Tajikistan

Republic of TajikistanJumhurii Tojikiston

republicIndependence 9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Tajikistan as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 106 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalDushanbe
Position39 00 N, 71 00 E
Area143,100 sq km
LocationCentral Asia, west of China
1999

Every edition of Tajikistan

Populationas each edition published it
6.1 million July 1999 est. · 5.68m in 1992
Population growth% a year
1.43% 1999 est. · 2.72% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 19.3 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
64.28 years 1999 est. · 68.5 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.48 children per woman 1999 est. · 5.3 in 1992
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
114.78 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 74 in 1992
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$990 1998 est. · $1,180 in 1994
GDP real growth% a year
5.3% 1998 est. · -34% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

Tajikistan has experienced three changes of government and a civil war since it gained independence in September 1991 when the USSR collapsed. A peace agreement was signed in June 1997, but implementation is progressing slowly. Russian-led peacekeeping troops are deployed throughout the country, and Russian-commanded border guards are stationed along the Tajikistani-Afghan border.

Geography

Central Asia, west of China

18 fields

Land useshare of 143,100 sq km

arable land 6%permanent crops 0%permanent pastures 25%forests and woodland 4%other 65% (1993 est.)irrigated 6,390 sq km (1993 est.)
Area
143,100sq km
land: 142,700 sq kmwater: 400 sq kmslightly smaller than Wisconsin
Coastline
0km
(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Highest point
7,495m
Qullai Kommunizmlowest point: Syrdariya 300 m
Land boundaries
3,651km
border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km

Location

Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates

39 00 N, 71 00 E

Map references

Commonwealth of Independent States

Climate

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

Terrain

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

Natural resources

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

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

Geography--note

landlocked

People

15 fields
Population
6,102,854
(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 1.43% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth
27.46Death
7.85Net migration
-5.34

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)64.28
61.15 · 67.57
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1989 est.)98%
99% · 97%
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

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

Age structure

0-14 years:
41% (male 1,250,344; female 1,224,355)
15-64 years:
55% (male 1,661,488; female 1,681,839)
65 years and over:
4% (male 122,065; female 162,763) (1999 est.)

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:
0.75 male(s)/female
total population:
0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

114.78 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.48 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Tajikistani(s)
adjective:
Tajikistani

Religions

Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 5%

Languages

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

Government

Republic; President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6 November 1994; Prime Minister Yahyo AZIMOV (since 8 February 1996)

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

58%
-Emomali RAHMONOV 58%Abdumalik ABDULLOJANOV 40%election last held 6 November 1994 (next to be held NA 1999)

Country name

conventional long form:
Republic of Tajikistan
conventional short form:
Tajikistan
local long form:
Jumhurii Tojikiston
local short form:
none
former:
Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

Capital

Dushanbe

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

Independence

9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday

National Day, 9 September (1991)

Constitution

6 November 1994

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6 November 1994; head of state and Supreme 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, approved by 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%

Legislative branch

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

elections:
last held 26 February and 12 March 1995 (next to be held NA 1999)
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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders

Tajik Communist Party or CPT from the People's Party and Party of People's Unity; United Tajik

International organization participation

CCC, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM, ITU, OIC, OPCW, 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 ALIMOV

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Robert FINN
embassy:
temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in Almaty
mailing address:
use embassy street address
telephone:
NA

FAX

NA

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

Economy

Tajikistan has the lowest per capita GDP among | the former Soviet republics.

31 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$990
purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)
Real growth rate
5.3%
(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 8% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate
5.7%
includes only officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of underemployed workers and unregistered unemployed people (December 1998)

GDP--composition by sector(1997)

agriculture 25%industry 35%services 40% (1997)

Electricity

fossil fuel 4.09%hydro 95.91%nuclear 0% · other 0%
Electricity production
13.555 billion (1996)Electricity consumption
12.555 billion (1996)Electricity exports
3.8 billion (1996)Electricity imports
2.8 billion (1996)

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 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 five 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.

Still in a post-conflict status, the future of Tajikistan's economy and the potential for attracting foreign investment depend upon stability and progress in the peace process.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$6 billion (1998 est.)

Labor force

1.9 million (1996)

Labor force--by occupation

agriculture and forestry 52%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 17%, services 31% (1995)

Budget

revenues:
$NA
expenditures:
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries

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

Agriculture--products

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

Exports

$740 million (1998 est.)

Exports--commodities

cotton, aluminum, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles

Exports--partners

FSU 78%, Netherlands (1994)

Imports

$810 million (1998 est.)

Imports--commodities

fuel, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, textiles, foodstuffs

Imports--partners

FSU 55%, Switzerland, UK (1994)

Debt--external

$1 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid--recipient

$64.7 million (1995)

Currency

the Tajikistani ruble (TJR) = 100 tanga

Exchange rates

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

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields
Fixed lines
303,000
(1991 est.)

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

Radio broadcast stations

1 state-owned radio broadcast station of NA type

Television broadcast stations

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

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m
36
total: 45 914 to 1,523 m: 9

Networkskm

Highways
13,700Railways
480 (1990)
Highways: paved: 11,330 km (note--these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, meaning that some are paved and some are all-weather gravel surfaced) · unpaved: 2,370 km (1996 est.) · Railways: ; does not include industrial lines

Railways

total: 480 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines (1990)

Highways

total:
13,700 km
paved:
11,330 km (note--these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, meaning that some are paved and some are all-weather gravel surfaced)
unpaved:
2,370 km (1996 est.)

Pipelines

natural gas 400 km (1992)

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.)

Military

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

7 fields

Military branches

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

Military manpower--availability

males age 15-49: 1,478,551 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,211,514 (1999 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Tajikistan.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/tajikistan/1999.

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