2000 Edition

Background

Tajikistan has experienced three changes in government and a civil war since it gained independence in 1991 when the USSR collapsed. A peace agreement among rival factions was signed in 1997, but implementation has progressed slowly. Nevertheless, a number of opposition political parties have been legalized and are participating in elections, suggesting that the country may be stabilizing politically. Russian-led peacekeeping troops are based throughout the country, and Russian-commanded border guards are stationed along the border with Afghanistan.

Area

land

142,700 sq km

total

143,100 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

highest point

Pik Imeni Ismail Samani 7,495 m

lowest point

Syrdariya 300 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, Environmental Modification, 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

border countries

Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km

total

3,651 km

Land use

arable land

6%

forests and woodland

4%

other

65% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

25%

Location

Central Asia, west of China

Map references

Commonwealth of Independent States

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten

Terrain

Pamir and Alay mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Age structure

0-14 years: 42% (male 1,362,521; female 1,336,205) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,714,545; female 1,734,430) 65 years and over: 4% (male 126,170; female 166,861) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

33.56 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

8.64 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Tajik 64.9%, Uzbek 25%, Russian 3.5% (declining because of emigration), other 6.6%

Infant mortality rate

117.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business

Life expectancy at birth

female

67.38 years (2000 est.)

male

60.95 years

total population

64.08 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

97% (1989 est.)

male

99%

total population

98%

Nationality

adjective

Tajikistani

noun

Tajikistani(s)

Net migration rate

-3.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

6,440,732 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

2.12% (2000 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: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.35 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Administrative divisions

2 oblasts (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and one autonomous oblast* (viloyati mukhtori); Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshoni* (Khorugh - formerly Khorog), Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa - formerly Kurgan-Tyube), Viloyati Leninobod (Khujand - formerly Leninabad)

note

the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Capital

Dushanbe

Constitution

6 November 1994

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Tajikistan

conventional short form

Tajikistan

former

Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

local long form

Jumhurii Tojikiston

local short form

none

Data code

TI

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Robert FINN

embassy

temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in Almaty (Kazakhstan)

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

NA

Diplomatic representation in the US

Tajikistan does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a permanent mission to the UN: address - 136 East 67th Street, New York, NY 10021, telephone - (212) 472-7645, FAX - (212) 628-0252; permanent representative to the UN is Rashid ALIMOV

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Supreme Assembly

chief of state

President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6 November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992)

election results

Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 96%, Davlat USMONOV 4%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 6 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Ogil OQILOV (since 20 January 1999)

FAX

NA

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

Government type

republic

Independence

9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

International organization participation

AsDB, CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM, ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president

Legal system

based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli (181 seats; next election 96 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

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

elections

last held 26 February and 12 March 1995 (next to be held 27 February and 23 March 2000)

National holiday

National Day, 9 September (1991)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party or TDP [Mahmadruzi ISKANDDAROV, chairman]; Islamic Rebirth Party [Muhammadsharif HIMMAT-ZODA, chairman]; Lali Badakhshan Movement ; National Unity Party - evolved from the People's Party and Party of People's Unity; Party of Justice and Development ; People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT ; Rastokhez (Rebirth) Movement ; Tajik Communist Party or CPT ; Tajikistan Party of Economic and Political Renewal or TPEPR ; United Tajik Opposition or UTO - an umbrella group including; Adolatho "Justice" Party

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Budget

expenditures

$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

revenues

$NA

Currency

Tajikistani ruble (TJR) = 100 tanga

Debt - external

$1.3 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$64.7 million (1995)

Economy - overview

Tajikistan has the lowest per capita GDP among the 15 former Soviet republics. 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 Tajikistani economy has been gravely weakened by six 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. The future of Tajikistan's economy and the potential for attracting foreign investment depend upon stability and continued progress in the peace process.

Electricity - consumption

12.561 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

3.33 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

3.55 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

13.27 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

1.51%

hydro

98.49%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Tajikistani rubles (TJR) per US$1 - 1550 (January 2000), 998 (January 1999), 350 (January 1997), 284 (January 1996)

Exports

$634 million (1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles

Exports - partners

Uzbekistan 37%, Liechtenstein 26%, Russia 16%, Kazakhstan 6% (1997)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $6.2 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

34%

industry

24%

services

42% (1997)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,020 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$770 million (1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery and equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

Netherlands 32%, Uzbekistan 29%, Switzerland 20%, Russia 9% (1997)

Industrial production growth rate

5% (1999 est.)

Industries

aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

22% (1999 est.)

Labor force

1.9 million (1996)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture and forestry 50%, industry 20%, services 30% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

5.7% includes only officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of underemployed workers and unregistered unemployed people (December 1998)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 5 (1998)

Radios

1.291 million (1991)

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 - main lines in use

263,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

NA

Television broadcast stations

0 (there are, however, repeaters that relay programs from Russia, Iran, and Turkey) (1997)

Televisions

860,000 (1991)

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

paved

11,330 km (these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, meaning that some are paved and some are all-weather gravel surfaced)

total

13,700 km

unpaved

2,370 km (1996 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 branches

Army, Air Force, Air Defense Forces, Presidential National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$17 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.8% (FY97)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,529,832 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,253,427 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

68,262 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

portions of the boundary with China are indefinite; territorial dispute with Kyrgyzstan on northern boundary in Isfara Valley area

Illicit drugs

limited illicit cultivation of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption; opium poppy cultivation negligible in 1998 because of government eradication program; major transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia to Russia and Western Europe

TANZANIA