Tajikistan

Tajikistan

Introduction

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 Tajikistan. Tajikistan became independent in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and experienced a civil war between regional factions from 1992-97. Tajikistan experienced several security incidents in 2010, including a mass prison-break from a Dushanbe detention facility, the country’s first suicide car bombing in Khujand, and armed conflict between government forces and opposition militants in the Rasht Valley. 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 seeking WTO membership and has joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace.

Geography

Location

Central Asia, west of China, south of Kyrgyzstan

Geographic coordinates

39 00 N, 71 00 E

Map references

Asia

Area

total: 143,100 sq km
country comparison to the world: 96 land:141,510 sq km
water:2,590 sq km

Area – comparative

slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Land boundaries

total: 3,651 km
border countries:Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

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

Land use

arable land: 6.52%
permanent crops:0.89%
other:92.59% (2005)

Irrigated land

7,220 sq km (2008)

Total renewable water resources

99.7 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

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

Nationality

noun: Tajikistani(s)
adjective:Tajikistani

Ethnic groups

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

Languages

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

Religions

Sunni Muslim 85%, Shia Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)

Population

7,627,200 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96

Age structure

0-14 years: 33.9% (male 1,316,623/female 1,270,899)
15-64 years:62.7% (male 2,368,554/female 2,413,982)
65 years and over:3.4% (male 108,896/female 148,246) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 22.6 years
male:22.1 years
female:23.1 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

1.846% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62

Birth rate

26.29 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54

Death rate

6.6 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146

Net migration rate

-1.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155

Urbanization

urban population: 26% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:2.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities – population

DUSHANBE (capital) 704,000 (2009)

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 (2011 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

64 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
country comparison to the world: 90

Infant mortality rate

total: 38.54 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 65 male:43.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female:33.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 66.03 years
country comparison to the world: 164 male:62.97 years
female:69.25 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.89 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69

Health expenditures

5.3% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 133

Physicians density

2.0128 physicians/1,000 population (2006)
country comparison to the world: 63

Hospital bed density

5.41 beds/1,000 population (2008)
country comparison to the world: 34

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 94% of population
rural: 61% of population
total: 70% of population
unimproved:
urban: 6% of population
rural: 39% of population
total: 30% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 95% of population
rural: 94% of population
total: 94% of population
unimproved:
urban: 5% of population
rural: 6% of population
total: 6% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

9,100 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101

HIV/AIDS – deaths

fewer than 500 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97

Major infectious diseases

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

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

14.9% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 55

Education expenditures

3.5% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 118

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:99.5%
male:99.7%
female:99.2% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 11 years
male:12 years
female:10 years (2008)

Government

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

Government type

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)

the rest of the country consists of “districts under republican subordination,” ruled directly from Dushanbe
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

Legal system

civil law system

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration

accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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 the World 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 Milli (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]

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]
note:for the DPT, the Ministry of Justice named a new chairman, Masud SOBIROV, in 2006

Mr. ISKANDAROV’s supporters do not recognize Mr. SOBIROV

for the SPT, the Ministry of Justice named a new chairman, Abduhalim GHAFAROV, in 2004

Mr. NARZIEV’s supporters do not recognize Mr. GHAFAROV

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: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, 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 number “seven” – a symbol of perfection and the embodiment of happiness

National symbol(s)

