2008 Edition

Background

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. Much of present-day Sughd province was transferred from the Uzbekistan SSR to newly formed Tajikistan SSR in 1929. Ethnic Uzbeks form a substantial minority in Sughd province. 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 and security 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.

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 11.96 cu km/yr (4%/5%/92%) per capita: 1,837 cu m/yr (2000)

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

Irrigated land

7,220 sq km (2003)

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: 6.52% permanent crops: 0.89% other: 92.59% (2005)

Location

Central Asia, west of China

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

earthquakes and floods

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

99.7 cu km (1997)

Age structure

0-14 years: 34.6% (male 1,270,289/female 1,226,954) 15-64 years: 61.7% (male 2,203,720/female 2,244,660) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 113,156/female 153,105) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

27.18 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

6.94 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

3.4% of GDP (2006)

Ethnic groups

Tajik 79.9%, Uzbek 15.3%, Russian 1.1%, Kyrgyz 1.1%, other 2.6% (2000 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 42.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 47.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 37.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 64.97 years male: 61.95 years female: 68.15 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.5% male: 99.7% female: 99.2% (2000 census)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2008)

Median age

total: 21.6 years male: 21.2 years female: 22.1 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Tajikistani(s) adjective: Tajikistani

Net migration rate

-1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population

7,211,884 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

1.893% (2008 est.)

Religions

Sunni Muslim 85%, Shia Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 11 years male: 12 years female: 10 years (2006)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.04 children born/woman (2008 est.)

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

Capital

name: Dushanbe geographic coordinates: 38 35 N, 68 48 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

6 November 1994

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey Ann JACOBSON embassy: 109-A Ismoili Somoni Avenue, Dushanbe 734019 mailing address: 7090 Dushanbe Place, Dulles, VA 20189 telephone: [992] (37) 229-20-00

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Abdujabbor SHIRINOV chancery: 1005 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090

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 RAHMON reelected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMON 79.3%, Olimzon BOBOYEV 6.2%, other 14.5%

FAX

[1] (202) 223-6091

[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

Government type

republic

Independence

9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

International organization participation

ADB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Legal system

based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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: National Assembly - last held 25 March 2005 (next to be held in February 2010); Assembly of Representatives 27 February and 13 March 2005 (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

National holiday

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

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 RAHMON]; Social Democratic Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOYIROV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Mirhuseyn NARZIYEV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Agrarian Party [Hikmatullo NASREDDINOV] (unregistered political party); Democratic Party or DPT [Masud SOBIROV] (splintered from Iskanderov's DPT); Progressive Party [Sulton QUVVATOV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Abdualim GHAFFOROV] (splintered from Narziyev's SPT); Unity Party [Hikmatullo SAIDOV] other: splinter parties recognized by the government but not by the base of the party; unregistered political parties

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $712.1 million expenditures: $674.5 million (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

15% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

22.87% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

somoni (TJS)

Currency code

TJS

Current account balance

-$351 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$1.56 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

32.6 (2003)

Economic aid - recipient

$241.4 million from US (2005)

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, but this sector is burdened with debt and an obsolete infrastructure. Mineral resources 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, 7% in 2006, and 7.8% in 2007. Tajikistan's economic situation remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural reforms, corruption, weak governance, widespread unemployment, seasonal power shortages, 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, but suffers winter power shortages due to poor management of water levels in rivers and reservoirs. Completion of the Sangtuda I hydropower dam - built with Russian investment - and the Sangtuda II and Rogun dams will add substantially to electricity output. If finished according to Tajik plans, Rogun will be the world's tallest dam. Tajikistan has also received substantial infrastructure development loans from the Chinese government to improve roads and an electricity transmission network. To help increase north-south trade, the US funded a $36 million bridge which opened in August 2007 and links Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

Electricity - consumption

17.9 billion kWh (2007)

Electricity - exports

4.259 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

4.36 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

17.4 billion kWh (2007)

Electricity - production by source

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

Exchange rates

Tajikistani somoni (TJS) per US dollar - 3.4418 (2007), 3.3 (2006), 3.1166 (2005), 2.9705 (2004), 3.0614 (2003)

Exports

$1.606 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Netherlands 38.9%, Turkey 32.5%, Russia 6.6%, Uzbekistan 5.9%, Iran 5.1% (2007)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 23.8% industry: 30.4% services: 45.8% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,600 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

7.8% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.712 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$11.96 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 25.6% (2007 est.)

Imports

$2.762 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Russia 32.1%, Kazakhstan 13.1%, China 10.8%, Uzbekistan 8.4% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

5% (2007 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

13.1% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

12.4% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

2.1 million (2007)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 67.2% industry: 7.5% services: 25.3% (2000 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

842 million cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

810 million cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

32 million cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Oil - consumption

31,590 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

247.7 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

7,600 bbl/day (2007)

Oil - production

281.1 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

12 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Population below poverty line

60% (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$242 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$417.4 million (31 December 2006)

Stock of money

$91.59 million (31 December 2006)

Stock of quasi money

$161 million (31 December 2006)

Unemployment rate

2.4% official rate; actual unemployment is higher (2007 est.)

Internet country code

.tj

Internet hosts

1,158 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

4 (2002)

Internet users

19,500 (2005)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002)

Radios

1.291 million (1991)

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 telephone use is growing but geographic 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 - 3 (2 Intelsat and 1 Orbita) (2006)

Telephones - main lines in use

280,200 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

265,000 (2005)

Television broadcast stations

6 (2006)

Televisions

820,000 (1997)

Airports

26 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 18 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 8 under 914 m: 8 (2007)

Pipelines

gas 549 km; oil 38 km (2007)

Railways

total: 482 km broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2006)

Roadways

total: 27,767 km (2000)

Waterways

200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2006)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,897,356 females age 16-49: 1,911,594 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,391,287 females age 16-49: 1,561,826 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 84,137 female: 81,777 (2008 est.)

Military branches

Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Mobile Force (2008)

Military expenditures

3.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)

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 This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Tajikistan is a source country for women trafficked through Kyrgyzstan and Russia to the UAE, Turkey, and Russia for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; men are trafficked to Russia and Kazakhstan for the purpose of forced labor, primarily in the construction and agricultural industries; boys and girls are trafficked internally for various purposes, including forced labor and forced begging tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Tajikistan is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, especially efforts to investigate, prosecute, convict, and sentence traffickers; despite evidence of low- and mid-level officials' complicity in trafficking, the government did not punish any public officials for trafficking complicity during 2007; lack of capacity and poor coordination between government institutions remained key obstacles to effective anti-trafficking efforts (2008)