Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон Jumhurii Tojikiston Republic of Tajikistan
Flag Coat of Arms
Motto: none
Anthem: Surudi Milli
Capital (and largest city)		Dushanbe 38°33′N, 68°48′E
Official languages		Persian
Demonym		Tajik
Government		Unitary presidential republic
-	President	Emomalii Rahmon
-	Prime Minister	Oqil Oqilov
Independence
-	Establishment of the Samanid Empire	875 AD
-	Declared	September 9, 1991
-	Completed	December 25, 1991
Area
-	Total	143,100 km² (95th) 55,251 sq mi
-	Water (%)	0. Adopted in November 1992 Tajikistan was the last of the former Soviet republics to reveal a new flag The State Emblem of Tajikistan is a modified version of the original Coat of arms of the Tajik SSR that was in use until the Collapse of the Soviet A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's " Surudi milli " is the National anthem of Tajikistan, officially adopted in 1991. Tajikistan 's main ethnic group are the Tajiks, with minorities such as the Uzbeks and Kyrgyz, and a small Russian minority Dushanbe (Душанбе Dushanbe; formerly Dyushambe or Stalinabad) population 661100 people (2006 census is the Capital and largest city An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory The Tajik language, or Tajik Persian, or Tajiki, (sometimes written Tadjik or Tadzhik; тоҷикӣ, tg-Latn ''tojikí'') is a modern A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place Tajik ( - Tādjīk; UniPers: Tâjik; Cyrillic: Тоҷик is a term generally applied to Persian-speaking people of For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A unitary state is a State whose three Organs of state are governed Constitutionally as one single unit with one Constitutionally created A presidential system is a System of government where an executive branch exists and presides (hence the term separately from the Legislature The President of Tajikistan is the Head of State and highest position within the Government of Tajikistan. Emomalii Rahmon ( Tajik: Эмомалии Раҳмон or امامعلی رحمان (formerly Emomali Sharifovich Rahmonov, Эмомалӣ The prime minister of Tajikistan is the head of government of Tajikistan. Okil Ghaybulloyevich Okilov or Oqil Oqilov ( Tajik: Оқил Оқилов Oqil Oqilov or آقل غیباللهیوچ آقلاو (born 2 February The Soviet Union 's collapse into independent nations began early in 1985 The Samanids (819–999 ( Sāmāniyān) were a Persian dynasty in Central Asia and Greater Khorasan, named after its founder Saman Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Events 274 - Roman Emperor Aurelian Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here Surface areas between 100000 km² and 1000000 km² This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 3
Population
-	January 2006 estimate	6,920,3001 (100th1)
-	2000 census	6,127,000
-	Density	45/km² (151st) 117/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$8. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 802 billion (139th)
-	Per capita	$1,388 (159th)
Gini (2003)		32. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Gini coefficient is a measure of statistical dispersion most prominently used as a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth 6 (medium)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 673 (medium) (122nd)
Currency		Somoni (TJS)
Time zone		TJT (UTC+5)
Internet TLD		.tj
Calling code		+992
1	Estimate from State Statistical Committee of Tajikistan, 2006; rank based on UN figures for 2005. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The somoni (cомонӣ ISO 4217 code TJS is the currency of Tajikistan. ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established UTC+5 is the Timezone for Pakistan Standard Time West Asia Standard Time. A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E

Tajikistan (pronounced /təˈdʒɪkɨstæn/ or /təˈdʒiːkɨstæn/; Tajik: Тоҷикистон, pronounced [tɔʤikɪsˈtɔn] or [tɒːʤikɪsˈtɒn]), officially the Republic of Tajikistan (Tajik: Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон) is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. The Tajik language, or Tajik Persian, or Tajiki, (sometimes written Tadjik or Tadzhik; тоҷикӣ, tg-Latn ''tojikí'') is a modern The Tajik language, or Tajik Persian, or Tajiki, (sometimes written Tadjik or Tadzhik; тоҷикӣ, tg-Latn ''tojikí'') is a modern A landlocked country is commonly defined as one enclosed or nearly enclosed by land Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Afghanistan borders to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly Kyrgyzstan (ˈkɻ̩gɪztɑn (AmE or /'kɝgəztan/ (BrE Kyrgyz: Кыргызстан; Russian: Киргизия or Киргизстан or Кыргызстан China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Most of Tajikistan's population belongs to the Tajik ethnic group, who share culture and history with the Persian peoples and speak the Persian language. Tajik ( - Tādjīk; UniPers: Tâjik; Cyrillic: Тоҷик is a term generally applied to Persian-speaking people of layout and formatting it should ensure no clashes with the top of the infobox Once part of the Samanid Empire, Tajikistan became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union in the 20th century, known as the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Tajik SSR). The Samanids (819–999 ( Sāmāniyān) were a Persian dynasty in Central Asia and Greater Khorasan, named after its founder Saman The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Республикаи Советии Социалистии Тоҷикистон Respublikai Sovetii Sotsialistii Tocikiston; Таджикская The Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Республикаи Советии Социалистии Тоҷикистон Respublikai Sovetii Sotsialistii Tocikiston; Таджикская

After independence, Tajikistan suffered from a devastating civil war which lasted from 1992 to 1997. The civil war in Tajikistan ( Tajik: Ҷанги шаҳрвандии Тоҷикистон, Jangi shahrvandii Tojikiston) began in May 1992 when Since the end of the war, newly-established political stability and foreign aid have allowed the country's economy to grow. Its natural resources such as cotton and aluminium have contributed greatly to this steady improvement, although observers have characterized the country as having few natural resources besides hydroelectric power and its strategic location. Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp WikipediaNaming ^[1]

