2021 Edition

Background

The Tajik people came under Russian imperial rule in the 1860s and 1870s, but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution of 1917. At that time, bands of indigenous guerrillas (known as "basmachi") fiercely contested Bolshevik control of the area, which was not fully reestablished until 1925. Tajikistan was first created as an autonomous republic within Uzbekistan in 1924, but in 1929 the USSR designated Tajikistan a separate republic and transferred to it much of present-day Sughd province. Ethnic Uzbeks form a substantial minority in Tajikistan, and ethnic Tajiks an even larger minority in Uzbekistan. Tajikistan became independent in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and experienced a civil war between political, regional, and religious factions from 1992 to 1997. Though the country holds general elections for both the presidency (once every seven years) and legislature (once every five years), observers note an electoral system rife with irregularities and abuse, with results that are neither free nor fair. President Emomali RAHMON, who came to power in 1992 during the civil war and was first elected president in 1994, used an attack planned by a disaffected deputy defense minister in 2015 to ban the last major opposition political party in Tajikistan. In December 2015, RAHMON further strengthened his position by having himself declared "Founder of Peace and National Unity, Leader of the Nation," with limitless terms and lifelong immunity through constitutional amendments ratified in a referendum. The referendum also lowered the minimum age required to run for president from 35 to 30, which made RAHMON's first-born son Rustam EMOMALI, the mayor of the capital city of Dushanbe, eligible to run for president in 2020. In April 2020, RAHMON orchestrated EMOMALI's selection as Chairman of the Majlisi Milli (Tajikistan's senate), positioning EMOMALI as next in line of succession for the presidency. RAHMON opted to run in the presidential election in October 2020 and received 91% of the vote.The country remains the poorest in the former Soviet sphere. Tajikistan became a member of the WTO in March 2013. However, its economy continues to face major challenges, including dependence on remittances from Tajikistani migrant laborers working in Russia and Kazakhstan, pervasive corruption, and the opiate trade and other destabilizing violence emanating from neighboring Afghanistan. Tajikistan has endured several domestic security incidents since 2010, including armed conflict between government forces and local strongmen in the Rasht Valley and between government forces and criminal groups in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast. Tajikistan suffered its first ISIS-claimed attack in 2018, when assailants attacked a group of Western bicyclists with vehicles and knives, killing four.

Area

land

141,510 sq km

total

144,100 sq km

water

2,590 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Climate

mid-latitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

highest point

Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m

lowest point

Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m

mean elevation

3,186 m

Geographic coordinates

39 00 N, 71 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountain in the former USSR

Irrigated land

7,420 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Afghanistan 1357 km, China 477 km, Kyrgyzstan 984 km, Uzbekistan 1312 km

total

4,130 km

Land use

agricultural land

34.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 6.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 27.7% (2018 est.)

forest

2.9% (2018 est.)

other

62.4% (2018 est.)

Location

Central Asia, west of China, south of Kyrgyzstan

Major rivers (by length in km)

Syr Darya (shared with Kyrgyzstan [s], Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan [m]) - 3,078 km; Amu Darya river source (shared with Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan [m]) - 2,620 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), (Aral Sea Basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km)

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

earthquakes; floods

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

the country's population is concentrated at lower elevations, with perhaps as much as 90% of the people living in valleys; overall density increases from east to west

Terrain

mountainous region dominated by the Trans-Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Age structure

0-14 years

31.43% (male 1,420,271/female 1,368,445)

15-24 years

18.13% (male 816,658/female 792,231)

25-54 years

40.58% (male 1,789,271/female 1,811,566)

55-64 years

6.23% (male 253,862/female 299,378)

65 years and over

3.63% (male 132,831/female 189,156) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

21.22 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

7.6% (2017)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

29.3% (2017)

Current Health Expenditure

7.2% (2018)

Death rate

5.78 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.3

potential support ratio

18.7 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

67.9

youth dependency ratio

62.6

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 78.6% of population

improved: total

total: 83.5% of population

improved: urban

urban: 96.2% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 21.4% of population

unimproved: total

total: 16.5% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 3.8% of population

Education expenditures

5.7% of GDP (2019)

Ethnic groups

Tajik 84.3% (includes Pamiri and Yagnobi), Uzbek 13.8%, other 2% (includes Kyrgyz, Russian, Turkmen, Tatar, Arab) (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

14,000 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

4.7 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant mortality rate

female

28.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

37.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total

33.05 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

Tajik (official) 84.4%, Uzbek 11.9%, Kyrgyz 0.8%, Russian 0.5%, other 2.4% (2010 est.)

major-language sample(s)

Китоби Фактҳои Ҷаҳонӣ, манбаи бебадали маълумоти асосӣ (Tajik)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

note

note: Russian widely used in government and business

Life expectancy at birth

female

72.38 years (2021 est.)

male

65.91 years

total population

69.06 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99.7% (2015)

male

99.8%

total population

99.8%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria

Major urban areas - population

938,000 DUSHANBE (capital) (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

17 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

26 years (2020 est.)

male

24.6 years

total

25.3 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.9 years (2017 est.)

note

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Tajikistani

noun

Tajikistani(s)

Net migration rate

-1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

14.2% (2016)

Physicians density

2.1 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

8,990,874 (July 2021 est.)

