Tajikistan is located in Central (Central) Asia. It borders
Afghanistan in the south, China in the east, Kyrgyzstan in the
north, and Uzbekistan in the west and northwest. The area of the
country is 143,000 km2, the population at the end of 2022 is more
than 10 million people.
Tajikistan is a former republic of
the USSR. It received its modern borders only in the 30s of the XX
century. At the same time, territories predominantly populated by
Tajiks, such as Samarkand and Bukhara, went to Uzbekistan. The main
monuments of historical Tajik culture remained there.
In
Soviet times, Tajikistan was the poorest of all 15 republics. With
the advent of independence, the situation only worsened due to the
outbreak of the civil war of 1992-1997. With the assistance of
Russia, the war ended. From that time until now, a native of Dangara
Emomali Rahmon (president of the republic) has been in power.
However, active opponents of the current government are still hiding
in the Pamir mountains. In the Gorno-Badakhshan region, armed riots
periodically occur.
Now the economic situation is slowly
improving. The main official income of the republic is connected
with hydropower. Unofficial - with drug trafficking from
Afghanistan. The amounts sent by migrant workers to the country
amount to 60% of GDP. According to this indicator, Tajikistan ranks
first in the world. Most migrants go to work in Russia.
Most
of the country is occupied by mountains: Pamir and Pamir-Alai (Fan
Mountains). On the territory of Tajikistan there are several
seven-thousanders, including the highest point of the Soviet Union,
Communism Peak (7495 meters). The current name is Ismail Somoni
Peak.
The Republic of Tajikistan administratively consists of the
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), Sughd and Khatlon regions, as
well as regions of republican subordination (RRS): Varzob, Vakhdat,
Gissar, Dzhirgatala, Nurabad, Rasht, Rogun, Rudaki, Tavildara,
Tajikabad, Tursunzade, Fayzabadsky, Shakhrinavsky. GBAO, Sughd and
Khatlon regions also have their own districts.
From the point of
view of the traveler, the cities and regions of the country can be
divided as follows:
Ferghana Valley
The Ferghana Valley is the
northernmost region of Tajikistan. It occupies the northern half of the
territory of the Sughd region. The Fergana Valley of Tajikistan is part
of the larger Fergana Valley, which Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan share with
Tajikistan. Most of the territory of the region is occupied by valleys
surrounded by high mountains (from the north the valley is limited by
the Kuraminsky Range, from the south by the Turkestan Range). The region
is famous for its fertile lands, rich and beautiful nature. The Syrdarya
River flows through the region. From the northern and western sides, the
region borders on Uzbekistan, on the eastern side, on Kyrgyzstan. Here,
the Uzbek diaspora as a whole makes up at least 20% of the population.
Zeravshan valley
The Zeravshan Valley is the western region of
Tajikistan. Covers the southern part of the Sughd region. From the
north, the region borders on the rest of the Sughd region, from the
northeast and east by Kyrgyzstan, from the southeast and south by
regions of republican subordination, and from the west by Uzbekistan.
Karategin
Karategin is the central region of Tajikistan. Covers
the entire territory of the regions of republican subordination (RRS).
It is on the territory of this region that the capital of Tajikistan,
Dushanbe, is located. From the north it borders with the Sughd region,
from the northeast by Kyrgyzstan, from the south by the Khatlon region,
from the east by the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, and from the
west by Uzbekistan. The east of Karategin is considered a stronghold of
the Islamists, and because of this, there are increased security
measures, but it does not pose a danger to the traveler.
Khatlon
Khatlon is the southern region of Tajikistan. Covers the entire
territory of the Khatlon region. From the south, the region borders on
Afghanistan, from the north by regions of republican subordination, from
the east by the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, and from the west by
Uzbekistan.
Pamir
Khatlon is the southern region of
Tajikistan. Covers the entire territory of the Khatlon region. From the
south, the region borders on Afghanistan, from the north by regions of
republican subordination, from the east by the Gorno-Badakhshan
Autonomous Region, and from the west by Uzbekistan.