Etymology

Tajikistan means the "Land of the Tajiks" in Persian. Some believe the name Tajik is a geographic reference to the crown (Taj) of the Pamir Knot, but this is a folk etymology. Geography (from Greek γεωγραφία - geografia) is the study of the Earth and its lands features inhabitants and phenomena The Pamir Mountains are located in Central Asia and are formed by the junction or Knot of the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and The word "Tajik" was used to differentiate Iranians from Turks in Central Asia, starting as early as the 10th century. The addition of 'k' might have been for the purpose of euphony in the set phrase "Turk-o Tajik" ("Turks and Tajiks") which in Persian-language histories is found as an idiomatic expression meaning "everyone. " According to some other sources, the name Tajik (also spelled Tadjik, Tadzhik) refers to a group of people who are believed to be one of the pure and close descendents of the ancient Aryans. Aryan is an English word derived from the Sanskrit " Ārya " meaning "noble" or "honorable" Their country was called Aryana Vajeh and the name "Taa-jyaan" from which came the word Tajik is mentioned in The Avesta. Airyanəm Vaējah, which approximately means "expanse of the Aryans," is a reference in the Zoroastrian Avesta ( Vendidad, Farg The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language. The Zoroaster's Gathas were also directed to an Aryan audience and there are several references to this community as being situated in the "home" of the Aryans.

Tajikistan frequently appeared as Tadjikistan or Tadzhikistan in English. This former transliteration of Tadjikistan or Tadzhikistan is from the Russian Таджикистан. (In Russian there is no single letter j to represent the phoneme /ʤ/ and дж, or dzh, is used. ) Tadzhikistan is the most common alternate spelling and is widely used in English literature derived from Russian sources. Tadjikistan is the spelling in French and can occasionally be found in English language texts. In the Perso-Arabic script, "Tajikistan" is written تاجیکستان. The Perso-Arabic script is a Writing system that is based on the Arabic alphabet.

Controversy surrounds the correct term used to identify people from Tajikistan. The word Tajik has been the traditional term used to describe people from Tajikistan and appears widely in literature. But the ethnic politics of Central Asia have made the word Tajik a controversial word, as it implies that Tajikistan is only a nation for ethnic Tajiks and not ethnic Uzbeks, Russians, etc. Likewise, ethnic Tajiks live in other countries, such as China, making the term ambiguous. In addition, the Pamiri population in Gorno-Badakhshan also have sought to create an ethnic identity separate from that of the Tajiks. Pamiri is the name of an ethnic group that live in Central Asia, primarily in Tajikistan (especially in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province) and in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province (GBAO ( Tajik: Вилояти Мухтори Кӯҳистони Бадахшон/ Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon;

History

Main article: History of Tajikistan

Early history

See also: Samanid dynasty

Modern Tajiks regard the Samanid Empire as the first Tajik state. The current Tajik Republic harkens to the Samanid Empire ( AD 875 &ndash 999) The Samanids (819–999 ( Sāmāniyān) were a Persian dynasty in Central Asia and Greater Khorasan, named after its founder Saman The Samanids (819–999 ( Sāmāniyān) were a Persian dynasty in Central Asia and Greater Khorasan, named after its founder Saman This monument in Dushanbe honors Saman Khuda, ancestor of the Samanids and a source of Tajik nationalism. Dushanbe (Душанбе Dushanbe; formerly Dyushambe or Stalinabad) population 661100 people (2006 census is the Capital and largest city Saman Khuda ( Saman Khoda, Saman-khudat) is the founder of the Samanid dynasty – The House of Saman.

The territory of what is now Tajikistan has been inhabited continuously since 4000 BCE. It has been under the rule of various empires throughout history, for the longest period under the Persian Empire. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia

