Communications
Internet country code [time series]
.tj
Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]
1,158 (2008)
Internet users [time series]
19,500 (2005)
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
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 telephone use is growing but geographic 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 - 3 (2 Intelsat and 1 Orbita) (2006)
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
280,200 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
265,000 (2005)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
6 (2006)
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats
Budget [time series]
revenues: $712.1 million expenditures: $674.5 million (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate [time series]
15% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]
22.87% (31 December 2007)
Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]
somoni (TJS)
Current account balance [time series]
-$351 million (2007 est.)
Debt - external [time series]
$1.56 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]
32.6 (2003)
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
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, but this sector is burdened with debt and an obsolete infrastructure. 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. 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, 7% in 2006, and 7.8% in 2007. Tajikistan's economic situation remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural reforms, corruption, weak governance, widespread unemployment, seasonal power shortages, 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, but suffers winter power shortages due to poor management of water levels in rivers and reservoirs. Completion of the Sangtuda I hydropower dam - built 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. 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.
Electricity - consumption [time series]
17.9 billion kWh (2007)
Electricity - exports [time series]
4.259 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports [time series]
4.36 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production [time series]
17.4 billion kWh (2007)
Exchange rates [time series]
Tajikistani somoni (TJS) per US dollar - 3.4418 (2007), 3.3 (2006), 3.1166 (2005), 2.9705 (2004), 3.0614 (2003)
Exports [time series]
$1.606 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities [time series]
aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles
Exports - partners [time series]
Netherlands 38.9%, Turkey 32.5%, Russia 6.6%, Uzbekistan 5.9%, Iran 5.1% (2007)
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$3.712 billion (2007 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$11.96 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: 23.8% industry: 30.4% services: 45.8% (2007 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$1,600 (2007 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
7.8% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 25.6% (2007 est.)
Imports [time series]
$2.762 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities [time series]
electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery and equipment, foodstuffs
Imports - partners [time series]
Russia 32.1%, Kazakhstan 13.1%, China 10.8%, Uzbekistan 8.4% (2007)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
5% (2007 est.)
Industries [time series]
aluminum, zinc, lead; chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
13.1% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed) [time series]
12.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Labor force [time series]
2.1 million (2007)
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 67.2% industry: 7.5% services: 25.3% (2000 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]
$NA
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
842 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports [time series]
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports [time series]
810 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - production [time series]
32 million cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Oil - consumption [time series]
31,590 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports [time series]
247.7 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports [time series]
7,600 bbl/day (2007)
Oil - production [time series]
281.1 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - proved reserves [time series]
12 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$242 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of domestic credit [time series]
$417.4 million (31 December 2006)
Stock of narrow money (Stock of money) [time series]
$91.59 million (31 December 2006)
Stock of narrow money (Stock of quasi money) [time series]
$161 million (31 December 2006)
Unemployment rate [time series]
2.4% official rate; actual unemployment is higher (2007 est.)
Geography
total: 143,100 sq km land: 142,700 sq km water: 400 sq km
Area - comparative [time series]
slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Climate [time series]
midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains
Coastline [time series]
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides
International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]
total: 11.96 cu km/yr (4%/5%/92%) per capita: 1,837 cu m/yr (2000)
Geographic coordinates [time series]
39 00 N, 71 00 E
Geography - note [time series]
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
Irrigated land [time series]
7,220 sq km (2003)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 3,651 km border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 6.52% permanent crops: 0.89% other: 92.59% (2005)
Location [time series]
Central Asia, west of China
Map references [time series]
Asia
Maritime claims [time series]
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards [time series]
earthquakes and floods
Natural resources [time series]
hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold
Terrain [time series]
Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest
Total renewable water resources [time series]
99.7 cu km (1997)
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
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
Capital [time series]
name: Dushanbe geographic coordinates: 38 35 N, 68 48 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution [time series]
6 November 1994
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan conventional short form: Tajikistan local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston local short form: Tojikiston former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
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
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
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
Executive branch [time series]
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 RAHMON reelected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMON 79.3%, Olimzon BOBOYEV 6.2%, other 14.5%
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
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
Government type [time series]
republic
Independence [time series]
9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
International organization participation [time series]
ADB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Judicial branch [time series]
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Legal system [time series]
based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch [time series]
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: National Assembly - last held 25 March 2005 (next to be held in February 2010); Assembly of Representatives 27 February and 13 March 2005 (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
National holiday [time series]
Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
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 RAHMON]; Social Democratic Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOYIROV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Mirhuseyn NARZIYEV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
Agrarian Party [Hikmatullo NASREDDINOV] (unregistered political party); Democratic Party or DPT [Masud SOBIROV] (splintered from Iskanderov's DPT); Progressive Party [Sulton QUVVATOV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Abdualim GHAFFOROV] (splintered from Narziyev's SPT); Unity Party [Hikmatullo SAIDOV] other: splinter parties recognized by the government but not by the base of the party; unregistered political parties
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
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 Uzbekistan SSR to newly formed Tajikistan 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 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 and security 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.
Military
Manpower available for military service [time series]
males age 16-49: 1,897,356 females age 16-49: 1,911,594 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service [time series]
males age 16-49: 1,391,287 females age 16-49: 1,561,826 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]
male: 84,137 female: 81,777 (2008 est.)
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Mobile Force (2008)
Military expenditures [time series]
3.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Military service age and obligation [time series]
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 34.6% (male 1,270,289/female 1,226,954) 15-64 years: 61.7% (male 2,203,720/female 2,244,660) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 113,156/female 153,105) (2008 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
27.18 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate [time series]
6.94 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
3.4% of GDP (2006)
Ethnic groups [time series]
Tajik 79.9%, Uzbek 15.3%, Russian 1.1%, Kyrgyz 1.1%, other 2.6% (2000 census)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
fewer than 100 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 42.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 47.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 37.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Languages [time series]
Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 64.97 years male: 61.95 years female: 68.15 years (2008 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.5% male: 99.7% female: 99.2% (2000 census)
Major infectious diseases [time series]
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2008)
Median age [time series]
total: 21.6 years male: 21.2 years female: 22.1 years (2008 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Tajikistani(s) adjective: Tajikistani
Net migration rate [time series]
-1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Population [time series]
7,211,884 (July 2008 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
1.893% (2008 est.)
Religions [time series]
Sunni Muslim 85%, Shia Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 11 years male: 12 years female: 10 years (2006)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 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 (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
3.04 children born/woman (2008 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
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 [time series]
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
Trafficking in persons [time series]
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)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
26 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 18 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 8 under 914 m: 8 (2007)
Pipelines [time series]
gas 549 km; oil 38 km (2007)
Railways [time series]
total: 482 km broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2006)
Roadways [time series]
total: 27,767 km (2000)
Waterways [time series]
200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2006)