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@Tajikistan

Introduction
Tajikistan

Background:

The Tajik people came under Russian rule in the 1860s and 1870s, but
Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution of
1917. Bolshevik control of the area was fiercely contested and not
fully reestablished until 1925. Much of present-day Sughd province
was transferred from the Uzbekistan SSR to newly formed Tajikistan
SSR in 1929. Ethnic Uzbeks form a substantial minority in Sughd
province. Tajikistan became independent in 1991 following the
breakup of the Soviet Union, and it is now in the process of
strengthening its democracy and transitioning to a free market
economy after its 1992-97 civil war. There have been no major
security incidents in recent years, although the country remains the
poorest in the former Soviet sphere. Attention by the international
community in the wake of the war in Afghanistan has brought
increased economic development and security 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.

Geography
Tajikistan

Location:

Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates:

39 00 N, 71 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

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

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Land boundaries:

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

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (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

Elevation extremes:

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

Natural resources:

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

Land use:

arable land: 6.52%
permanent crops: 0.89%
other: 92.59% (2005)

Irrigated land:

7,220 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

99.7 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 11.96