Dushanbe is the capital and largest city of Tajikistan. It is a city
of republican significance, the largest scientific, cultural, political,
economic and industrial center of the country. As of the beginning of
2022, the population of the city is about 900 thousand people, and with
the agglomeration around it - over one and a half million people. The
area of the city is 203.1 km². The first written mention of Dushanbe
occurs at the end of 1676. In 1826-1923 the city was called
Dushanbe-Kurgan, in 1924-1929 Dyushambe, in 1929-1961 Stalinabad, and
from November 1961 Dushanbe.
Khujand (formerly Leninabad) is the
second largest city in Tajikistan, located in the north of the country.
The administrative center of the Sughd region. As of 2022, the
population of the city is about 200 thousand people, and with the
agglomeration around it, about 800 thousand people. The area of the city
is 285 km². Khujand is one of the oldest cities in Central Asia.
Bokhtar (formerly Kurgan-Tube) is the third largest city in Tajikistan,
located in the southwest of the country. The administrative center of
the Khatlon region. As of 2022, the population of the city is over 120
thousand people, and with the agglomeration around it, about 150,000
people. The area of the city is 26 km².
Kulob is the fourth
largest city in Tajikistan, located in the south of the country. It is
part of the Khatlon region. As of 2022, the population of the city is
over 110 thousand people, and with the agglomeration around it, about
120,000 people. The area of the city is about 20 km².
Istaravshan
(formerly Ura-Tyube) in the Sughd region is the only city in Tajikistan
where the medieval structure of the urban environment has been preserved
in the center with narrow streets, houses overlooking them with blank
walls and fences, as well as several medieval monuments, including the
Kok-Gumbaz mosque of the 15th century .
Khorog is the
administrative center and the only city of the Gorno-Badakhshan
Autonomous Region. As a city, it is not particularly interesting, but if
you are going to Gorno-Badakhshan, you cannot do without Khorog. Over 35
thousand people live here, and most of them are representatives of the
Pamir peoples.
Penjikent
Isfara
Kanibadam
The Great Silk Road on the territory of
Tajikistan
Reserve Tigrovaya Balka
Pamir
Lake Karakul
Sarez
Lake - currently closed to foreigners due to the threat of a
breakthrough.
Lake Iskanderkul
Kairakum reservoir
By plane
Tajikistan has four international airports in four
cities: Dushanbe, Khujand, Kulyab and Kurgan-Tube. The largest of them
is Dushanbe International Airport, which as of April 2022 has regular
flights with the following cities: Istanbul, Dubai, Mashhad, Tashkent,
Almaty, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don, Krasnodar, Sochi,
Mineralnye Vody, Kazan , Naberezhnye Chelny, Samara, Ufa, Chelyabinsk,
Yekaterinburg, Nizhnevartovsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk,
Khujand International Airport, in addition to the above Russian cities,
additionally has flights with Samarkand, Surgut and Barnaul, and Kulyab
Airport additionally with Nizhny Novgorod and Perm.
All airports
in Tajikistan are naturally connected with each other by air. There are
four airlines operating in the country: Tajik Air, Somon Air, East Air,
Asia Airways. In addition to local airlines, foreign airlines, including
Russian ones, also operate in the country.
By train
Rail
transport is not developed enough and therefore is not popular not only
among tourists, but also among the local population. The length of
public railways in the country is 680 km. The railway network consists
of two lines: Termez - Dushanbe - Vahdat - Yavan - Bokhtar - Kulyab and
Bekabad - Shurab with a branch line to Khujand. There is no railway
connection between Dushanbe and Khujand. By rail from foreign countries
it is connected with Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan and only freight
transportation is carried out.
By car
Road transport is the
most developed type of transport in Tajikistan. By car, you can get to
Tajikistan through Uzbekistan, at three border crossings in Tashkent,
Samarkand and Surkhandarya regions. The country also has road links with
Kyrgyzstan in the north of the country, with China in the east, and with
Afghanistan in the south.
