Tajikistan

Tajikistan Background

Tajikistan has completed its transition from the civil war that plagued the country from 1992 to 1997. There have been no major security incidents in more than two years, although the country remains the poorest in the region. 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.

Tajikistan Information

• Population: 7,011,556 (July 2004 est.)
• Nationality: noun: Tajikistani(s) adjective: Tajikistani
• Location:: Central Asia, west of China
• Religions:: Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)
• Ethnic Groups:: Tajik 64.9%, Uzbek 25%, Russian 3.5% (declining because of emigration), other 6.6%
• Land Boundaries:: total: 3,651 km border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km
• Area: total: 143,100 sq km water: 400 sq km land: 142,700 sq km
• Coast Line: 0 km (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
• Maritime Claims: none (landlocked)
• Land Use: arable land: 6.61% permanent crops: 0.92% other: 92.47% (2001)
• Environmental Issues: inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides
• Natural Resources: hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold
• Highways: total: 27,767 km paved: NA unpaved: NA (2000)
• Railways: total: 482 km broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2003)
• Ports & Harbours: none
• Airports: 66 (2003 est.)