Everything you need to know about Tajikistan: news, reviews, in-depth analysis, opinion and more

Tajikistan: Central Asian Country and Former Soviet Republic

Tajikistan was part of ancient Persian Achaemenid Empire between 6th to 4th centuries B.C. Later on Alexander the Great took over Achaemenid Empire in the 4th century B.C. and made it a part of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom. Russia took control over Tajikistan in 1880-90 to exploit its vast natural reserves, taking advantage of the administrative and political enmities among the Tajiks. In 1924 Tajikistan became an autonomous republic within Uzbekistan and in 1929 it became a constituent republic of the USSR. In 1991 Tajikistan parliament declared its secession from Soviet rule following in the footsteps of other Soviet states.

Tajikistan Profile: Overview of Facts and Figures

· National Name: Republic of Tajikistan
· Capital: Dushanbe
· Total area: 143,100 sq km (55,251 sq miles)
· Population: 6.8 million (UN, 2008)
· Currency: Tajik Somoni
· Languages: Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business
· Ethnicity/ Races: Tajik 79.9%, Uzbek 15.3%, Russian 1.1%, Kyrgyz 1.1%, other 2.6% (2000 census)
· Religion: Sunni Muslim 85%, Shia Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)
· GDP (Per Capita): $1,800 (2008 est.)
· Life Expectancy: Male: 61.95 years, Female: 68.15 years (2008 est.)
· Literacy Rate: Male: 99.7%, Female: 99.2% (2000 census)

Geographical Information on Tajikistan:
Tajikistan is a mountainous landlocked country located in Central Asia. It is bordered by Afghanistan from the south, Uzbekistan from the west, Kyrgyzstan from the north and China from the east.
Tajikistan's climate is continental, subtropical, and semiarid with some desert areas. The climate changes drastically according to elevation and altitude.

Culture, Cuisine and Tradition of Tajikistan:
The Culture of Tajikistan has developed over a period of thousand years. Tajiks and Persians inhabiting the country share Iranian ethnic backgrounds. Music and dance play a significant role in Tajik culture. Tajik culture can be divided into two areas, Metropolitan and Kuhiston. The followings and practices of Sunni Muslim sect are commonly practiced and cherished.

Economy of Tajikistan:
Tajikistan's economy is highly dependent on agriculture and livestock. Tajikistan's produces some of the best varieties of cotton, wheat, barley, fruit, vegetables, and silk. The economy of Tajikistan collapsed after the end of Soviet rule and witnessed nearly a decade of civil strife in the 1990s. Despite of huge reserves of silver, gold, uranium, tungsten, zinc, lead, coal, antimony, salt, and mercury the economy is not gaining enough pace due to lack of infrastructure and capital. The government initiated several reforms to end the wide spread corruption and has taken initiatives to open up the country’s economy.

Tourist Attractions of Tajikistan:
The center of attraction in Tajikistan is the Pamir mountain range that is known as the roof of the world. It is famous for adventure sports like trekking, hiking and its natural beauty remains the center of attraction for the tourists.

Dushanbe: is the capital city of Tajikistan and famous for its mosques, a Russian church and a opera house. The other attraction of this vibrant city is Monday market famous for its colourful display of traditional handicrafts.

Garm: is another most popular tourist destinations in Tajikistan. It is well known for its hot mineral water spring.

Major Sight-seeing Places in Tajikistan include:

· Istaravshan
· Kulyab
· Kurgan Tyube
· Khujand
· Penjikent