By bus
Intercity bus service is not
developed due to dangerous roads that pass through passes, high
mountains, tunnels and roads along steep cliffs, but exists in low-lying
areas of the north, south and west of the country.
By ship
Tajikistan has no access to the sea and, accordingly, does not have a
navy. There are numerous lakes in the country (for example, Lake Sarez
and Kairakkum reservoir) with a fairly large area; boats and boats are
used only for fishing and other purposes, including tourism. Due to the
border status and low water level, there is practically no movement of
boats and boats along the Pyanj River.
The main transport of movement between the settlements of Tajikistan
is automobile. Many mountain roads are poorly paved but are gradually
being restored. Jeep taxis are common on these roads.
The road
between the country's two largest cities, Dushanbe and Khujand, passes
through two Iranian-built tunnels. The tunnels are located on Mount
Anzob and Shahristan. The track has a good asphalt surface. From
Dushanbe to Khujand can be reached by taxi for $20-25.
Public
transport in Dushanbe includes a fixed-route taxi, a taxi, a bus and a
trolleybus. Public transport in many cities are Hyundai minibuses (1
somoni or $0.20) and taxi minibuses and taxis themselves (usually Opel,
Samand or Daewoo brands) (3 somoni or $0.60).
The state and official language of the country is Tajik, which is
actually a variant or dialect of the Persian language (also known as
Farsi), whose speakers understand each other almost without problems.
The Tajik language belongs to the Iranian group of the Indo-European
family of languages (and not to the Turkic, as the inhabitants think),
and the inhabitants of Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Iran in general can
communicate with each other without an interpreter. From the 7th century
until 1929, writing was based on the Arabic-Persian script, and with the
advent of Soviet power, in 1930 the Tajik language was translated into
Latin, and in 1940 it was translated into Cyrillic, which is used to
this day.
The language of interethnic communication is officially
recognized by the Constitution of the republic as Russian, which is
understood without problems by about 80% of the population. Usually, in
cities, almost everyone will understand Russian (except for some women),
but in rural areas not everyone will understand it (mostly the elderly
and adults, as well as young people who have visited Russia). About 35%
of the population speak Uzbek at various levels. As a rule, Tajiks who
speak Uzbek are mainly distributed in the Sughd region of the country,
where Uzbeks make up more than 30% of the population, and also partially
in the south and in the extreme southwest of the country. English has
also become popular in recent years and is spoken mainly among young
people and tourism workers.
The country's currency is the Tajik somoni (TJS). In banks, they exchange rubles, dollars and other currencies for somoni without any problems. In tourist bases in the mountains, both somoni and foreign currencies are accepted for payment. In the bazaars, you can buy fruits and vegetables very cheaply by the standards of other countries, in addition, you can and should bargain.
in Dushanbe and its environs:
National Museum of Tajikistan
Flagpole in Dushanbe
Memorial Ensemble of Ismoili Somoni
Opera
and Ballet Theatre. S. Aini
Hissar fortress
Sughd region:
Mosque-madrasah of Abdulatif Sultan
Museum of History and Local
Lore of Archeology and Fortification
Fann Mountains
Seven
lakes - Haft kul (Marguzor lakes)
Lake Iskandarkul
Kairakkum
reservoir
Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region:
Pamir
mountains for mountaineering
Lake Sarez
Lake Karakul
Hot
spring "Garmchashma"
Khatlon region:
Mausoleum of Amir Ali
Hamadoni in Kulyab
Childukhtaron in Khovaling
Mausoleum of
Khoja Mashhad
Archological site "Ajina-Teppa"
Sanatorium
"Chilluchorchashma"
"Safedara"
Khulbuk Historical and Cultural
Reserve
Nurek reservoir
Reserve Tigrovaya Balka and much more.
Tourists primarily visit the mountainous regions. You can do both light trekking and serious climbing. The main regions are the Fann Mountains and the Pamirs.
