Tajikistan
Republic of TajikistanJumhurii Tojikiston
republicIndependence 9 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Tajikistan as the 2015 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 164 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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. Bands of indigenous guerrillas (called "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 the USSR designated Tajikistan a separate republic in 1929 and transferred to it much of present-day Sughd province.
Ethnic Uzbeks form a substantial minority in Tajikistan. Tajikistan became independent in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and experienced a civil war between regional factions from 1992 to 1997. Tajikistan endured several domestic security incidents during 2010-12, 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.
The country remains the poorest in the former Soviet sphere. Tajikistan became a member of the World Trade Organization in March 2013. However, its economy continues to face major challenges, including dependence on remittances from Tajikistanis working in Russia, pervasive corruption, and the major role narcotrafficking plays in the country's informal economy.
Geography
Central Asia, west of China, south of Kyrgyzstan
20 fieldsTerrain
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
Land use
- agricultural land:
- 34.7%;
- arable land 6.1%;
- permanent crops 0.9%;
- permanent pasture 27.7%
- forest:
- 2.9%
- other:
- 62.4% (2011 est.)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 11.49 cu km/yr (6%/4%/91%)
- per capita:
- 1,740 cu m/yr (2006)
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 and Society
35 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2015 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2015 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups(2010 est.)
Religions(2003 est.)
Languages
Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business note: different ethnic groups speak Uzbek, Kyrgyz, and Pashto
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 0.98 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 0.85 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.72 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.99 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- high
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
- vectorborne disease:
- malaria (2013)
Government
Republic; President Emomali RAHMON (since 6 November 1994; Prime Minister Qohir RASULZODA (since 23 November 2013)
21 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
National Assembly, 67 seats, elected 1 March 2015one dot, one seat
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 33 N, 68 46 E
- time difference:
- UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
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 (Qurghonteppa), Kuhistoni Badakhshon [Gorno-Badakhshan]* (Khorugh), Nohiyahoi Tobei Jumhuri***, Sughd (Khujand)
note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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 Qohir RASULZODA (since 23 November 2013)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Supreme Assembly
- elections/appointments:
- president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term (eligible for 2 terms);
- election last held on 6 November 2013 (next to be held in November 2020);
- prime minister appointed by the president
- election results:
- Emomali RAHMON reelected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMON (PDPT) 83.9%, Ismoil TALBAKOV (CPT) 5%, other 11.1%
Legislative branch
- description:
- bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the 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 the former president; members serve 5-year terms) and the Assembly of Representatives or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63 seats; 41 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by two-round absolute majority vote and 22 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
- elections:
- National Assembly - last held on 1 March 2015 (next to be held 2020); Assembly of Representatives - last held on 1 March 2015 (next to be held 2020)
- election results:
- National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party - NA;
- Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 65.4%, APT 11.7%, PERT 7.5%, SPT 5.5%, CPT 2.2%, Democratic Party 1.7%, other 6%;
- seats by party - PDPT 55, APT 5, PERT 3, SPT 1, CPT 2, Democratic Party 1
Judicial branch
- highest court(s):
- Supreme Court (consists of the chairman, deputy chairmen, and 34 judges organized into civil, criminal, and military chambers);
- Constitutional Court (consists of the court chairman, vice-president, and 5 judges);
- High Economic Court (consists 16 judicial positions)
- judge selection and term of office:
- Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, and High Economic Court judges nominated by the president of the republic and approved by the National Assembly;
- judges of all 3 courts appointed for 10-year renewable terms with no limit on terms, but 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
Political parties and leaders
- Agrarian Party of Tajikistan or APT [Amir QARAQULOV]
- Communist Party of Tajikistan or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]
- Democratic Party of Tajikistan [Saidjafar ISMONOV]
- Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan or IRPT [Muhiddin KABIRI]
- Party of Economic Reform of Tajikistan or PERT [Olimjon BOBOEV]
- People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMON]
- Social Democratic Party of Tajikistan or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOYIROV]
- Socialist Party of Tajikistan or SPT [Abduhalim GHAFOROV]
Political pressure groups and leaders
influential religious leader Akbar TURAJONZODA; New Tajikistan party [Zayd SAIDOV] (unregistered); Guruhi-24 (Group-24) [Umarali QUVVATOV] (unregistered opposition group); presidential candidate of Union of Reformist Forces of Tajikistan Oynihol BOBONAZAROVA (unregistered); Vatandor (Patriot) Movement [Dodojon ATOVULLOEV]; Youth Party of Tajikistan [Izzat AMON] (unregistered)
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
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Farhod SALIM (since 21 May 2014)
- 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 Susan M. ELLIOTT (since 25 July 2012)
- 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 number "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's economic situation remains fragile due to the uneven implementation of structural reforms, corruption, weak governance, seasonal power shortages, and its large external debt burden.
