant mortality rate
112.14 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages
Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 64.48 years male: 61.35 years female: 67.77 years (1998 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 97% (1989 est.)
Nationality
noun: Tajikistani(s) adjective: Tajikistani
Net migration rate
-6.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population
6,020,095 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate
1.3% (1998 est.)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 5%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate
3.53 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
2 oblasts (viloyatho, singular-viloyat) and one autonomous oblast* (viloyati avtonomii); Viloyati Avtonomii Badakhshoni Kuni* (Khorugh-formerly Khorog), Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa-formerly Kurgan-Tyube), Viloyati Leninobod (Khujand-formerly Leninabad) note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses
Constitution
6 November 1994
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan conventional short form: Tajikistan local long form: Jumhurii Tojikistan local short form: none former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code
TI
Executive branch
chief of state: President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6 November 1994; head of state and Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Yahyo AZIMOV (since 8 February 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president who proposes them to the Supreme Assembly for approval elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 6 November 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of vote-Emomali RAHMONOV 58%, Abdumalik ABDULLOJANOV 40%
FAX
Telex [7] (3772) 20-03-62
Flag description
three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven five-pointed gold stars is located in the center of the white stripe
Government type
republic
Independence
9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
International organization participation
CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM, ITU, OIC, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: Tajikistan does not have an embassy in the US, but has a mission at the UN: address-136 East 67th Street, New York, NY 10021, telephone-[1] (212) 472-7645, FAX-[1] (212) 628-0252; permanent representative to the UN is Rashid ALIMOV Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador R. Grant SMITH embassy: interim chancery, Oktyabrskaya Hotel, 105A Prospect Rudaki, Dushanbe 734001 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [7] (3772) 21-03-56
Judicial branch
Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president Political parties and leaders: People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PPT [Emomali RAHMONOV]; National Revival Bloc (Party of Popular Unity and Accord or PPUA) [Abdumalik ABDULLOJONOV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]; Democratic Party or TDP [Jumaboy NIYAZOV, chairman]; Islamic Renaissance Party or IRP [Mohammed Sharif HIMATZODA, chairman]; Rebirth (Rastokhez) [Takhir ABDUZHABOROV]; Lali Badakhshan Society [Atobek AMIRBEKOV]; Tajikistan Party of Economic and Political Renewal or TPEPR; Citizenship, Patriotism, Unity Party [Bobokhon MAHMADOV]; Adolatho "Justice" Party [Abdurahmon KARIMOV, chairman]; Congress of Popular Unity [Saifuddin TURAYEV]; Party of Justice and Development [Rahmutullo ZAINAV]
Legal system
based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts
Legislative branch
unicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli (181 seats; members are popularly elected to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 26 February and 12 March 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; estimated seats by party-Communist Party and affiliates 100, People's Party 10, Party of People's Unity 6, Party of Economic and Political Renewal 1, other 64
National capital
Dushanbe
National holiday
National Day, 9 September (1991)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture-products
cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats
Budget
revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Currency
the Tajikistani ruble (TJR) = 100 tanga; Tajikistan introduced its own currency in May 1995
Debt-external
$635 million (of which $250 million to Russia) (1995 est.)
Economic aid
recipient: ODA, $22 million (1993) note: commitments, $885 million (disbursements $115 million) (1992-95)
Economy-overview
Tajikistan has the lowest per capita GDP among the former Soviet republics. Agriculture dominates the economy, with cotton the most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but limited in amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry is limited to a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry and food processing. The Tajik economy has been gravely weakened by four years of civil conflict and by the loss of subsidies from Moscow and of markets for its products. Tajikistan thus depends on aid from Russia and Uzbekistan and on international humanitarian assistance for much of its basic subsistence needs. Even if the peace agreement of June 1997 is honored, the country faces major problems in integrating refugees and former combatants into the economy. Moreover, constant political turmoil and the continued dominance by former communist officials have impeded the introduction of meaningful economic reforms.
Electricity-capacity
4.443 million kW (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita
2,302 kWh (1995)
Electricity-production
14.66 billion kWh (1995)
Exchange rates
Tajikistani rubles (TJR) per US$1-350 (January 1997), 284 (January 1996)
Exports
total value: $768 million (1996 est.) commodities: cotton, aluminum, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles partners: FSU 78%, Netherlands (1994)
Fiscal year
calendar year Communications
GDP
purchasing power parity-$4.1 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector
agriculture: 25% industry: 35% services: 40% (1997)
GDP-per capita
purchasing power parity-$700 (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate
-10% (1997 est.)
Imports
total value: $657 million (1996 est.) commodities: fuel, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, textiles, foodstuffs partners: FSU 55%, Switzerland, UK (1994)
Industrial production growth rate
-20% (1996 est.)
Industries
aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers
Inflation rate-consumer price index
40% (1996 est.)
Labor force
total: 1.9 million (1996) by occupation: agriculture and forestry 52%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 17%, services 31% (1995)
Radio broadcast stations
1 state-owned radio broadcast station
Radios
NA
Telephone system
poorly developed and not well maintained; many towns are not reached by the national network domestic: cable and microwave radio relay international: 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
Telephones
303,000 (1991 est.)
Television broadcast stations
1 note: 1 Intelsat earth station provides TV receive-only service from Turkey
Televisions
NA
Unemployment rate
2.4% includes only officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of underemployed workers and unregistered unemployed people (December 1996)
Transportation
Airports
59 (1994 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1994 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 45 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 36 (1994 est.)
Highways
total: 32,752 km paved: 21,119 km (note-these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, meaning that some are paved and some are all-weather gravel surfaced) unpaved: 11,633 km (1992 est.)
Pipelines
natural gas 400 km (1992) Ports and harbors: none
Railways
total: 480 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines (1990)
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Air Force, Presidential National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Military expenditures-dollar figure
180 billion rubles (1995); note-conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
Military expenditures-percent of GDP
3.4% (1995)
Military manpower-availability
males age 15-49: 1,432,800 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 1,174,683 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-military age
18 years of age
Military manpower-reaching military age annually
males: 62,558 (1998 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes-international
most of the boundary with China in dispute; territorial dispute with Kyrgyzstan on northern boundary in Isfara Valley area
Illicit drugs
limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption; increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia to Russia and Western Europe