Tajik cuisine is similar to Uzbek and Afghan. Kurutob, pilaf,
kebabs, samsa, shurpa, manti, chuchvara (here they are called
barak), kazan-kebab, lagman, mastava are popular.
You can eat
cheaply in street eateries: barbecue 6-15 somoni, a portion of some
kind of soup 5-12 somoni, pies with potatoes 0.5-5 somoni, pasties
1-5 somoni. In cafes and canteens: from 15 somoni for lunch. Going
to a restaurant will cost from 35 somoni (in Dushanbe and Khujand -
from 70 somoni).
In the usual sense, nightlife fully and in general in a civilized form exists only in Dushanbe and in single establishments in Khujand.
In large cities of Tajikistan there are ordinary hotels and hostels where you can stay, it is usually possible to book such accommodation in advance. However, in small towns and villages, there is usually no organized accommodation for the night. If you find yourself in such a place and are looking for an overnight stay, ask the locals, someone will definitely let you in for the night. In principle, they do not expect a reward, but are unlikely to refuse if offered one.
Tajikistan is a
secular state, but in the post-Soviet space it is the most
conservative Muslim country. Keep in mind that the majority of the
inhabitants are believing Muslims, mostly Sunnis. With the exception
of Dushanbe and Khujand, you should not wear short shorts and
T-shirts, and when visiting religious institutions and monuments you
should not enter with bare shins and too open arms, but in fact this
rule is not observed everywhere, and almost no one will reprimand
you.
The Tajik police have long been considered one of the most
corrupt in the world. On the occasion of the year of tourism
declared in 2018, reforms were undertaken to eliminate or minimize
corruption among police officers. However, you should be careful
when dealing with them. Police officers or traffic police (if you
are with your car) can be asked to show registration at any time,
this requirement is legal. At the same time, you should not go on
about and pay the required fines on the spot or give away your
property. In case of conflict situations, you can ask to go to the
department.
Most of the year Tajikistan is hot and sunny. It is
recommended that you bring sun cream with you and be sure to have
enough drinking water. In the Pamirs and the highlands, it can be
very cold and windy in the morning and evening.
Drinking from the
tap and brushing your teeth with running water is not recommended;
it is better to use bottled water bought from trusted places for
this. The exceptions are mountain springs and artesian water.
Tajikistan is considered a fairly safe country, but you should be
careful in the southern parts of the country, especially in the
south of the Khatlon region and in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous
Region.
Homosexual relations are now decriminalized in
Tajikistan, but the vast majority (even young people) have an
extremely negative attitude towards same-sex relations and the LGBT
movement as a whole. Try not to advertise your preferences and
positions on these issues.
The international
dialing code of Tajikistan is +992. Internet domain of the country
.tj The following mobile operators operate in the republic:
Babylon Mobile http://babilon-m.tj
Tcell (Indigo)http://tcell.tj
M Teko
MLT (Megafon)
Such (Beeline)
somocom
TK-mobile
Skytel CDMA
The name "Tajikistan" (taj. Toimiston; pers. تاجیکستان — Toimiston —
"land of the Tajiks") comes from the self-Tajiks and the suffix -Istan /
Stan. The name appeared in 1924 as a result of the national-territorial
demarcation of Central Asia and the creation of the Tajik ASSR as part
of the Uzbek SSR (in 1929-1991 — the Tajik SSR).
The ancestors of
the Tajiks called their country "Aryānam Vaeja". This name comes from
the ancient Iranian "aryanam" and avesta. "airyanam" (in Middle Persian
— Eran, in Tajik — Eron) means "The Country of the Aryans." It is
assumed that in the Achaemenid era (550-327 BC), the concept of "Aryānam
Vaeja" was transformed into "Aryānam XšaθRam" — "The State of the
Aryans". Aryan tribes (Aryans, unit. ch. — "Aryan" — Arya; from the
Avestan word aria and the Iranian ariya — "noble", "pure") — the name of
the ancient Indo-Iranian tribes, which at the beginning of the 2nd
millennium BC. they separated from the Indo-European tribes and moved to
Central Asia (Ayiryana Vaedzha (avest.) — "Aryan expanse, country"). At
the end of the 2nd millennium BC, part of the Indo-Iranian tribes
migrated to the lands of modern Iran and Northern India. In historical
sources, the Aryans (Aryans, aria) are mentioned as the ancestors of the
peoples of the states of Ariana, Turan, Ancient Bactria, Sogd, Khorezm,
Persia, Media and Khorasan.