Most of modern Tajikistan had formed parts of ancient Kamboja and Parama Kamboja kingdoms, which find references in the ancient Indian epics like the Mahabharata. Kamboja was the name of an ancient country and the Indo-Iranian warrior Tribe settled therein Ancient Sanskrit literature reveals that like the Madras Uttara Madras and the Kurus / Uttara Kurus the ancient Kambojas also had Linguistic evidence, combined with ancient literary and inscriptional evidence has led many eminent Indologists to conclude that ancient Kambojas (an Avestan speaking Iranian tribe) originally belonged to the Ghalcha-speaking area of Central Asia. Linguistics is the scientific study of Language, encompassing a number of sub-fields Indology refers to the academic study of the languages texts History and Cultures of the Indian subcontinent, and as such a subset of Asian studies The Kambojas were a Kshatriya Tribe of Iron Age India, frequently mentioned in ( post-Vedic) Sanskrit and Pali literature Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Achariya Yasaka's Nirukta ^[2] (7th century BCE) attests that verb Śavati in the sense "to go" was used by only the Kambojas. Yāska (यास्कः(6th-5th centuries BC according to Shukla Georgetown University was a Sanskrit grammarian who preceded Pānini. Nirukta ("explanation etymological interpretation" is one of the six {{IAST|Vedānga}} disciplines of Hinduism, treating Etymology, particularly It has been shown that the modern Ghalcha dialects, Valkhi, Shigali, Sriqoli, Jebaka (also called Sanglichi or Ishkashim), Munjani, Yidga and Yagnobi, mainly spoken in Pamirs and countries on the headwaters of the Oxus, still use terms derived from ancient Kamboja Śavati in the sense "to go" ^[3]. A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος dialektos) is a variety of a Language that is characteristic of a particular group of The Pamir languages are a subgroup of the Iranian languages, spoken by Pamiri people in the Pamir Mountains, primarily along the Panj River and The Amu Darya (formerly Oxus River the Greeks (Ptolemeus called it Oxiana palus) is the longest river in Central Asia. The Yagnobi dialect spoken in Yagnobi province around the headwaters of Zeravshan valley in Sogdiana, also still contains a relic "Śu" from ancient Kamboja Śavati in the sense "to go" ^[4]. Zeravshan River (also Zarafshan or Zarafshon, Дарёи Зарафшон Zarafshon from the Persian word زر افشان zar afshān, meaning History Hellenistic period The Sogdian Rock or Rock of Ariamazes a fortress in Sogdiana was captured in 327 BC by the forces of Alexander the Great Further, Sir G Grierson says that the speech of Badakshan was a Ghalcha till about three centuries ago when it was supplanted by a form of Persian ^[5]. Badakhshan ( Tajik: Бадахшон is a region comprising parts of northeastern Afghanistan and southeastern Tajikistan. Thus, the ancient Kamboja, probably included the Badakshan, Pamirs and northern territories including Yagnobi province in the doab of the Oxus and Jaxartes ^[6]. Badakhshan ( Tajik: Бадахшон is a region comprising parts of northeastern Afghanistan and southeastern Tajikistan. The Pamir Mountains are located in Central Asia and are formed by the junction or Knot of the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and A Doab ( Persian, Urdu: dō, "two" + āb, "water" or "river" is a term used in India and The Amu Darya (formerly Oxus River the Greeks (Ptolemeus called it Oxiana palus) is the longest river in Central Asia. Syr Darya (Сырдария Сирдарё Sirdaryoسيردريا also transliterated Syrdarya or Sirdaryo) is a River in Central Asia On the east it was bounded roughly by Yarkand and/or Kashgar, on the west by Bahlika (Uttaramadra), on the northwest by Sogdiana, on the north by Uttarakuru, on the southeast by Darada, and on the south by Gandhara. Yarkent (Yarkand County ( Chinese 莎車县 Pinyin: Shāchē; يەكەن|Yerkent|Yərkənt; Turkish: Yerkent which means 'ground city' also Kashgar or Kashi (officially transliterated as Kaxgar in Uyghur; قەشقەر/K̡ǝxk̡ǝr, is an Oasis Bahlika (बाह्लिक finds mention in Atharvaveda, Mahabharata, Ramayana, Puranas Vartikka of Katyayana, Brhatsamhita The Uttaramadra was the northern branch of the Madra people who are numerously referenced in ancient Sanskrit and Pali literature History Hellenistic period The Sogdian Rock or Rock of Ariamazes a fortress in Sogdiana was captured in 327 BC by the forces of Alexander the Great Uttarakuru is the name of a Dvipa ("continent" in ancient Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Daradas were a people who lived north and north-east to the Kashmir valley Gandhāra ( Sanskrit: गन्धार Urdu: گندھارا Gandḥārā; also known as Waihind in Persian is the name of an ancient Numerous Indologists locate original Kamboja in Pamirs and Badakshan and the Parama Kamboja further north, in the Trans-Pamirian territories comprising Zeravshan valley, north up parts of Sogdhiana/Fargana--in the Sakadvipa or Scythia of the classical writers ^[7]. The Pamir Mountains are located in Central Asia and are formed by the junction or Knot of the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and Badakhshan ( Tajik: Бадахшон is a region comprising parts of northeastern Afghanistan and southeastern Tajikistan. Ancient Sanskrit literature reveals that like the Madras Uttara Madras and the Kurus / Uttara Kurus the ancient Kambojas also had Zeravshan River (also Zarafshan or Zarafshon, Дарёи Зарафшон Zarafshon from the Persian word زر افشان zar afshān, meaning In Classical Antiquity, Scythia ( Greek Skuthia) was the area in Eurasia inhabited by the Scythians, from the 8th Thus, in the pre-Buddhist times (7th–6th century BCE), the parts of modern Tajikistan including territories as far as Zeravshan valley in Sogdiana formed parts of ancient Kamboja and the Parama Kamboja kingdoms when it was ruled by Iranian Kambojas till it became part of Achaemenid Empire. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Kamboja was the name of an ancient country and the Indo-Iranian warrior Tribe settled therein Ancient Sanskrit literature reveals that like the Madras Uttara Madras and the Kurus / Uttara Kurus the ancient Kambojas also had The Kambojas were a Kshatriya Tribe of Iron Age India, frequently mentioned in ( post-Vedic) Sanskrit and Pali literature The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of

The capital of Dushanbe

From the last quarter of fourth century BCE till the first quarter of the second century BCE, it was part of the Bactrian Empire, from whom it was passed on to Scythian Tukharas and hence became part of Tukharistan. Dushanbe (Душанбе Dushanbe; formerly Dyushambe or Stalinabad) population 661100 people (2006 census is the Capital and largest city "Bactrian" redirects here For the camel see Bactrian camel. The Scythians or Scyths (Σκύθες Σκύθοι were an Iranian speaking people of horse-riding Nomadic pastoralists who dominated the Pontic Tusharas (alias Tukharas Tocharians) were a Mlechcha tribe with their kingdom located in the north west of India as per the epic Mahabharata. Tokharistan is a name which was given to Bactria, following its settlement by various Central Asian people in the 2nd century BC. Contact with the Chinese Han Dynasty was made in the second century BCE, when envoys were sent to the area of Bactria to explore regions west of China. The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China.

