)

Languages:

Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.5%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.2% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years
male: 12 years
female: 10 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.4% of GDP (2006)

Government
Tajikistan

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan
conventional short form: Tajikistan
local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston
local short form: Tojikiston
former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Dushanbe
geographic coordinates: 38 35 N, 68 48 E
time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1 autonomous
province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa),
Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon* [Gorno-Badakhshan]
(Khorugh), Viloyati Sughd (Khujand)
note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Independence:

9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Constitution:

6 November 1994

Legal system:

based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Emomali RAHMON (since 6 November 1994;
head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January
1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
by the Supreme Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 6 November 2006
(next to be held in November 2013); prime minister appointed by the
president
election results: Emomali RAHMON reelected president; percent of
vote - Emomali RAHMON 79.3%, Olimzon BOBOYEV 6.2%, other 14.5%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the National
Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (34 seats; 25 members
selected by local deputies, 8 appointed by the president; 1 seat
reserved for the former president; to serve five-year terms) and the
Assembly of Representatives (lowe