Since the time of the Achaemenids,
the name "Iran" (in Tajik — Eron) has been assigned to the states of the
Western Iranian peoples, who created powerful centralized empires.
Erānšahr (Eronshahr) comes from the Avestan Airyānam XšaθRam. The
Avestan diphthong ai has been transformed into the Middle Persian vowel
e. The Eastern Iranian peoples, the immediate ancestors of the Tajiks,
named their land "Turan" (Turon in Tajik). The country of the Eastern
Iranian peoples, Turan, was politically fragmented into 4 separate
states: Sogd, Bactria, Khorezm, Margiana. The ancestors of the Tajiks
were also the nomadic tribes of the Saks.
The conditional border
between Iran and Turan in ancient times was first the Syr Darya, and in
later times the Amu Darya.
The first state formations that existed on the territory of modern Tajikistan were Bactria and Sogdiana, which appeared before the beginning of our era.
The Samanids were a dynasty that ruled in Central Asia and Iran in
819-999.
It got its name from the name of Saman khudat from the
village of Saman near Balkh. For the help rendered in suppressing the
anti-Arab uprising of Rafi ibn Leys (806-810), the sons and
grandchildren of Saman received all the most important areas of
Transoxiana in 872. In 892, Ismail Samani became the founder (emir) of
the Samanid state, uniting some parts of Transoxiana and Khorasan
(Central Asia and Afghanistan) into a single centralized state.
Subsequently, Khorasan, controlled by the Abbasid Caliphate, was
subordinated to the Samanid emirs. Soon the Samanids managed to
establish complete independence from Baghdad (875-999). The Samanid
state ceased to exist in 999/1005 as a result of the invasion of the
Turkic-speaking tribes of the Karakhanid and Ghaznavid states.
The Ghurid Sultanate was a medieval Tajik state that existed on the
territory of modern Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan and India
from 1148 to 1206. The ruling dynasty is the Ghurids, descended from the
Suri family, on behalf of Suri ibn Muhammad, the first leader of the Gur
tribe in the Mandesh area. The center of the state was the Gur region.
The capitals were the cities of Firuzkuh and Ghazni. The founder of the
dynasty's power is Izz al-Din Husayn ibn Saam, mir hajib of the
Ghaznavid court.
After the conquest of Gur by Mahmud Geznavid in
1011, the Ghurid dynasty converted from Buddhism to Sunni Islam. Abu Ali
ibn Muhammad (reigned 1011-1035) was the first Muslim ruler of the
Ghurid dynasty, who built mosques and Islamic schools in Ghur.
The dynasty overthrew the Ghaznavid state in 1186, when Sultan Muizz
al-Din Muhammad of Gur conquered the last Ghaznavid capital of Lahore.
The Ghurid Empire encompassed Khorasan in the west and reached north
India to Bengal in the east
The Kartids were a medieval dynasty of Tajik origin that ruled the territory of Khorasan in the XIII—XIV centuries. The Kartids were initially subject to the sultan of the Ghurid dynasty, Giyas ud-Din Muhammad, and then became vassals of the Mongol Empire. At the collapse of the Hulaguid state in 1335, the Kartid ruler Muiz ud-Din Husayn ibn Ghiyas tried to expand his possessions. The death of Husayn in 1370 and the invasion of Tamerlane's troops in 1381 put an end to the ambitions of the Kartids.
