Tajikistan

Republic of TajikistanJumhurii Tojikiston

republicIndependence 9 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Tajikistan as the 2010 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 135 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
7.49 million July 2010 est. · 5.68m in 1992
Population growth% a year
1.852% 2010 est. · 2.72% in 1993
Median ageyears
22.2 years 2010 est. · 19.3 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
65.68 years 2010 est. · 68.5 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.94 children per woman 2010 est. · 5.3 in 1992
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
39.78 deaths per 1,000 live births 2010 est. · 74 in 1992
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$2,000 2010 est. · $1,180 in 1994
GDP real growth% a year
5.5% 2010 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. Much of present-day Sughd province was transferred from the Uzbek SSR to the newly formed Tajik 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 experienced a civil war between regional factions from 1992-97.

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 since the beginning of the NATO intervention in Afghanistan has brought increased economic development and security assistance, which could create jobs and strengthen 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

20 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
country comparison to the world: 95land: 141,510 sq kmwater: 2,590 sq kmslightly smaller than Wisconsin
Coastline
0km
(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
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

Elevation extremes

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

Natural resources

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

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

Natural hazards

earthquakes; floods

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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

23 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2010 est.)

112,334
65 and over3.6%
151,937
2,260,552
15-6462.1%
2,303,034
1,282,681
0-1434.3%
1,238,607
MaleFemale
Population
7,487,489
(July 2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 95growth rate: 1.852% (2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 65

Per 1,000 population

Birth
26.49 (2010 est.)Death
6.72 (July 2010 est.)Net migration
-1.26 (2010 est.)

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2010 est.)65.68
62.63 · 68.88Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)39.78
44.55 · 34.77Literacy (2000 census)99.5%
99.7% · 99.2%
TotalMale · femaleMedian age years (2010 est.)22.2
21.7 · 22.7School life expectancy years (2008)11
12 · 10
MaleFemaleLife expectancy country comparison to the world: 164 · Infant mortality country comparison to the world: 67 · Literacy 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%Shia Muslim 5%other 10% (2003 est.)
Urban population
26%of total population
(2008)rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 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 (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.94 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

10,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk:
high
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease:
malaria (2009)

Nationality

noun:
Tajikistani(s)
adjective:
Tajikistani

Languages

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

Education expenditures

3.5% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 132

Government

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

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

79.3%
Emomali RAHMON 79.3%Olimjon BOBOEV 6.2%other 14.5%election last held on 6 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2013)

National Assembly, 63 seats, elected 28 February 2010one dot, one seat

PDPT 55Islamic Revival Party 2CPT 2APT 2PER 2

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 the 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; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
elections:
  • president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term);
  • election last held on 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%, Olimjon BOBOEV 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; members serve five-year terms) and the Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:
  • National Assembly - last held on 28 February 2010 (next to be held in February 2015);
  • Assembly of Representatives - last held on 28 February 2010 (next to be held in February 2015)
election results:
  • National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
  • seats by party - NA;
  • Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 71%, Islamic Revival Party 8.2%, CPT 7%, APT 5.1%, PER 5.1%, other 3.6%;
  • seats by party - PDPT 55, Islamic Revival Party 2, CPT 2, APT 2, PER 2

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders

  • Agrarian Party of Tajikistan or APT [Amir QARAQULOV];
  • Democratic Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV (imprisoned October 2005); Rahmatullo VALIYEV, deputy];
  • Islamic Revival Party [Muhiddin KABIRI];
  • Party of Economic Reform or PER [Olimjon BOBOEV];
  • Party of Economic Reforms [Mahmadsharif NOZIMOV];
  • People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMON];
  • Social Democratic Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOYIROV];
  • Socialist Party or SPT [Mirhuseyn NARZIEV];
  • Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders

splinter parties recognized by the government but not by the base of the party:

Democratic Party or DPT [Masud SOBIROV] (splintered from ISKANDAROV's DPT); Socialist Party or SPT [Abduhalim GHAFFOROV] (splintered from NARZIEV's SPT)

unregistered political parties:
  • Agrarian Party [Hikmatullo NASREDDINOV];
  • Progressive Party [Sulton QUVVATOV];
  • Unity Party [Hikmatullo SAIDOV]

International organization participation

ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, 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, 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 Kenneth GROSS
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;
  • 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 word "seven" - a symbol of perfection and the embodiment of happiness

National anthem

name:
"Surudi milli" (National Anthem)
lyrics/music:
Gulnazar KELDI/Suleiman YUDAKOV

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

Economy

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

49 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$14.61billion
(2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 138$13.85 billion (2009 est.) · $13.4 billion (2008 est.)note: data are in 2010 US dollarsofficial exchange rate: $5.578 billion (2010 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$2,000
(2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 189$1,900 (2009 est.) · $1,900 (2008 est.)note: data are in 2010 US dollars
Real growth rate
5.5%
(2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 453.4% (2009 est.) · 7.9% (2008 est.)industrial production growth: 7.5% (2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 37
Inflation, consumer prices
5.8%
(2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 1586.4% (2009 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2010 est.)

agriculture 19.2%industry 22.6%services 58.1% (2010 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

19.16%
Russia
23.92%
18.38%
China
23.74%
12.09%
Turkey
4.96%
11.11%
Iran
Kazakhstan
8.92%
7.92%
Uzbekistan
4.73%
6.17%
Norway
4.32%
Greece
Exports $1.318 billion (2010 est.)Imports $3.301 billion (2010 est.)(2009)

Electricity

Electricity production
16.1 billion (2009 est.)Electricity consumption
16.7 billion (2009)Electricity exports
1 billion (2008 est.)Electricity imports
667.8 million (2009 est.)