Population distribution

the country's population is concentrated at lower elevations, with perhaps as much as 90% of the people living in valleys; overall density increases from east to west

Population growth rate

1.44% (2021 est.)

Religions

Muslim 98% (Sunni 95%, Shia 3%) other 2% (2014 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 99.3% of population

improved: total

total: 99.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.7% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 2% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.3% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

11 years (2013)

male

12 years

total

11 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.99 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.85 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.7 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.48 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.73% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

27.7% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor), 1 capital region** (viloyati poytakht), and 1 area referred to as Districts Under Republic Administration***; Dushanbe**, Khatlon (Bokhtar), Kuhistoni Badakhshon [Gorno-Badakhshan]* (Khorugh), Nohiyahoi Tobei Jumhuri***, Sughd (Khujand)

note

note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Capital

etymology

today's city was originally at the crossroads where a large bazaar occurred on Mondays, hence the name Dushanbe, which in Persian means Monday, i.e., the second day (du) after Saturday (shambe)

geographic coordinates

38 33 N, 68 46 E

name

Dushanbe

time difference

UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Tajikistan

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years or 3 years of continuous residence prior to application

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the president of the republic or by at least one third of the total membership of both houses of the Supreme Assembly; adoption of any amendment requires a referendum, which includes approval of the president or approval by at least two-thirds majority of the Assembly of Representatives; passage in a referendum requires participation of an absolute majority of eligible voters and an absolute majority of votes; constitutional articles, including Tajikistan’s form of government, its territory, and its democratic nature, cannot be amended; amended 1999, 2003, 2016

history

several previous; latest adopted 6 November 1994

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Tajikistan

conventional short form

Tajikistan

etymology

the Persian suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so the word Tajikistan literally means "Land of the Tajik [people]"

former

Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

local long form

Jumhurii Tojikiston

local short form

Tojikiston

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador John Mark POMMERSHEIM (since 15 March 2019)

email address and website

DushanbeConsular@state.govhttps://tj.usembassy.gov/

embassy

109-A Ismoili Somoni Avenue (Zarafshon district), Dushanbe 734019

FAX

[992] (37) 229-20-50

mailing address

7090 Dushanbe Place, Washington DC  20521-7090

telephone

[992] (37) 229-20-00

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1005 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

chief of mission

Ambassador Farrukh HAMRALIZODA (since 17 February 2021)

email address and website

tajemus@mfa.tj; tajikistan@verizon.nethttps://mfa.tj/en/washington

FAX

[1] (202) 223-6091

telephone

[1] (202) 223-6090; [1] (202) 223-2666

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

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

election results

Emomali RAHMON reelected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMON (PDPT) 90.9%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term for a maximum of two terms; however, as the "Leader of the Nation" President RAHMON can run an unlimited number of times; election last held on 11 October 2020 (next to be held in 2027); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Qohir RASULZODA (since 23 November 2013)

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; red represents the sun, victory, and the unity of the nation, white stands for purity, cotton, and mountain snows, while green is the color of Islam and the bounty of nature; the crown symbolizes the Tajik people; the seven stars signify the Tajik magic number "seven" - a symbol of perfection and the embodiment of happiness

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

9 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts

Supreme Court (consists of the chairman, deputy chairmen, and 34 judges organized into civil, family, criminal, administrative offense, and military chambers); Constitutional Court (consists of the court chairman, deputy chairman, and 5 judges); High Economic Court (consists of 16 judicial positions)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, and High Economic Court judges nominated by the president and approved by the National Assembly; judges of all 3 courts appointed for 10-year renewable terms with no term limits, but the last appointment must occur before the age of 65

subordinate courts

regional and district courts; Dushanbe City Court; viloyat (province level) courts; Court of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region