In October 1924, as a result of the national-territorial demarcation
of Central Asia, the Tajik Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic (Tajik
ASSR) was formed on the territory of modern Tajikistan as part of the
Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (Uzbek SSR). The capital of the ASSR of
the Tajik people was the city of Dushanbe, formed as a result of the
merger of three villages (Sari-Osiye, Shohmansur and Dushanbe). A number
of representatives of the Tajik intelligentsia and party figures of the
Tajik ASSR for several years petitioned for the transformation of the
Tajik autonomy into a full-fledged union Soviet Socialist republic,
independent of the Uzbek SSR, and on October 16, 1929, an independent
Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Tajik SSR) was formed from the Tajik
ASSR, which on December 5 of the same year became part of the USSR as a
Union republic, becoming the 7th Union republic at that time (after the
Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Transcaucasian, Uzbek and Turkmen).
Shirinsho Shotemur and Sadriddin Aini were one of the main initiators of
the transformation of the autonomous republic into a union republic.
In the 1930s and during the Great Patriotic War, planned
industrialization was carried out in the country, which was accompanied
by the restructuring of the national economy and the influx of skilled
labor from the RSFSR and other republics of the USSR.
From 1937
to 1946, M. K. Kurbanov was Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the
Tajik SSR.
During the Great Patriotic War, residents of the
country's regions who were subjected to military operations and
subsequent famine, including residents of besieged Leningrad, western
Russia, and war-ravaged residents of Belarus and Ukraine, were evacuated
to the Central Asian republics, in particular to the Tajik SSR. At least
one hundred thousand people were evacuated to Tajikistan, over 10
thousand of whom were orphaned children. The refugees were provided with
housing, clothing, and food by the local population, many Tajik families
adopted orphaned children, other children, widows, the elderly, and the
wounded were sent to sanatoriums, children's camps, and rest homes.
After the end of the war, most of the evacuees remained in the republic,
having found a job and received housing. The Tajik SSR sent at least 90
tons of wool, 650 tons of grain, 36 thousand tons of meat, and 19
thousand horses to the front. Over 3,000 trucks, several hundred tanks
and 100,000 tractor-tractors were produced at the expense of the
republic for the needs of the army at the front. Over 30 enterprises
from the war-torn western part of the USSR were evacuated to Tajikistan.
In addition, over 20 factories and workshops in the republic were opened
from scratch for the needs of the army. In 1941-1945, over 289 thousand
people were conscripted from the Tajik SSR to the war. Also, about 45
thousand people worked in the rear. In total, out of 290 thousand Tajik
people called up for the war, more than 100 thousand people died or went
missing.
From 1946 to 1956, the first secretary of the Central
Committee of the Communist Party of the Tajik SSR was the politician and
historian B. Gafurov.
In the mid-1950s, people from Leninabad
took over the leadership of the Tajik SSR, which had its consequences
(all subsequent leaders of the Central Committee of the Communist Party
of the TSR Uljabaev, Rasulov, Nabiyev, Makhkamov were from or had
previously worked in the Leninabad region). The 1970s and 1980s were
also characterized by personnel stagnation (Rasulov was in office for 21
years).
The main specialization of the Tajik SSR was the cotton
industry. Meanwhile, in the 1960s and 1970s, new sectors of the economy
were created - machine—building, textile, electrical and chemical
industries, as well as hydropower.
On August 24, 1990, under the
influence of a democratically and nationalist-minded part of the
deputies, the new convocation of the Supreme Soviet of the Tajik SSR
adopted the "Declaration on State Sovereignty of the Tajik Soviet
Socialist Republic" at its second session. In particular, the
declaration stated that it is the basis for the development of a new
republican Constitution and the conclusion of a new Union Treaty. During
the "August coup", the president of the Tajik SSR, Kakhkhar Makhkamov,
supported the GKCHP and forces loyal to him, which caused sharp
discontent among the democratic and nationalist part of the Republican
Supreme Council, as well as Islamists and other supporters of
independence. The opposition organized numerous rallies demanding the
resignation of the president and the dissolution of the Communist Party.