Arabs brought Islam in the 7th century CE. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Samanid Empire Persians supplanted the Arabs and built the cities of Samarkand and Bukhara, which became the cultural centers of Tajiks (both of which are now in Uzbekistan). The Samanids (819–999 ( Sāmāniyān) were a Persian dynasty in Central Asia and Greater Khorasan, named after its founder Saman The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Samarkand (Samarqand Самарқанд سمرقند UniPers: "Samarqand" is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Bukhara (Buxoro Бухоро بُخارا Бухара also spelled as Bukhoro and Bokhara, from the Soghdian βuxārak ("lucky Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly The Mongols would later take partial control of Central Asia, and later the land that today comprises Tajikistan became a part of the emirate of Bukhara. An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Arab Monarch styled Emir. A small community of Jews, displaced from the Middle East after the Babylonian captivity, migrated to the region and settled there after 600 BCE, though the majority of the recent Jewish population did not migrate to Tajikistan until the 20th century. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************

Russian presence

See also: The Great Game

In the 19th century, the Russian Empire began to spread into Central Asia during the Great Game, and it took control of Tajikistan. For the film see The Great Game (film The Great Game was a term used for the strategic rivalry and conflict between the British Empire The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south For the film see The Great Game (film The Great Game was a term used for the strategic rivalry and conflict between the British Empire After the overthrow of Imperial Russia in 1917, guerrillas throughout Central Asia, known as basmachi waged a war against Bolshevik armies in a futile attempt to maintain independence. See also Russian Revolution (1905 The Russian Revolution of 1916 refers to a series of popular revolutions in Russia, and the events surrounding them The Basmachi Revolt (Восстание басмачей or Basmachestvo (Басмачество was a Muslim and largely Turkic uprising against Russian The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists ( Большевик Большевист (singular, derived from bolshe, "more" were a faction The Bolsheviks prevailed after a four-year war, in which mosques and villages were burned down and the population heavily suppressed. A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger Soviet authorities started a campaign of secularization, practicing Muslims, Jews, and Christians were persecuted, and mosques, churches, and synagogues were closed. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The Jews of Tajikistan are known as Bukharian Jews. Bukharan Jews, also Bukharian Jews or Bukhari Jews, ( בוכרים, Bukharim) are Jews from Central Asia who speak In the 1970s to 1990s there was a huge emigration of Bukharians to the United States of America. Today, there are flourishing Buharian communities in New York City, United States and in many other east coast cities of the U. S.

Soviet Tajikistan

Main article: Tajik SSR

In 1924, the Tajik Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was created as a part of Uzbekistan, but in 1929 the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Tajik SSR) was made a separate constituent republic. The Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Республикаи Советии Социалистии Тоҷикистон Respublikai Sovetii Sotsialistii Tocikiston; Таджикская Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly The Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Республикаи Советии Социалистии Тоҷикистон Respublikai Sovetii Sotsialistii Tocikiston; Таджикская The Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Республикаи Советии Социалистии Тоҷикистон Respublikai Sovetii Sotsialistii Tocikiston; Таджикская The predominantly ethnic Tajik cities of Samarkand and Bukhara remained in the Uzbek SSR. Samarkand (Samarqand Самарқанд سمرقند UniPers: "Samarqand" is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Bukhara (Buxoro Бухоро بُخارا Бухара also spelled as Bukhoro and Bokhara, from the Soghdian βuxārak ("lucky The Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (Ўзбекистон Совет Социалистик Республикаси O`zbekiston Sovet Sotsialistik Respublikasi; Узбекская In terms of living conditions, education and industry Tajikistan was somewhat behind the other Soviet Republics. The Republics of the Soviet Union were according to the Article 76 of the 1977 Soviet Constitution, Sovereign Soviet Socialist states that had united with other By the late 1980s Tajik nationalists were calling for increased rights. Real disturbances did not occur within the republic until 1990. The following year, the Soviet Union collapsed, and Tajikistan declared its independence.

Post-Independence

See also: Civil war in Tajikistan

The nation almost immediately fell into a civil war that involved various factions fighting one another; these factions were often distinguished by clan loyalties. The civil war in Tajikistan ( Tajik: Ҷанги шаҳрвандии Тоҷикистон, Jangi shahrvandii Tojikiston) began in May 1992 when The non-Muslim population, particularly Russians and Jews, fled the country during this time because of persecution, increased poverty and better economic opportunities in the West or in other former Soviet republics. Emomali Rahmonov came to power in 1992, and continues to rule to this day. Emomalii Rahmon ( Tajik: Эмомалии Раҳмон or امامعلی رحمان (formerly Emomali Sharifovich Rahmonov, Эмомалӣ However, he has been accused of ethnic cleansing against other ethnicities and groups during the Civil war in Tajikistan. The civil war in Tajikistan ( Tajik: Ҷанги шаҳрвандии Тоҷикистон, Jangi shahrvandii Tojikiston) began in May 1992 when In 1997, a ceasefire was reached between Rahmonov and opposition parties (United Tajik Opposition). A ceasefire (or truce) is a temporary stoppage of a War or any Armed conflict, where each side of the conflict agrees The United Tajik Opposition (UTO was an alliance of Democratic, liberal and Islamist forces that fought in the Tajik Civil War from 1992 to Peaceful elections were held in 1999, but they were reported by the opposition as unfair, and Rahmonov was re-elected by almost unanimous vote. Russian troops were stationed in southern Tajikistan, in order to guard the border with Afghanistan, until summer 2005. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Since the September 11, 2001, attacks, American, Indian and French troops have also been stationed in the country. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.

