Tajikistan

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

4 (2002)

Internet country code

.tj

Internet users

5,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002)

Telephone system

general assessment: poorly developed and not well maintained; many towns are not reached by the national network domestic: cable and microwave radio relay international: 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 - 1 Orbita and 2 Intelsat

Telephones - main lines in use

363,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2,500 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

13 (2001)

Agriculture - products

cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Budget

revenues: $502 million expenditures: $520 million, including capital expenditures of $86 million (2002 est.)

Currency

somoni

Currency code

TJS

Debt - external

$1 billion (2002 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

34.7 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$60.7 million from US (2001)

Economy - overview

Tajikistan has the lowest per capita GDP among the 15 former Soviet republics. Only 8% to 10% of the land area is arable. Cotton is the most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but limited in amount, 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. Even though 60% of its people continue to live in abject poverty, Tajikistan has experienced steady economic growth since 1997. Continued privatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises will further increase productivity. Tajikistan's economic situation, however, remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural reforms, weak governance, widespread unemployment, and the external debt burden. A debt restructuring agreement was reached with Russia in December 2002, including an interest rate of 4%, a 3-year grace period, and a US $49.8 million credit to the Central Bank of Tajikistan.

Electricity - consumption

14.52 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

3.909 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

5.242 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

14.18 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 1.9% hydro: 98.1% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates

Tajikistani somoni per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.37 (2001), 2.08 (2000), 1.24 (1999), 0.78 (1998) note: the new unit of exchange was introduced on 30 October 2000, with one somoni equal to 1,000 of the old Tajikistani rubles

Exports

$710 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Netherlands 29.4%, Turkey 16.1%, Russia 11.9%, Uzbekistan 9.9%, Switzerland 9.3%, Hungary 5.4%, Latvia 4.2% (2002)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $8.476 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 19% industry: 26% services: 55% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

9.1% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 25.2% (1998)

Imports

$830 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Russia 22.7%, Uzbekistan 18.4%, Ukraine 11.2%, Kazakhstan 10%, Turkmenistan 6.5%, Azerbaijan 5.7%, India 4.4% (2002)

Industrial production growth rate

10.3% (2000 est.)

Industries

aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

12% (2001 est.)

Labor force

3.187 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 67.2%, industry 7.5%, services 25.3% (2000 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

1.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

60% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate

40% (2002 est.)

Area

total: 143,100 sq km water: 400 sq km land: 142,700 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Climate

midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

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

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

39 00 N, 71 00 E

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

Irrigated land

7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 5.41% permanent crops: 0.92% other: 93.67% (1998 est.)

Location

Central Asia, west of China

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

earthquakes and floods

Natural resources

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

Terrain

Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Administrative divisions

2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon* (Khorugh), Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa), Viloyati Sughd (Khujand) note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Capital

Dushanbe

Constitution

6 November 1994

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan conventional short form: Tajikistan local short form: Tojikiston former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard E. HOAGLAND embassy: 10 Pavlova Street, Dushanbe, Tajikistan 734003; note - the embassy in Dushanbe is not yet fully operational; most business is still handled in Almaty at 531 Sayfullin Street, Almaty, Kazakhstan, telephone 7-3272-58-79-61, FAX 7-3272-58-79-68 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [992] (372) 21-03-48 (Dushanbe) FAX: [992] (372) 21-03-62

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Khamrokhon ZARIPOV chancery: 1725 K Sreet NW, Suite 409, Washington, DC 20006 FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091 telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090

Executive branch

chief of state: President Emomali RAHMONOV (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 election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 97%, Davlat USMON 2% elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 6 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister appointed by the president; Tajikistan held a constitutional referendum on 22 June 2003 that, among other things, set a term limit of two seven-year terms for the president

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

Government type

republic

Independence

9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

International organization participation

AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IOC, IOM, ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Legal system

based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (33 seats; members are indirectly elected, 25 selected by local deputies, 8 appointed by the president; all serve five-year terms) election results: Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 65%, Communist Party 20%, Islamic Rebirth Party 7.5%, other 7.5%; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA elections: last held 27 February and 12 March 2000 for the Assembly of Representatives (next to be held NA 2005) and 23 March 2000 for the National Assembly (next to be held NA 2005)

National holiday

Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV, chairman]; Islamic Revival Party [Said Abdullo NURI, chairman]; People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMONOV]; Social Democratic Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOIROV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Sherali KENJAYEV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders

there are two unregistered political parties with 1,000 or more members: Progressive Party [Suton QUVVATOV]; Unity Party [Hikmatuko SAIDOV]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Tajikistan has experienced three changes in government and a five-year civil war since it gained independence in 1991 from the USSR. A peace agreement among rival factions was signed in 1997, and implemented in 2000. The central government's less than total control over some areas of the country has forced it to compromise and forge alliances among factions. Attention by the international community in the wake of the war in Afghanistan has brought increased economic development 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 branches

Army, Air Force and Air Defense Force, Presidential National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$35.4 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

3.9% (FY01)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,704,457 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,397,188 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 82,490 (2003 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 39.8% (male 1,376,244; female 1,353,108) 15-64 years: 55.5% (male 1,896,509; female 1,915,334) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 140,993; female 181,564) (2003 est.)

Birth rate

32.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate

8.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ethnic groups

Tajik 64.9%, Uzbek 25%, Russian 3.5% (declining because of emigration), other 6.6%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

less than 200 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 113.43 deaths/1,000 live births female: 99.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 126.58 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 64.37 years male: 61.39 years female: 67.5 years (2003 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.4% male: 99.6% female: 99.1% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 19.3 years male: 19 years female: 19.6 years (2002)

Nationality

noun: Tajikistani(s) adjective: Tajikistani

Net migration rate

-3.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Population

6,863,752 (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate

2.13% (2003 est.)

Religions

Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.17 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Disputes - international

prolonged regional drought creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; boundary agreements signed in 2002 cede 1,000 sq km of Pamir Mountain range to China in return for China relinquishing claims to 28,000 sq km of Tajikistani lands; negotiations with China resolved the longstanding boundary dispute; talks have begun with Uzbekistan to demine and delimit border; disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of 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 percent of all drugs captured in Central Asia and stands third world-wide in seizures of opiates (heroin and raw opium)

Airports

66 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 53 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 36 (2002)

Highways

total: 27,767 km paved: NA unpaved: NA (2000)

Pipelines

gas 540 km; oil 38 km (2003)

Ports and harbors

none

Railways

total: 482 km broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2002)

Waterways

none