Under pressure from protesters and the opposition, on August 31, 1991,
at an extraordinary session of the Republican Supreme Council, deputies
expressed distrust of the president, and Kakhkhar Makhkamov was forced
to resign as President of the republic, and Chairman of the Supreme
Council Kadriddin Aslonov temporarily assumed his duties. On September
7, at the plenum of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the
Tajik SSR, Kakhkhar Makhkamov asked to be relieved of his duties as
first secretary of the Central Committee, and his resignation was
accepted. Two days later, on September 9, 1991, the Supreme Soviet
announced the republic's secession from the USSR. Thus, Tajikistan
became the 11th republic to leave the Soviet Union as a result of the
"Parade of Sovereignties".
September 9, 1991 — adoption of the Statement and Resolution "On the
State Independence of the Republic of Tajikistan" at the session of the
Supreme Council of the Republic of Tajikistan. September 9 has been
declared the Independence Day of the Republic of Tajikistan in the
Republic as a holiday.
December 25, 1991 — accession of the Republic
of Tajikistan to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
February 26, 1992 — accession of the Republic of Tajikistan to the
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
March 2,
1992 — the accession of the Republic of Tajikistan to the membership of
the United Nations (UN) Member States.
December 1, 1993 — the
accession of the Republic of Tajikistan to the membership of the member
States of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
May 5,
1992 — June 27, 1997 — the years of the Civil War. The damage caused to
the republic's economy during the war amounted to more than $ 10
billion.
In May 1992, after the attempted coup in Dushanbe, which was
undertaken by supporters of the national democratic opposition,
representatives of the opposition were introduced into the "Government
of National Reconciliation". The confrontation between the former
communist elite and national democratic and Islamist forces has shifted
from the political sphere to the ethno-clan one. In June 1992, armed
clashes broke out in the southern regions of Tajikistan between
supporters and opponents of Rahmon Nabiyev. So the civil war began in
the country. On August 31, opposition supporters seized the presidential
residence and hostages (Nabiyev disappeared into the building of the
National Security Committee). On September 7, 1992, Nabiyev was ousted
from the post of President of the Republic of Tajikistan under pressure
from the armed opposition at the Dushanbe airport. During this period,
the government's supporters created the People's Front of Tajikistan (a
military-political organization), which proclaimed its goal to restore
"constitutional order." On September 27, 1992, the Popular Front
occupied Kurgan-Tube, previously captured by the Islamists, and then the
region adjacent to it. The Popular Front received some limited political
support from Uzbekistan. Russia secretly provided assistance to the
People's Front of Tajikistan. There was a paralysis of power in the
center and on the ground. The Government of the "people's accord",
created back in May 1992, did not control the republic.
October 24,
1992 — the first attempt to occupy Dushanbe by the armed formations of
the Popular Front ended in failure, hundreds of people were killed and
injured in the city. Having failed, they blew up the only railway
connecting the main highway with the central regions of the country, and
there was a threat of famine in Dushanbe and in the regions of the
eastern region.
In the autumn of 1992, many residents of southern
Tajikistan, fleeing from the war, began to cross the Afghan border,
leaving for more peaceful regions of Tajikistan, as well as other CIS
republics. According to UN estimates, about 1 million residents have
become internally displaced and more than 200 thousand refugees,
including more than 60 thousand who crossed the border into Afghanistan.
November 16 — December 2, 1992 — the XVI session of the Shuroi Oli
(Supreme Council) of the Republic of Tajikistan was held in Khojent, at
which Nabiyev resigned as president, on November 19, 1992, Emomali
Rahmon was elected Chairman of the Shuroi Oli of the Republic of
Tajikistan (actually the head of the republic). In December 1992, after
the decisions of the XVI session of the Supreme Council of the Republic
of Tatarstan on the cessation of armed confrontation, the Popular Front
units occupied the capital without a fight. However, the national
democratic opposition and Islamist forces unexpectedly received strong
political support in the face of Western countries, Muslim countries,
and the United Nations and once again began military operations against
the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan.
