Tajikistan

Republic of TajikistanJumhurii Tojikiston

republicIndependence 9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Tajikistan as the 2007 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 124 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, UTC+5
Position39 00 N, 71 00 E
Area143,100 sq km
LocationCentral Asia, west of China
Populationas each edition published it
7.08 million July 2007 est. · 5.68m in 1992
Population growth% a year
1.895% 2007 est. · 2.72% in 1993
Median ageyears
21.3 years 2007 est. · 19.3 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
64.61 years 2007 est. · 68.5 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.09 children per woman 2007 est. · 5.3 in 1992
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
43.64 deaths per 1,000 live births 2007 est. · 74 in 1992
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,300 2006 est. · $1,180 in 1994
GDP real growth% a year
7% 2006 est. · -34% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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. 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 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

Central Asia, west of China

18 fields

Land useshare of 143,100 sq km

arable land 6.52%permanent crops 0.89%other 92.59% (2005)irrigated 7,220 sq km (2003)
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 Ismoili Somonilowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 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

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

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

Natural hazards

earthquakes and floods

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

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

19 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2007 est.)

113,186
65 and over3.8%
153,660
2,145,300
15-6461.2%
2,184,519
1,261,247
0-1435%
1,218,686
MaleFemale
Population
7,076,598
(July 2007 est.)growth rate: 1.895% (2007 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2007 est.)

Birth
27.33Death
7.05Net migration
-1.33

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2007 est.)64.61
61.6 · 67.78Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)43.64
48.73 · 38.3
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2000 census)99.5%
99.7% · 99.2%Median age years (2007 est.)21.3
20.8 · 21.8
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups(2000 census)

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

Religions(2003 est.)

Sunni Muslim 85%Shi'a Muslim 5%other 10% (2003 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.035 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.982 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.737 male(s)/female
total population:
0.99 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.09 children born/woman (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Tajikistani(s)
adjective:
Tajikistani

Languages

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

Government

Republic; President Emomali RAHMON (since 6 November 1994; Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January 1999)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

79.3%
Emomali RAHMONOV 79.3%Olimzon BOBOYEV 6.2%other 14.5%election last held 6 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2013)

National Assembly, 63 seats, elected 25 March 2005 for the National Assemblyone dot, one seat

PDPT 51CPT 5Islamic Revival Party 2independents 5

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

Capital

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

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

Independence

9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday

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

Constitution

6 November 1994

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

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 RAHMONOV];
  • Social Democratic Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOYIROV];
  • Socialist Party or SPT [Abdualim GHAFFOROV];
  • Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders

unregistered political parties:
  • Agrarian Party [Hikmatullo NASREDDINOV];
  • Party of Justice [Abdurahim KARIMOV];
  • People's Unity Party [Abdumalik ABDULLOJONOV];
  • Progressive Party [Sulton QUVVATOV];
  • Socialist Party or SPT [Mirhuseyn NAZRIYEV];
  • note - this is a SPT that was disbanded, another pro-government SPT (listed above under political parties) replaced it;
  • Unity Party [Hikmatullo SAIDOV]

International organization participation

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

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
FAX:
[1] (202) 223-6091

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
FAX:
[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

Economy

Tajikistan has one of the lowest per capita GDPs among the 15 former Soviet republics.

45 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$9.521billion
(2006 est.)official exchange rate: $2.066 billion (2006 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,300
(2006 est.)
Real growth rate
7%
(2006 est.)industrial production growth: 8.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2006 est.)

agriculture 23%industry 28%services 49% (2006 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

40.7%
Netherlands
31.7%
Turkey
4.7%
Russia
24.6%
Kazakhstan
10.8%
4.8%
Uzbekistan
10.2%
China
8.6%
Azerbaijan
8%
5.4%
Iran
Exports $1.512 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)Imports $1.955 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)(2006)

Budget

Revenues
$519.3 millionExpenditures
$612.4 million (2006 est.)

Electricity

Electricity production
16.89 billion (2005)Electricity consumption
14.66 billion (2005)Electricity exports
4.257 billion (2005)Electricity imports
4.508 billion (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. 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. 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 and to 7% in 2006. Tajikistan's economic situation, however, remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural reforms, weak governance, widespread unemployment, 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. A proposed investment to finish the hydropower dams Rogun and Sangtuda I and II would substantially add to electricity production, which could be exported for profit.

If finished, Rogun will be the world's tallest dam. In 2006, Tajikistan was the recipient of substantial infrastructure development credits from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to improve its roads and electricity transmission network. To help increase north-south trade, the US is constructing a $36 million bridge linking Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

Labor force

3.7 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Unemployment rate

12% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
3.3%
highest 10%:
25.6% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed)

9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Industries

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

Oil - production

252.8 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption

28,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves

12 million bbl (1 January 2006)

Natural gas - production

39.32 million cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

1.371 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports

1.333 billion cu m (2005)

Current account balance

$-21.4 million (2006 est.)

Exports

$1.512 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Imports

$1.955 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Economic aid - recipient

$241.4 million from US (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$203.8 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$876 million (2006 est.)

Currency (code)

somoni (TJS)

Exchange rates

Tajikistani somoni per US dollar - 3.3 (2006), 3.1166 (2005), 2.9705 (2004), 3.0614 (2003), 2.7641 (2002)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
265,000
(2005)
Internet users
2,050
(2007)
Fixed lines
280,200
(2005) · country code .tj

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 telephony is rare and 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 - 1 Orbita and 2 Intelsat (2006)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002)

Internet users

19,500 (2005)

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

over 3,047 m
22,438 to 3,047 m
41,524 to 2,437 m
6914 to 1,523 m
3under 914 m
3

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m
8

Networkskm

Roadways
27,767 (2000)Railways
482Waterways
200 (2006)
Railways: broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2006) · Waterways: (along Vakhsh River)

Airports

26 (2007)

Pipelines

gas 549 km; oil 38 km (2006)

Railways

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

Waterways

200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2006)

Military

Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Mobile Force (2007)

6 fields

Military branches

Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Mobile Force (2007)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2006)

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49:
1,556,415
females age 18-49:
1,568,780 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49:
1,244,941
females age 18-49:
1,297,891 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49:
87,846
females age 18-49:
85,869 (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

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

Cite this entry

Central Intelligence Agency. “Tajikistan.” The World Factbook 2007. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/tajikistan/2007.