Legal system

civil law system

Legislative branch

description

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of:National Assembly or Majlisi Milli (34 seats; 25 members indirectly elected by local representative assemblies or majlisi, 8 appointed by the president, and 1 reserved for each living former president; members serve 5-year terms)Assembly of Representatives or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63 seats; 41 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by 2-round absolute majority vote and 22 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 28, women 6, percent of women 17.6%Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 50.4%, PERT 16.6%, APT 16.5%, SPT 5.2%, DPT 5.1%, CPT 3.1%, other 3.1%; seats by party - PDPT 47, APT 7, PERT 5, CPT 2, SPT 1, DPT 1; composition - men 48, women 15, percent of women 23.8%; note - total Supreme Assembly percent of women 21.6%

elections

National Assembly - last held on 1 March 2020 (next to be held in 2025)Assembly of Representatives - last held on 1 March 2020 (next to be held in 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Gulnazar KELDI/Sulaimon YUDAKOV

name

"Surudi milli" (National Anthem)

note

note: adopted 1991; after the fall of the Soviet Union, Tajikistan kept the music of the anthem from its time as a Soviet republic but adopted new lyrics

National holiday

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

National symbol(s)

crown surmounted by an arc of seven, five-pointed stars; snow leopard; national colors: red, white, green

Political parties and leaders

Agrarian Party of Tajikistan or APT [Rustam LATIFZODA]Communist Party of Tajikistan or CPT [Miroj ABDULLOEV]Democratic Party of Tajikistan or DPT [Saidjafar USMONZODA]Party of Economic Reform of Tajikistan or PERT [Rustam OUDRATOV]People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMON]Social Democratic Party of Tajikistan or SDPT [Qiyomiddin AZIZOV]Socialist Party of Tajikistan or SPT [Abduhalim GHAFFOROV]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, potatoes, wheat, watermelons, onions, tomatoes, vegetables, cotton, carrots/turnips, beef

Budget

expenditures

2.374 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

2.269 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Moody's rating

B3 (2017)

Standard & Poors rating

B- (2017)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$362 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$35 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$5.849 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$6.47 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

Tajikistan is a poor, mountainous country with an economy dominated by minerals extraction, metals processing, agriculture, and reliance on remittances from citizens working abroad. Mineral resources include silver, gold, uranium, antimony, tungsten, and coal. Industry consists mainly of small obsolete factories in food processing and light industry, substantial hydropower facilities, and a large aluminum plant - currently operating well below its capacity. The 1992-97 civil war severely damaged an already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in industrial and agricultural production. Today, Tajikistan is the poorest among the former Soviet republics. Because less than 7% of the land area is arable and cotton is the predominant crop, Tajikistan imports approximately 70% of its food.Since the end of the civil war, the country has pursued half-hearted reforms and privatizations in the economic sphere, but its poor business climate remains a hindrance to attracting foreign investment. Some experts estimate the value of narcotics transiting Tajikistan is equivalent to 30%-50% of GDP.Because of a lack of employment opportunities in Tajikistan, more than one million Tajik citizens work abroad - roughly 90% in Russia - supporting families back home through remittances that in 2017 were equivalent to nearly 35% of GDP. Tajikistan’s large remittances from migrant workers in Russia exposes it to monetary shocks. Tajikistan often delays devaluation of its currency for fear of inflationary pressures on food and other consumables. Recent slowdowns in the Russian and Chinese economies, low commodity prices, and currency fluctuations have hampered economic growth. The dollar value of remittances from Russia to Tajikistan dropped by almost 65% in 2015, and the government spent almost $500 million in 2016 to bail out the country’s still troubled banking sector.Tajikistan’s growing public debt – currently about 50% of GDP – could result in financial difficulties. Remittances from Russia increased in 2017, however, bolstering the economy somewhat. China owns about 50% of Tajikistan’s outstanding debt. Tajikistan has borrowed heavily to finance investment in the country’s vast hydropower potential. In 2016, Tajikistan contracted with the Italian firm Salini Impregilo to build the Roghun dam over a 13-year period for $3.9 billion. A 2017 Eurobond has largely funded Roghun’s first phase, after which sales from Roghun’s output are expected to fund the rest of its construction. The government has not ruled out issuing another Eurobond to generate auxiliary funding for its second phase.

Exchange rates

currency

Tajikistani somoni (TJS) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

4.9348 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

6.1631 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

7.8358 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

7.8358 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

8.764 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$1.12 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$1.24 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$1.41 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Exports - commodities

gold, aluminum, cotton, zinc, antimony, lead (2019)

Exports - partners

Turkey 24%, Switzerland 22%, Uzbekistan 16%, Kazakhstan 12%, China 10% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

10.7% (2017 est.)

government consumption

13.3% (2017 est.)

household consumption

98.4% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-36.6% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

11.7% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

2.5% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

28.6% (2017 est.)

industry

25.5% (2017 est.)

services

45.9% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.522 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 1998

34.7 (1998)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015

34 (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA (2009 est.)

lowest 10%

NA (2009 est.)

Imports

Imports 2018

$3.22 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$3.41 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$3.13 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, wheat, natural gas, bauxite, aircraft (2019)

Imports - partners

China 40%, Russia 38%, Kazakhstan 19%, Uzbekistan 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

1% (2017 est.)