In 2008, the harshest winter in a quarter century caused financial losses of $850 million. Russia pledged $1 billion in aid. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending ^[8] Saudi Arabia sent about 10 planes carrying 80 tons of relief and emergency supplies in February and another 11 tons in March. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi ^[9]

Politics

Main article: Politics of Tajikistan

See also: Human rights in Tajikistan

Almost immediately after independence, Tajikistan was plunged into a civil war that saw various factions, allegedly backed by Russia and Iran, fighting one another. Politics of Tajikistan takes place in a framework of a presidential Republic, whereby the President is both Head of state and Head of government Human rights in Tajikistan remain poor Political opposition, Religious freedoms and the press are heavily restricted The civil war in Tajikistan ( Tajik: Ҷанги шаҳрвандии Тоҷикистон, Jangi shahrvandii Tojikiston) began in May 1992 when For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. All but 25,000 of the more than 400,000 ethnic Russians, who were mostly employed in industry, fled to Russia. For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious" By 1997, the war had cooled down, and a central government began to take form, with peaceful elections in 1999.

Emomali Rahmon

"Longtime observers of Tajikistan often characterize the country as profoundly averse to risk and skeptical of promises of reform, a political passivity they trace to the country’s ruinous civil war," Ilan Greenberg wrote in a news article in The New York Times just before the country's November 2006 presidential election. Emomalii Rahmon ( Tajik: Эмомалии Раҳмон or امامعلی رحمان (formerly Emomali Sharifovich Rahmonov, Эмомалӣ ^[1]

Tajikistan is officially a republic, and holds elections for the President and Parliament. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its An election is a Decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold formal office The President of Tajikistan is the Head of State and highest position within the Government of Tajikistan. TalkParliament#Screen-size. -->A  parliament is a Legislature, especially in those The latest elections occurred in 2005, and as all previous elections, international observers believe them to have been corrupt, arousing many accusations from opposition parties that President Emomali Rahmon manipulates the election process. Emomalii Rahmon ( Tajik: Эмомалии Раҳмон or امامعلی رحمان (formerly Emomali Sharifovich Rahmonov, Эмомалӣ

The November 6, 2006, election was boycotted by "mainline" opposition parties, including the 23,000-member Islamist Islamic Renaissance Party. Events 355 - Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Islamism ( Islam + ism; Arabic: al-'islāmiyya) a set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only The Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRP Tajik: Нашрияи Ҳизби Наҳзати Исломии Тоҷикистон; also known as the Islamic Four remaining opponents "all but endorsed the incumbent", Rahmon. ^[1] After November 2006 presidential elections, it is widely speculated that Rahmon has secured his seat for at least another two terms, which will allow him rule till 2020.

Tajikistan to this date is one of the few countries in Central Asia to have included an active opposition in its government. In the Parliament, opposition groups have often clashed with the ruling party, but this has not led to great instability.

On October 11, 2007, the Assembly of the Council Commission of the Ministry of Culture issued a decision to ban Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Republic of Tajikistan. Jehovah's Witnesses is a restorationist, millenialist Christian denomination Following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and after the breakup of the Soviet Union, the activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses was legally recognized by many post-Soviet republics. Since that time, however, this is the first Soviet republic to ban the activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Recently Tajikistan also gave Iran its support in the membership bid to join the SCO, after a meeting with Tajik President and Iranian foreign minister. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. ^[10]

Administrative divisions

Main articles: Provinces of Tajikistan and Districts of Tajikistan

Tajikistan consists of 4 administrative divisions. |||} Tajikistan is divided into 3 Provinces ( Tajik: Вилоят Viloyat, plural Вилоятҳо viloyatho) and one autonomous |||}The provinces of Tajikistan are divided into 58 districts (ноҳия nohiya or район raion) These are the provinces (viloyat) of Sughd and Khatlon, the autonomous province of Gorno-Badakhshan (abbreviated as GBAO), and the Region of Republican Subordination (RRP – Raiony Respublikanskogo Podchineniya in Russian; formerly known as Karotegin Province). A wilāyah (ولاية or vilâyet (in Persian and Ottoman Turkish) is an administrative division usually Sughd ( Tajik: Суғд ( Sogdiana) is one of the four administrative divisions and one of the three provinces (вилоятҳо viloyatho Khatlon ( Хатлон/ختلان sometimes misspelt Khatlan, is the most populous of the four administrative divisions and one of the three provinces ( Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province (GBAO ( Tajik: Вилояти Мухтори Кӯҳистони Бадахшон/ Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon; Region of Republican Subordination (Ноҳияҳои тобеи ҷумҳурӣ Районы республиканского подчинения Raiony respublikanskogo podchineniya Region of Republican Subordination (Ноҳияҳои тобеи ҷумҳурӣ Районы республиканского подчинения Raiony respublikanskogo podchineniya Each region is divided into several districts (Tajik: Ноҳия, nohiya or raion), which in turn are subdivided into jamoats (village-level self-governing units). The Tajik language, or Tajik Persian, or Tajiki, (sometimes written Tadjik or Tadzhik; тоҷикӣ, tg-Latn ''tojikí'') is a modern As of 2006, there were 58 districts and 367 jamoats in Tajikistan. ^[11]

Source: Population and area from State Statistical Committee of Tajikistan ^[11]

