Official Name: Republic of Tajikistan
Short Name: Tajikistan
Capital: Dushanbe
Area: 143,100 sq. km (95th), 55,251 sq mi, Water (%) 0.3
Population: January 2006 estimate 6,920,3001 (100th1)
Population Density:45 per sq. km
Anthem:
Religions: Islam is the State Religion. 85 per cent of the population are Sunni Muslims, 5 per cent Shia Muslim, Others 10 per cent.
Languages: Tajik, Russian.

Tajikistan, along with other Central Asian states, became part of the Arab Caliphate in the 7th century. After the removal of the Caliphate, the region was incorporated into the Tahirid and Samanid kingdoms. The Tajiks emerged as an identifiable ethnic group in the 9th and 10th centuries. In the 13th century, Tajikistan was conquered by Mongol Tatars. From the 17th to the 19th centuries, there were small fiefdoms whose chieftains alternately submitted to or rebelled against the Khans of Bukhara. Russian and British interests in Tajikistan started in the late 19th century as the Russian empire advanced into Central Asia. Tajiks joined the Basmachi rebellion against Soviet rule after the 1917 revolution in Russia, but the resistance movement crumbled in the early 1920s. Tajikistan finally became a part of the Soviet empire in 1924 as an Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR). In October 1929, the Tajik ASSR became a full Union Republic of the former Soviet Union and its territory was enlarged by the addition of the Khujand district from the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. The movement towards independence began in February 1990, following reports that Armenian refugees were to be settled in Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan. As a concession towards the growing Tajik nationalism, the Supreme Soviet, on 25 August 1990, adopted a declaration of sovereignty emphasising the equality of all nationalities living in Tajikistan. On 9 September 1991, Tajikistan declared independence from the former Soviet Union. Post independence period has been marked by widespread incidents of clan and regional rivalries that led to the civil war in late 1992. The forces of the Communist government ended the civil war in early 1993. The government suspended freedom of press and broadcasting and the Supreme Court formally proscribed the opposition parties (Islamic Resistance Party (IRP), Lale Badakhshon, Rashtokehz and the Democratic Party of Tajikistan (DPT)). The Communist Party of Tajikistan (CPT) remained the only legal party in the country. Even the new political parties established later in the year, the Party of Economic Freedom and the People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan (PDPT), were founded by members of the Government.

Independence: September 9, 1991 (from Soviet Union).
Government Type: Presidential type of Government and a Bicameral legislature.
Head of State & Head of Government: President (Directly elected)
State Head Name: Emomali Rakhmonov

Tajikistan has a strong Presidential form of government with all powers concentrated in the office of the President. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President. The Cabinet or the Council of Ministers is appointed by the President and approved by the Supreme Assembly (Tajik Parliament or Majlisi Oli). Rakhmonov has been president since 1994. He was once again elected in the 6 November 2006 elections.

Since November 1992, there is continued civil strife in Tajikistan involving the government forces and the opposition groups known as United Tajik Opposition or UTO. UN mediated peace talks and cease fire agreements have not been able to bring peace. The civil war has led to migration of thousands of refugees to Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The influx of Afghan refugees after 1996 has caused tension between the different ethnic groups. Repatriation of these refugees has started following the removal of the Taliban regime in 2001.

Tajikistan has a boundary dispute with China as the borders are not well defined and separated. There is also the territorial dispute with fellow member of the CIS, Kyrgyzstan on the northern boundary in Isfara Valley area. Tajikistan also serves as a major transit point for illicit drugs from southwest Asia to Russia and Western Europe. Russia is particularly anxious to control the influx of drugs into its society and has urged Tajikistan to undertake stringent steps to cut the supply route passing through its territory.

Tajikistan's military is composed of the Army, the Air Force, the Air Defence Forces, Presidential National Guard and Security forces for internal and border areas. Tajikistan's border with Afghanistan is protected by Russian troops of the 201st Motorized Rifle Division. Russian forces also look after the internal security of Tajikistan. The Tajik forces have limited military hardware and missile capability. Officer level training is given at the Higher Army Officers and Engineers College, Dushanbe. The June 1997 Peace Accord facilitated the integration of around 5,000 personnel of the Islamic Movement of Tajikistan into the Tajik forces. Tajikistan plans to form an air force squadron. The annual defence expenditure is around $15 million.

Tajikistan is a mountainous country in Central Asia with little oil or natural gas, but with substantial hydroelectric power and significant undeveloped hydropower potential. At US$ 340, the per capita income of Tajikistan is lowest in the region. The official figures for the unemployed group stands at 5.7 per cent. However, there is a large section of underemployed and unregistered unemployed people. Tajikistan's external debt stands at nearly $2.3 billion as on December 2001. Tajikistan has a very small oil industry with most of the country's production coming from the northern Leninobod Soghd Region. As there are no oil refineries, Tajikistan imports all petroleum products. In September 2000, an Austrian firm had agreed to back Tajikistan's plans to build an oil refinery with a $3.5-million credit, but no further progress has been made to construct the refinery. The natural gas production was affected by the civil strife. Though the production is normal now, but the high demand and low supply makes Tajikistan dependent on importing natural gas from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. In the non oil economy, cotton is the most important crop. Mineral resources are varied but limited in amount. They 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.

Tajikistan The website provides daily news coverage.
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