Economy - overview

Tajikistan has one of the lowest per capita GDPs among the 15 former Soviet republics. Because of a lack of employment opportunities in Tajikistan, nearly half of the labor force works abroad, primarily in Russia and Kazakhstan, supporting families in Tajikistan through remittances.

The exact number of labor migrants is unknown, but estimated at around 1 million. Less than 7% of the land area is arable. Cotton is the most important crop, but this sector is burdened with debt and obsolete infrastructure; moreover, government has encouraged a gradual transition away from cotton and towards food cultivation due to its concerns about feeding the population.

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.

Tajikistan's economic situation remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural reforms, corruption, weak governance, seasonal power shortages, and the external debt burden. A debt restructuring agreement was reached with Russia in December 2002, including a $250 million write-off of Tajikistan's $300 million debt.

Completion of the Sangtuda I hydropower dam - finished in 2009 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. The World Bank, in 2010, agreed to fund safety and feasibility studies for the Rogun Dam.

Favorable reports from these studies could increase investor interest in the project, which has been stalled due to lack of funding. 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. While Tajikistan has experienced steady economic growth since 1997, more than half of the population continues to live in poverty. Economic growth reached 10.6% in 2004, but dropped below 8% in 2005-08, as the effects of higher oil prices and then the international financial crisis began to register - mainly in the form of lower prices for key export commodities and lower remittances from Tajiks working abroad, due to the global economic downturn. In 2009 GDP growth dropped to 3.4% as a result of the world recession.

Labor force

2.1 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 119

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:
49.8%
industry:
12.8%
services:
37.4% (2009 est.)

Unemployment rate

2.2% (2009 est.) · 2.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 note: official rates; actual unemployment is higher

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Distribution of family income - Gini index

32.6 (2006) · 34.7 (1998) country comparison to the world: 99

Investment (gross fixed)

20.9% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Central bank discount rate

8% (31 December 2009) · 13.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 25

Commercial bank prime lending rate

22.91% (31 December 2009 est.) · 23.7% (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

Stock of narrow money

$863 million (31 December 2010 est) · $712.3 million (31 December 2009 est) country comparison to the world: 141

Stock of broad money

$1.095 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $851.4 million (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Stock of domestic credit

$1.209 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $939.7 million (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

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

221 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Oil - consumption

38,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Oil - exports

349 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Oil - imports

10,100 bbl/day (2008) country comparison to the world: 139

Oil - proved reserves

12 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Natural gas - production

16.1 million cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Natural gas - consumption

266.1 million cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Natural gas - imports

250 million cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Natural gas - proved reserves

5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Current account balance

-$330 million (2010 est.) · -$179.9 million (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Exports

$1.318 billion (2010 est.) · $1.039 billion (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Exports - commodities

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

Imports

$3.301 billion (2010 est.) · $2.77 billion (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Imports - commodities

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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$303 million (31 December 2010 est.) · $227 million (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Debt - external

$1.997 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $1.771 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$100.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.) · $93.05 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$18.5 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $16.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Exchange rates

Tajikistani somoni (TJS) per US dollar - 4.3788 (2010), 4.1428 (2009), 3.4563 (2008), 3.4418 (2007), 3.3 (2006)

Communications

7 fields
Mobile cellular
4.9 million
(2009)
Internet users
1,504
(2010)
Fixed lines
290,000
(2009) · country code .tj

Telephone system

general assessment:
  • foreign investment in the telephone system has resulted in major improvements;
  • conversion of the existing fixed network from analogue to digital more than 90% complete by 2009
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
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) (2009)

Broadcast media

  • state-run television broadcaster transmits nationally on 4 stations and regionally on 4 stations;
  • about 10 independent TV stations broadcast locally and regionally;
  • some households are able to receive Russian and other foreign stations via cable and satellite;
  • state-run radio broadcaster operates Radio Tajikistan, Voice of Dushanbe, and several regional stations;
  • a small number of independent radio stations also broadcast (2008)

Internet users

700,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 110

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

over 3,047 m
2under 914 m
3

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m
7

Networkskm

Roadways
27,767 (2000)Railways
680Waterways
200 (2010)
Railways: broad gauge: 680 km 1.520-m gauge (2008) · Waterways: (along Vakhsh River)

Airports

26 (2010) country comparison to the world: 127

Pipelines

gas 549 km; oil 38 km (2009)

Railways

total:
680 km

country comparison to the world: 107

broad gauge:
680 km 1.520-m gauge (2008)

Waterways

200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2010) country comparison to the world: 99

Military

Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Mobile Forces (2010)

6 fields
Military expenditures
1.5%of GDP
(2010)country comparison to the world: 99

Military branches

Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Mobile Forces (2010)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2009)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49:
1,980,012
females age 16-49:
1,990,084 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49:
1,461,896
females age 16-49:
1,642,240 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male:
77,585
female:
75,201 (2010 est.)

Transnational Issues

3 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

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)

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 2010. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/tajikistan/2010.