Edition 2003 — Tajikistan

Administrative divisions

2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon* (Khorugh), Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa), Viloyati Sughd (Khujand)
note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Age structure

0-14 years: 39.8% (male 1,376,244; female 1,353,108) 15-64 years: 55.5% (male 1,896,509; female 1,915,334) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 140,993; female 181,564) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

66 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 14
total: 53
under 914 m: 36 (2002) Military Tajikistan

Area

land: 142,700 sq km
total: 143,100 sq km
water: 400 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Background

Tajikistan has experienced three changes in government and a five-year civil war since it gained independence in 1991 from the USSR. A peace agreement among rival factions was signed in 1997, and implemented in 2000. The central government's less than total control over some areas of the country has forced it to compromise and forge alliances among factions. 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. Geography Tajikistan

Birth rate

32.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures: $520 million, including capital expenditures of $86 million (2002 est.)
revenues: $502 million

Capital

Dushanbe

Climate

midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

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: Tojikiston

Currency

somoni

Currency code

TJS

Death rate

8.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$1 billion (2002 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard E. HOAGLAND
embassy: 10 Pavlova Street, Dushanbe, Tajikistan 734003; note - the embassy in Dushanbe is not yet fully operational; most business is still handled in Almaty at 531 Sayfullin Street, Almaty, Kazakhstan, telephone 7-3272-58-79-61, FAX 7-3272-58-79-68
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [992] (372) 21-03-48 (Dushanbe)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery: 1725 K Sreet NW, Suite 409, Washington, DC 20006
chief of mission: Ambassador Khamrokhon ZARIPOV

Disputes - international

prolonged regional drought creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; boundary agreements signed in 2002 cede 1,000 sq km of Pamir Mountain range to China in return for China relinquishing claims to 28,000 sq km of Tajikistani lands; negotiations with China resolved the longstanding boundary dispute; talks have begun with Uzbekistan to demine and delimit border; disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with Kyrgyzstan

Distribution of family income - Gini index

34.7 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$60.7 million from US (2001)

Economy - overview

Tajikistan has the lowest per capita GDP among the 15 former Soviet republics. Only 8% to 10% 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. Even though 60% of its people continue to live in abject poverty, Tajikistan has experienced steady economic growth since 1997. Continued privatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises will further increase productivity. Tajikistan's economic situation, however, remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural reforms, weak governance, widespread unemployment, and the external debt burden. A debt restructuring agreement was reached with Russia in December 2002, including an interest rate of 4%, a 3-year grace period, and a US $49.8 million credit to the Central Bank of Tajikistan.

Electricity - consumption

14.52 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

3.909 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

5.242 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

14.18 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 1.9%
hydro: 98.1%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m
lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m

Environment - current issues

inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

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

Exchange rates

Tajikistani somoni per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.37 (2001), 2.08 (2000), 1.24 (1999), 0.78 (1998)
note: the new unit of exchange was introduced on 30 October 2000, with one somoni equal to 1,000 of the old Tajikistani rubles

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 97%, Davlat USMON 2%
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; Tajikistan held a constitutional referendum on 22 June 2003 that, among other things, set a term limit of two seven-year terms for the president
head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January 1999)

Exports

$710 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Netherlands 29.4%, Turkey 16.1%, Russia 11.9%, Uzbekistan 9.9%, Switzerland 9.3%, Hungary 5.4%, Latvia 4.2% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 223-6091; [992] (372) 21-03-62
telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Tajikistan

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 Tajikistan

GDP

purchasing power parity - $8.476 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 19%
industry: 26%
services: 55% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

9.1% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

39 00 N, 71 00 E

Geography - note

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 People Tajikistan

Government type

republic

Highways

paved: NA
total: 27,767 km
unpaved: NA (2000)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

less than 200 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%: 25.2% (1998)
lowest 10%: 3.2%

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 percent of all drugs captured in Central Asia and stands third world-wide in seizures of opiates (heroin and raw opium) This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$830 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Russia 22.7%, Uzbekistan 18.4%, Ukraine 11.2%, Kazakhstan 10%, Turkmenistan 6.5%, Azerbaijan 5.7%, India 4.4% (2002)

Independence

9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Industrial production growth rate

10.3% (2000 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female: 99.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 126.58 deaths/1,000 live births
total: 113.43 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

12% (2001 est.)

International organization participation

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

Internet country code

.tj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

4 (2002)

Internet users

5,000 (2002) Transportation Tajikistan

Irrigated land

7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Labor force

3.187 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 67.2%, industry 7.5%, services 25.3% (2000 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: 5.41%
other: 93.67% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 0.92%

Languages

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

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (33 seats; members are indirectly elected, 25 selected by local deputies, 8 appointed by the president; all serve five-year terms)
election results: Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 65%, Communist Party 20%, Islamic Rebirth Party 7.5%, other 7.5%; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
elections: last held 27 February and 12 March 2000 for the Assembly of Representatives (next to be held NA 2005) and 23 March 2000 for the National Assembly (next to be held NA 2005)

Life expectancy at birth

female: 67.5 years (2003 est.)
male: 61.39 years
total population: 64.37 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 99.1% (2003 est.) Government Tajikistan
male: 99.6%
total population: 99.4%

Location

Central Asia, west of China

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Median age

female: 19.6 years (2002)
male: 19 years
total: 19.3 years

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$35.4 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

3.9% (FY01) Transnational Issues Tajikistan

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,704,457 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,397,188 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 82,490 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Nationality

adjective: Tajikistani
noun: Tajikistani(s)

Natural gas - consumption

1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

1.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural hazards

earthquakes and floods

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

-3.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Pipelines

gas 540 km; oil 38 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV, chairman]; Islamic Revival Party [Said Abdullo NURI, chairman]; People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMONOV]; Social Democratic Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOIROV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Sherali KENJAYEV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders

there are two unregistered political parties with 1,000 or more
members: Progressive Party [Suton QUVVATOV]; Unity Party [Hikmatuko SAIDOV]

Population

6,863,752 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

60% (2001 est.)

Population growth rate

2.13% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

none

Radio broadcast stations

AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002)

Radios

1.291 million (1991)

Railways

broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)
total: 482 km

Religions

Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic: cable and microwave radio relay
general assessment: poorly developed and not well maintained; many towns are not reached by the national network
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

363,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2,500 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

13 (2001)

Televisions

820,000 (1997)

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

4.17 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

40% (2002 est.)

Waterways