Industries

aluminum, cement, coal, gold, silver, antimony, textile, vegetable oil

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

7.3% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

3.9% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

7.7% (2019 est.)

Labor force

2.295 million (2016 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

43%

industry

10.6%

services

46.4% (2016 est.)

Population below poverty line

26.3% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

42% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

50.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$31.08 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$33.38 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$34.88 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

6% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

6.9% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

7.1% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$3,400 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$3,600 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$3,700 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$652.8 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$1.292 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

31.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

note: official rate; actual unemployment is much higher

Unemployment rate 2015

2.5% (2015 est.)

Unemployment rate 2016

2.4% (2016 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

180 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

12 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

12.96 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

1.4 billion kWh NA (2015 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

6% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

94% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

103 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

5.508 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

17.03 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Natural gas - consumption

19.82 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

19.82 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

24,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

22,460 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

172 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2019 est.)

total

6,000 (2017 est.)

Broadcast media

state-run TV broadcasters transmit nationally on 9 TV and 10 radio stations, and regionally on 4 stations; 31 independent TV and 20 radio stations broadcast locally and regionally; many households are able to receive Russian and other foreign stations via cable and satellite (2016)

Internet country code

.tj

Internet users

percent of population

21.96% (2019 est.)

total

3.36 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed line availability has not changed significantly since 1998, while mobile cellular subscribership, aided by competition among multiple operators, has expanded rapidly; coverage now extends to all major cities and towns; fixed-line 5 per 100 and mobile-cellular 112 per 100 (2019)

general assessment

Tajikistan’s telecom sector continues to struggle due to geographic isolation, lack of electricity, dysfunctional business climate, and impoverished citizenry; despite the launch of 4G/LTE services, one of the lowest fixed-line penetrations in Asia and one of the lowest broadband levels in the world; with help from foreign investment, mobile sector near saturation phase; Russian loans and Chinese investment in infrastructure through Economic Corridor initiatives; a few cities have 4G coverage; LTE-based smart city concept in Dushanbe; government restricts political rights and civil liberties, controlling information through media interruptions; government raised rates on Internet-based calls and Internet services in 2020, making price one of the highest in the world; importer of video displays and broadcasting equipment from China (2020)

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); 3 satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat and 1 Orbita

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

5.39 (2018 est.)

total subscriptions

479,000 (2018)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

111.5 (2019 est.)

total subscriptions

9.904 million (2018)

Airports

total

24 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

5

2,438 to 3,047 m

4

914 to 1,523 m

3

over 3,047 m

2

total

17

under 914 m

3 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

1

total

7

under 914 m

5 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

EY

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

2.34 million mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

492,320 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

6

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Pipelines

549 km gas, 38 km oil (2013)

Railways

broad gauge

680 km 1.520-m gauge (2014)

total

680 km (2014)

Roadways

total

30,000 km (2018)

Waterways

200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2011)

Military - note

Tajikistan has been a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) since 1994 and contributes troops to CSTO's rapid reaction force

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan: Land Forces, Mobile Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces; National Guard; Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Troops (reserves for Armed Forces in wartime); State Committee on National Security: Border Guard Forces (2021)

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan have approximately 9,500 active troops (8,000 Land and Mobile Forces; 1,500 Air and Air Defense Forces) (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Tajikistan Armed Forces' inventory is comprised of older Russian and Soviet-era equipment; it has received limited quantities of weapons systems since 2010, most of which was second-hand material from Russia (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

2.2% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

2.2% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

1.1% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.1% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service for men; 24 month conscript service obligation; in August 2021, the Tajik Government began allowing men to pay the equivalent of $2,200 in order to avoid conscription (2021)

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

Tajikistan is a major route for drug trafficking in Central Asia; opiates and cannabis travel from Afghanistan through Tajikistan to markets in Russia, Belarus, and Western and Central Europe

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

5,573 (Afghanistan) (2020)

stateless persons

6,385 (2020)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

5.31 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

4.87 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

40.05 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

mid-latitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains

Environment - current issues

areas of high air pollution from motor vehicles and industry; water pollution from agricultural runoff and disposal of untreated industrial waste and sewage; poor management of water resources; soil erosion; increasing levels of soil salinity

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

34.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 6.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 27.7% (2018 est.)

forest

2.9% (2018 est.)

other

62.4% (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria

Major rivers (by length in km)

Syr Darya (shared with Kyrgyzstan [s], Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan [m]) - 3,078 km; Amu Darya river source (shared with Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan [m]) - 2,620 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), (Aral Sea Basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0.54% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

1.12% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

21.91 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

10.44 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

407.8 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

647 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.73% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

27.7% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

1,787,400 tons (2013 est.)