Geography

Main article: Geography of Tajikistan

Satellite photograph of Tajikistan

Mountains of Tajikistan

Tajikistan is landlocked, and is the smallest nation in Central Asia by area. ISO 3166-2 is the second part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO Sughd ( Tajik: Суғд ( Sogdiana) is one of the four administrative divisions and one of the three provinces (вилоятҳо viloyatho Region of Republican Subordination (Ноҳияҳои тобеи ҷумҳурӣ Районы республиканского подчинения Raiony respublikanskogo podchineniya Dushanbe (Душанбе Dushanbe; formerly Dyushambe or Stalinabad) population 661100 people (2006 census is the Capital and largest city Khatlon ( Хатлон/ختلان sometimes misspelt Khatlan, is the most populous of the four administrative divisions and one of the three provinces ( Qurghonteppa Oblast was an administrative subdivision in Tajikistan Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province (GBAO ( Tajik: Вилояти Мухтори Кӯҳистони Бадахшон/ Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon; The town of Khorugh ( Хоруғ) also transliterated as Khoroq, Khorogh, Khorog, or Xoroq) is the capital of the At 39'40' northern latitude and 71'14' eastern longitude Tajikistan is nestled between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to the north and west China to the It is covered by mountains of the Pamir range, and more than fifty percent of the country is over 3,000 meters (approx. The Pamir Mountains are located in Central Asia and are formed by the junction or Knot of the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and 10,000 ft) above sea level. Mean sea level (MSL is the average (mean height of the Sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface The only major areas of lower land are in the north which is part of the Fergana Valley, and in the southern Kafirnigan and Vakhsh valleys which form the Amu Darya and have much higher rainfall. Dushanbe is located on the southern slopes above the Kafirnigan valley. Dushanbe (Душанбе Dushanbe; formerly Dyushambe or Stalinabad) population 661100 people (2006 census is the Capital and largest city

The Amu Darya and Panj rivers mark the border with Afghanistan, and Tajikistan's mountains are the major source of runoff for the Aral Sea

About 1% of the country's area is covered by lakes:

• Kuli
• Obanbori Norak
• Kara-Kul (Tajik: Qarokul)
• Shorkul
• Yashilkul
• Zorkul

Economy

Main articles: Economy of Tajikistan and Agriculture in Tajikistan

Tajikistan was the poorest country in Central Asia as well in the former Soviet Union following a civil war after it became independent in 1991. Concord Peak is a mountain of the Pamirs, on the Afghan - Tajik border about 15 km south of Lake Zorkul. Karakoram is a mountain range spanning the borders between Pakistan, China, and India, located in the regions of Gilgit, Ladakh, and Kyzylart Pass is a Mountain pass on the northern border in the Trans-Alay Range in Tajikistan. The Trans-Alay Range (also Trans Alai Range and not to be confused with the Altai Mountains) is a Mountain range of the Pamir Mountains (ancient Mount Tajikistan was the poorest country in Central Asia following a civil war in 1991 Tajikistan is a highly agrarian country with its rural population at more than 70% and agriculture accounting for 60% of employment and around 30% of GDP. With foreign revenue precariously dependent upon exports of cotton and aluminium, the economy is highly vulnerable to external shocks. In FY 2000, international assistance remained an essential source of support for rehabilitation programs that reintegrated former civil war combatants into the civilian economy, thus helping keep the peace. International assistance also was necessary to address the second year of severe drought that resulted in a continued shortfall of food production. A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply On August 21, 2001, the Red Cross announced that a famine was striking Tajikistan, and called for international aid for Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Events 1192 - Minamoto Yoritomo becomes Seii Tai Shōgun and the De facto ruler of Japan. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an International humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers worldwide who stated A famine is a widespread shortage of food that may apply to any Faunal species which phenomenon is usually accompanied by regional Malnutrition, Starvation Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly Tajikistan's economy grew substantially after the war. The GDP of Tajikistan expanded at an average rate of 9. 6% over the period of 2000-2004 according to the World Bank data. This improved Tajikistan's position among other Central Asian countries (namely Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan), which seem to have degraded economically ever since. Turkmenistan ( Türkmenistan; also known as Turkmenia) is a Turkic country in Central Asia. ^[12] Tajikistan is an active member of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). The Economic Cooperation Organization ( ECO) is an intergovernmental International organization involving seven Asian and three European nations

A boy selling dried fruit at a local market

The recently completed Anzab tunnel which connects the previously hard to access Northern part of the country to the capital Dushanbe has been labeled as part of the new Silk Road. Dried fruit is fruit that has been dried, either naturally or through use of a machine such as a Food dehydrator. Dushanbe (Душанбе Dushanbe; formerly Dyushambe or Stalinabad) population 661100 people (2006 census is the Capital and largest city The Silk Road, or Silk Routes, are an extensive interconnected network of Trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East South and Western Asia with the It is part of a road under construction that will connect Tajikistan to Iran and the Persian Gulf through Afghanistan. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region is an extension of the Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت,

A new bridge between Afghanistan and Tajikistan has been built which will help the country have access to trade lines with South Asia. The bridge was built by the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[13]

The primary sources of income in Tajikistan are aluminium production, cotton growing and remittances from migrant workers. WikipediaNaming ^[14]

Aluminium industry is represented by the state-owned Talco - the biggest aluminium plant in Central Asia and one of the biggest in the world. ^[15]

Tajikistan has great hydropower potential, and has focused on attracting investment for projects for internal use and electricity exports. Tajikistan is home to the hydroelectric power station Nurek with the highest dam in the world. The Nurek Dam ( Tajik: Нерӯгоҳи обии Норак Nerūgohi obii Norak, Tajiki for Nurek Hydro-electric Station) is a large earth fill Dam ^[16] The latest development is the Russia's RAO UES energy giant working on Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric power station (670 megawatts (MW) capacity) commenced operations on 18 January 2008. The Unified Energy System (OAO RAO UES of Russia ЕЭС России or Единые Энергетические Системы was an Electric power Holding company Events 350 - Generallus Magnentius deposes Roman Emperor Constans and proclaims himself Emperor 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[17][18] Other projects at the development stage include Sangduta-2 by Iran, Zerafshan by Chinese SinoHydro and Rogun power plant with a projected dam height of 335 metres (1,099 ft) to be built by Russia's UES. Rogun Dam is an unfinished dam across the Vakhsh River in southern Tajikistan. ^[19][20][21] Other energy resources include sizable coal deposits and smaller reserves of natural gas and petroleum.