crown surmounted by seven, five-pointed stars

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

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, as many as a million Tajik citizens work abroad, almost all of them in Russia, supporting families in Tajikistan through remittances. Less than 7% of the land area is arable. Cotton is the most important crop, and its production is closely monitored, and in many cases controlled, by the government. In the wake of the National Bank of Tajikistan’s admission in December 2007 that it had improperly lent money to investors in the cotton sector, the IMF canceled its program in Tajikistan. A reform agenda is underway, according to which over half a billion dollars in farmer debt is being forgiven, and IMF assistance has been reinstated. 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. Electricity output expanded with the completion of the Sangtuda I hydropower dam – finished in 2009 with Russian investment. The smaller Sangtuda-2, built with Iranian investment, is scheduled for completion in 2012. The government of Tajikistan is pinning major hopes on the massive Roghun dam which, if finished according to Tajik plans, will be the tallest dam in the world. The World Bank has agreed to fund technical, economic, social, and environmental feasibility studies for the dam. Favorable reports from these studies could create investor interest in the project, which is currently moving forward with domestic funding. In January 2010, the government began selling shares in the Roghun enterprise to its population, ultimately raising over $180 million. According to numerous reports, many Tajik individuals and businesses were forced to buy shares. The coerced share sales finally ended in mid-2010 under intense criticism from donors, particularly the IMF. Tajikistan has received substantial infrastructure development loans from the Chinese government to improve roads and electricity transmission. To help increase north-south trade, the US funded a $36 million bridge which opened in August 2007 linking Tajikistan with 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.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$14.74 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137 $13.84 billion (2009 est.)
$13.32 billion (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$5.642 billion (2010 est.)

GDP – real growth rate

6.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44 3.9% (2009 est.)
7.9% (2008 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$2,000 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189 $1,900 (2009 est.)
$1,800 (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: 19%
industry:22.9%
services:58.1% (2010 est.)

Labor force

2.1 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 118

Labor force – by occupation

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

Unemployment rate

2.2% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17 2.3% (2008 est.)
note:official rates

actual unemployment is much higher

Population below poverty line

53% (2009 est.)

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)
country comparison to the world: 103 34.7 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed)

20.6% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107

Budget

revenues: $1.496 billion
expenditures:$1.473 billion (2010 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

26.5% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.4% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172 6.4% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate

5% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42 8% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

21.73% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9 25.88% (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$882.4 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143 $675.1 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$1.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162 $924.7 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$931.2 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154 $709.2 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Agriculture – products

cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables

cattle, sheep, goats

Industries

aluminum, cement, vegetable oil

Industrial production growth rate

7.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49

Electricity – production

16.1 billion kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77

Electricity – consumption

16.7 billion kWh (2009)
country comparison to the world: 73

Electricity – exports

4.421 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity – imports

338.5 million kWh (2010 est.)

Oil – production

220 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115

Oil – consumption

40,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107

Oil – exports

405.4 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126

Oil – imports

39,400 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94

Oil – proved reserves

12 million bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88

Natural gas – production

38 million cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85

Natural gas – consumption

227 million cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186

Natural gas – imports

189 million cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67

Natural gas – proved reserves

5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89

Current account balance

-$381.1 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104 -$179.9 million (2009 est.)

Exports

$1.303 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148 $1.038 billion (2009 est.)

Exports – commodities

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

Exports – partners

Turkey 28.4%, Russia 14.4%, Uzbekistan 10%, Iran 6.2%, China 5.6%, Norway 4.5% (2010)

Imports

$2.936 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142 $2.77 billion (2009 est.)

Imports – commodities

petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery and equipment, foodstuffs

Imports – partners

China 35.3%, Russia 23.5%, Kazakhstan 8.3% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$506 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149 $469.1 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt – external

$1.988 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140 $1.762 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment – at home

$100.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34 $93.05 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment – abroad

$18.5 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45 $16.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates

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

Transportation

Airports

26 (2010)
country comparison to the world:126

Airports – with paved runways

total: 17
over 3,047 m:2
2,438 to 3,047 m:4
1,524 to 2,437 m:5
914 to 1,523 m:3
under 914 m:3 (2010)

Airports – with unpaved runways

total: 9
1,524 to 2,437:1
914 to 1,523 m:1
under 914 m:7 (2010)

Pipelines

gas 549 km

oil 38 km (2010)

Railways

total: 680 km
country comparison to the world: 103 broad gauge:680 km 1.520-m gauge (2010)

Roadways

total: 27,767 km (2000)
country comparison to the world: 100

Waterways

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

Military

Military branches

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

Military service age and obligation

18-27 years of age for compulsory military service

2-year conscript service obligation (2011)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 2,012,790
females age 16-49:2,020,618 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,490,267
females age 16-49:1,675,083 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 76,430
female:74,038 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures

1.5% of GDP (2010)
country comparison to the world: 98

Transnational Issues

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