Tajikistan is a Central Asian country. It is bordered by China to the east, Afghanistan to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, and Kyrgyzstan to the north. The country has an area of 143 100 km2and it’s practically made up of the snowy mountains of Pamir. More than half of the territory is 3000 meters high, only 7% has an altitude below 1000 m. The former Soviet republic is crossed by the Amudária and Sirdária rivers. The country is divided into three major areas: the autonomous region of Gorno-Badakhchan, the provinces of Kulab and Kurgan-Teppe, the region of Dushambe and that of Khujand (ex-Leninabad), which are covered with snow from October to May. It is in the valleys that the population living in rural areas is concentrated. The main cities are Dushambe, the capital, with 599 900 residents (2004), Khujand (148 300 residents), Kulob (74 000 residents), Qurghonteppa (62 600 residents) And Uroteppa (49 400 residents).
The climate is continental, accentuated by the altitude.
Economy
The lowlands are irrigated, producing cotton, mulberries (for the silkworm culture), fruit, wheat and vegetables. The electricity, produced in dams of the tributaries of Amudária, allows the operation of cotton and silk spinning, food factories, mines and smelters. Aluminum production, the main industry, is going through a crisis following the breakdown of the USSR (Former Soviet Union). After the Second World War, cattle raising and horticulture were increased. It is probably the least developed republic in Central Asia, but it is rich in minerals, extracting oil, natural gas, coal and zinc. Tajikistan’s main trading partners are Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.
Environmental indicator: the value of carbon dioxide emissions, per capita(metric tons, 1999), is 0.8.
Population
In 2006, the population was 7 320 815 residents. The birth and death rates are respectively 32.65% and 8.25%. Average life expectancy is 64.94 years. The value of the Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.677 and the value of the Gender-adjusted Development Index (IDG) is 0.673 (2001). It is estimated that, in 2025, the population will be 11 042 000 residents. The main ethnic groups are Tajikis (64%), Uzbeks (24%) and Russians (7%). The majority of the population is Sunni Muslim (80%). The official language is Tajikistan.
History
It was invaded by the Persians in the 7th and 6th centuries a. And later by the Greeks (in the time of Alexander the Great), Arabs, Tartars and Mongols. It was ruled from the 15th to the 18th century by the eastern Burkhara chiefs. During this period, Afghans conquered the south side of the Amudaria River. The successive migrations of Turkish peoples influenced the culture of Tajikistan. It was to be occupied by Russia at the end of the 19th century, in 1860. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, it was included in the Soviet Socialist Autonomous Republic of Tajikistan and the People’s Republic of Burkhara, whose head of state was the president of the Supreme Soviet. In the Soviet period, the country was led by the communist party of Tajikistan, whose members were selected every four years, and in turn received orders from the central committee of the Russian communist party. With the end of the Soviet Union, Tajikistan became independent on September 8, 1991. The old party structure was broken and other parties were given the opportunity to express themselves, but the country was divided and without political stability and succeeded the acts of violence and repression that caused tens of thousands of deaths. In 1993, the United Nations sent missions to the territory in order to monitor the ceasefire, meanwhile agreed between the communists in power and the opposition. In 1997, a peace treaty was signed and entered into force in 2000. For Tajikistan democracy and rights, please check homeagerly.
Countryaah.com: Offers a full list of airports in the country of Tajikistan, sorted by city location and acronyms.
Abbreviationfinder.org: Provides most commonly used abbreviations and initials containing the country name of Tajikistan. Listed by popularity.
1UpTravel.com – Maps of Tajikistan
Browse a collection of country, thematic, and historical maps of Tajikistan, a central Asian country, west of China. Includes maps of Caucasus and Central Asia.