A bazaar in Panjakent

Foreign remittance flows from Tajik migrant workers abroad, mainly in Russia, has become by far the main source of income for millions of Tajikistan's people and represents additional 36. Panjakent (Панҷакент/پنجکنت also spelled Panjikent or Panjekent Пенджикент in Russian is a city in the Sughd province of Tajikistan 2% of country's GDP directly reaching the poverty-stricken population. ^[22] Migration from Tajikistan and the consequent remittances have been unprecedented in their magnitude and economic impact. Tajikistan has achieved transition from a planned to a market economy without substantial and protracted recourse to aid (of which it by now receives only negligible amounts), and by purely market-based means, simply by exporting its main commodity of comparative advantage — cheap labor. ^[23] The World Bank Tajikistan Policy Note 2006 concludes that remittances have played an important role as one of the drivers of Tajikistan's robust economic growth during the past several years, have increased incomes, and as a result helped significantly reduce poverty. ^[24] Drug trafficking is the major illegal source of income in Tajikistan as it is an important transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; some opium poppy is also raised locally for the domestic market. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, The term narcotic (ναρκωτικός is believed to have been coined by the Greek physician Galen to refer to agents that benumb or deaden causing loss The opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, is the type of Poppy from which Opium and many refined opiates such as Morphine, Thebaine ^[25] However with the increasing assistance from international organizations, such as UNODC, and cooperation with the US, Russian, EU and Afghan authorities a level of progress on fight against illegal drug-trafficking is being achieved. ^[26] Tajikistan holds the third place in the world for heroin and raw opium confiscations (1216. Heroin ( INN: diacetylmorphine, BAN: diamorphine) is a semi-synthetic opioid synthesized from Morphine, a derivative Opium is a Narcotic formed from the Latex (ie sap released by lacerating (or "scoring" the immature seed pods of opium poppies ( 3 kg of heroin and 267. 8 kg of raw opium in the first half of 2006. ^[27][28]) Drug money corrupts the country's government; according to some experts the well-known personalities that fought on both sides of the civil war and have held the positions in the government after the armistice was signed are now involved in the drug trade. The civil war in Tajikistan ( Tajik: Ҷанги шаҳрвандии Тоҷикистон, Jangi shahrvandii Tojikiston) began in May 1992 when ^[25] UNODC is working with Tajikistan to strengthen border crossings, provide training, and set up joint interdiction teams. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC is a United Nations agency that was established in 1997 as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention It also helped to establish Tajikistani Drug Control Agency. ^[29]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Tajikistan

Tajik children

Tajikistan has a population of 7,320,716 (July 2006 est. Tajikistan 's main ethnic group are the Tajiks, with minorities such as the Uzbeks and Kyrgyz, and a small Russian minority ). Tajiks who speak the Tajik language are the main ethnic group, although there is a sizable minority of Uzbeks and a small population of Russians, whose numbers are declining due to emigration. Tajik ( - Tādjīk; UniPers: Tâjik; Cyrillic: Тоҷик is a term generally applied to Persian-speaking people of The Tajik language, or Tajik Persian, or Tajiki, (sometimes written Tadjik or Tadzhik; тоҷикӣ, tg-Latn ''tojikí'') is a modern The Uzbeks (Self designation sg O‘zbek, pl O‘zbeklar) are a Turkic people of Central Asia. The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries Pamiris of Badakhshan are considered to belong to larger group of Tajiks. Pamiri is the name of an ethnic group that live in Central Asia, primarily in Tajikistan (especially in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province) and in Badakhshan ( Tajik: Бадахшон is a region comprising parts of northeastern Afghanistan and southeastern Tajikistan. Likewise, the official language of Tajikistan is the Tajik language, while Russian is largely spoken in business and for government purposes. Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Despite its poverty, Tajikistan has a high rate of literacy with an estimated 98% of the population having the ability to read and write. Most of the population follows Sunni Islam, although a sizable number of Shi'a are present as well. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic Bukharian Jews had lived in Tajikistan since the 2nd century BC, but today almost none are left. Bukharan Jews, also Bukharian Jews or Bukhari Jews, ( בוכרים, Bukharim) are Jews from Central Asia who speak There is also a small population of Yaghnobi people who have lived in the mountainous district of Sughd Viloyat for many centuries. Yaghnobi people (or Yagnobian people, Tajik яғнобиҳо /yaġnobiho/ یغنابی‌ها is the name of a people who live in mountainous Tajikistan Sughd ( Tajik: Суғд ( Sogdiana) is one of the four administrative divisions and one of the three provinces (вилоятҳо viloyatho A wilāyah (ولاية or vilâyet (in Persian and Ottoman Turkish) is an administrative division usually

The Tajik Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare reported that 104,272 disabled people are registered in Tajikistan (2000). This group of people suffers most from poverty in Tajikistan. The Tajik government and the World Bank considered activities to support this part of the population described in the World Bank's Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. ^[30]