41 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2014 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP
Economy - overview
Tajikistan's economic situation remains fragile due to the uneven implementation of structural reforms, corruption, weak governance, seasonal power shortages, and its large external debt burden. Tajikistan has one of the lowest per capita GDPs among the 15 former Soviet republics.
The 1992-97 civil war severely damaged an already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in industrial and agricultural production. 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 amount to nearly 50% of GDP. Less than 7% of the land area is arable and cotton is the most important crop.
Tajikistan imports approximately 60% of its food, mostly by rail. Mineral resources include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. 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.
Some experts estimate the value of narcotics transiting Tajikistan is equivalent to 30-50% of GDP. Tajikistan has sought to develop its substantial hydroelectricity potential through partnership with Russian and Iranian investors. The government is pinning its drive for energy independence on completion of the Roghun dam, which will take at least 8 to 11 years to construct, according to a World Bank feasibility study that was published in July 2014.
If built according to plan, Roghun would be the tallest dam in the world and would significantly expand Tajikistan’s electricity output. However, Uzbekistan opposes the project, which has damaged relations between the two countries. Uzbekistan closed one of the rail lines into Tajikistan in late 2011, hampering the transit of goods to and from the southern part of the country. As a result, food and fuel prices in Tajikistan have increased to the highest levels since 2002.
Gross national saving
5.3% of GDP (2014 est.) · 12.2% of GDP (2013 est.) · 15.4% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 156
Unemployment rate
2.5% (2013 est.) · 2.5% (2012 est.) note: official rates; actual unemployment is much higher country comparison to the world: 18
Distribution of family income - Gini index
32.6 (2006) · 34.7 (1998) country comparison to the world: 104
Central bank discount rate
4.8% (31 December 2013) · 6.5% (31 December 2012) country comparison to the world: 78
Commercial bank prime lending rate
22% (31 December 2014 est.) · 6.6% (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 12
Stock of narrow money
$1.598 billion (31 December 2014 est.) · $1.329 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 139
Stock of broad money
$2.085 billion (31 December 2014 est.) · $1.778 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 151
Stock of domestic credit
$1.598 billion (31 December 2014 est.) · $1.362 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 147
Current account balance
-$839 million (2014 est.) · -$330 million (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 96
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$651.8 million (31 December 2014 est.) · $660.8 million (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Debt - external
$3.821 billion (31 December 2014 est.) · $3.714 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 134
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$2.272 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 102
Exchange rates
Tajikistani somoni (TJS) per US dollar - 4.916 (2014 est.) · 4.7644 (2013 est.) · 4.76 (2012 est.) · 4.6103 (2011 est.) · 4.379 (2010 est.)
Energy
23 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 4.476 million kW(2013 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 91
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
2.618 million Mt (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 144
Communications
8 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2014 est.)
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 was completed in 2012
- 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) (2011)
Broadcast media
- state-run TV broadcaster transmits nationally on 4 stations and regionally on 4 stations;
- 11 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 (2010)
Transportation
7 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
Military
Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Mobile Forces (2013)
5 fieldsMilitary service age and obligation
- 18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service;
- 2-year conscript service obligation;
- males required to undergo compulsory military training between ages 16 and 55;
- males can enroll in military schools from at least age 15 (2012)
Manpower available for military service
- males age 16-49:
- 2,012,790
- females age 16-49:
- 2,020,618 (2010 est.)
Transnational Issues
3 fieldsDisputes - 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 2015. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/tajikistan/2015.