Culture

Main article: Culture of Tajikistan

See also: Music of Tajikistan, Islam in Tajikistan, Public holidays in Tajikistan, and Cuisine of Tajikistan

Statue of Persian-Tajik poet Rudaki in Panjakent, Tajikistan. The Culture of Tajikistan has developed over several thousand years Tajik Music is closely related to Central Asian forms The classical music is Shashmaqam, which Uzbeks also developed classical music of Tajiks Islam in Tajikistan. Demographics and early history Islam, the predominant religion of all of Central Asia, was brought Holidays in Tajikistan:DateEnglish Traditional Tajik cuisine has much in common with Persian cuisine, and features such dishes as Kabuli pulao, Qabili palau, Abdullah Jafar Ibn Mohammad Rudaki, (ابوعبدالله جعفر ابن محمد رودکی entitledآدم الشعرا Ādam ul-Shoara or Adam of Poets also written Poetry is an important element in the culture of Tajikistan

Historically, Tajiks and Persians come from very similar stock, speaking variants of the same language and are related as part of the larger group of Iranian peoples. The Iranian people are a collection of Ethnic groups defined along linguistic lines as speaking Iranian languages. The Tajik language is the mother tongue of around two-thirds of the citizens of Tajikistan. The Tajik language, or Tajik Persian, or Tajiki, (sometimes written Tadjik or Tadzhik; тоҷикӣ, tg-Latn ''tojikí'') is a modern Ancient towns such as Bukhara, Samarkand, Herat, Balkh and Khiva are no longer part of the country. Bukhara (Buxoro Бухоро بُخارا Бухара also spelled as Bukhoro and Bokhara, from the Soghdian βuxārak ("lucky Samarkand (Samarqand Самарқанд سمرقند UniPers: "Samarqand" is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of area3018 sq mi Herāt ( classically called the Aria, is a city in western Afghanistan, in the province also known as Herāt. Balkh ( - Balḫ) also known as Bactra, was once a major world city but was destroyed entirely by the Mongols. Khiva ( Uzbek: Xiva, Хива; Хива Khiva; Persian: خیوه Khiveh) Alternative or historical names include The main urban centers in today's Tajikistan include Dushanbe (the capital), Khujand, Kulob, Panjakent and Istaravshan. Dushanbe (Душанбе Dushanbe; formerly Dyushambe or Stalinabad) population 661100 people (2006 census is the Capital and largest city Kulob Oblast was an administrative subdivision in Tajikistan until 1992 Panjakent (Панҷакент/پنجکنت also spelled Panjikent or Panjekent Пенджикент in Russian is a city in the Sughd province of Tajikistan Istaravshan (Истаравшан is a city in the Sughd Province of Tajikistan, not far from Khujand and the Syr Darya river

The Pamiri people of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province in the southeast, bordering Afghanistan and China, though considered part of the Tajik ethnicity, nevertheless are distinct linguistically and culturally from most Tajiks. Pamiri is the name of an ethnic group that live in Central Asia, primarily in Tajikistan (especially in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province) and in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province (GBAO ( Tajik: Вилояти Мухтори Кӯҳистони Бадахшон/ Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon; Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National In contrast to the mostly Sunni Muslim residents of the rest of Tajikistan, the Pamiris overwhelmingly follow the Ismaili sect of Islam, and speak a number of Eastern Iranian languages, including Shughni, Rushani, Khufi and Wakhi. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion For the Egyptian city see Ismaïlia. The Ismāʿīlī ( Urdu: إسماعیلی Ismāʿīlī, Arabic: الإسماعيليون For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Eastern Iranian languages are a subgroup of the Iranian languages emerging in Middle Iranian times (from ca Isolated in the highest parts of the Pamir Mountains, they have preserved many ancient cultural traditions and folk arts that have been largely lost elsewhere in the country.

The Yaghnobi people live in mountainous areas of northern Tajikistan. Yaghnobi people (or Yagnobian people, Tajik яғнобиҳо /yaġnobiho/ یغنابی‌ها is the name of a people who live in mountainous Tajikistan The estimated number of Yaghnobis is now about 25,000. Forced migrations in the 20th century decimated their numbers. They speak the Yaghnobi language, which is the only direct modern descendant of the ancient Sogdian language. The Yaghnobi language is a living Northeastern Iranian language (the only other living member being Ossetic) The Sogdian language is a Middle Iranian language that was spoken in Sogdiana ( Zarafshan River Valley located in modern day Uzbekistan

Transport

Main article: Transportation in Tajikistan

See also

• 2006 Tajikistan earthquake
• Agriculture in Tajikistan
• Central Asian Union
• Communications in Tajikistan
• Dushanbe synagogue
• Foreign relations of Tajikistan
• Ittihodi Scouthoi Tojikiston
• List of cities in Tajikistan
• Military of Tajikistan
• Transport in Tajikistan
• Mount Imeon
• Kingdom of Balhara

References and footnotes

Fan Mountains

Further reading

• Historical Dictionary of Tajikistan by Kamoludin Abdullaev and Shahram Akbarzadeh
• Land Beyond the River: The Untold Story of Central Asia by Monica Whitlock
• Tajikistan: Disintegration or Reconciliation by Shirin Akiner
• Tajikistan: The Trials of Independence by Shirin Akiner, Mohammad-Reza Djalili and Frederic Grare

External links

• The President of Tajikistan
• Wikimedia Atlas of Tajikistan
• Tajikistan travel guide from Wikitravel
• Wikia has a wiki on this subject: Tajikistan
• Tajikistan entry at The World Factbook
• Tajikistan at the Open Directory Project