November 6, 1994 —
adoption of the Constitution of Tajikistan based on the results of a
national referendum (September 26, 1999 and June 22, 2003 — amendments
and additions to the current Constitution). The new Parliament declared
November 6 a state holiday, Constitution Day of the Republic of
Tajikistan.
November 6, 1994 — Emomali Rakhmonov was elected
President of Tajikistan (1999 and 2006 — re-election).
June 27, 1997
— signing of the "General Agreement on Peace and National Accord in
Tajikistan" in Moscow by President Rakhmonov and the head of the United
Tajik Opposition (UTO) Said Abdullo Nuri. The final agreement was signed
after 8 rounds of negotiations between the Government of the Republic of
Tatarstan and the GRT (1994-1997). June 27 has been declared a national
holiday in the republic — National Unity Day.
June 4, 1997 — April 1,
2000 — the work of the National Reconciliation Commission (COM)
consisting of 26 members (13 members from the Government of the Republic
of Tatarstan and 13 members from the former opposition). The COM
implemented the documents of the "General Agreement on Peace and
National Accord in Tajikistan" dated June 27, 1997.
November 3-10,
1998 — anti-government rebellion of the former colonel of the special
brigade of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Tatarstan
Khudoyberdiyev in Khojent and Sughd region, which ended with the defeat
of the rebels.
February 27, 2000 — elections of deputies to the
Majlisi Namoyandagon (1 deputy), March 23, 2000 — to the Majlisi Milli
(33 deputies) Majlisi Oli — creation of a professional parliament in the
republic.
November 30, 2000 — the introduction of the national
currency (somoni) in Tajikistan.
October 10, 2000 — Tajikistan signs
the Treaty Establishing the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC).
June 15, 2001 — Tajikistan joins the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
(SCO).
May 14, 2002 — Tajikistan joins the Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO).
2005-2009 — construction and commissioning of
the Sangtuda — 1 HPP (capacity — 670 MW) jointly with Russia.
2006-2009 — construction and commissioning of the South—North
high-voltage power transmission line (LEP-500) and Khatlon — Chelanzar
(LEP-220).
October 5, 2009 — adoption of the new law of the Republic
of Tajikistan "On the State Language of the Republic of Tajikistan".
October 5 was declared the "State Language Day" in the republic.
2006-2010 — construction and commissioning of the Dushanbe — Khujand —
Chanak (Uzbekistan), Dushanbe — Jirgital — Saritash (Kyrgyzstan)
highways, Istiqlol automobile tunnels at the Anzob pass, Sharshar and
Shahristan.
January 6, 2010 — the beginning of the distribution of
shares of the Rogun HPP among the population of the republic.
Continuation of the construction of the Rogun HPP with a total capacity
of 3,600 MW.
September 2011 — construction and commissioning of the
first unit of the Sangtuda HPP-2 (capacity — 220 MW, jointly with Iran).
Completion of the bridge over the Panj River to Afghanistan in
cooperation with the Agakhan IV Development Fund and reconstruction of
the Dushanbe — Khujand —Chanak (Uzbekistan), Dushanbe — Jirgatal —
Sary-Tash (Kyrgyzstan) highways according to investment projects of
Tajikistan and China.
August 14, 2012 — Tajikistan joined the
Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards
(New York Convention of 1958).
December 10, 2012 — Tajikistan joined
the World Trade Organization (WTO).
September 2014 — the second unit
of Sangtuda HPP-2 with a capacity of 110 MW was launched. After full
commissioning, Sangtudinskaya HPP-2 is capable of generating up to 1
billion kWh of electricity, or 220 MW.
December 2014 — construction
of the largest textile enterprise in Central Asia began in Dangara
district, the first stage of which can process over 52 thousand tons of
cotton fiber. The enterprise is being built according to a joint
investment project of Tajikistan and China.
September 29, 2015 — The
Supreme Court of Tajikistan banned the activities of the Islamic
Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT) on the territory of the republic.
Before the ban, the IRPT was the only legally operating Islamic
political party in the post-Soviet space.
October 18, 2015 — the Aini
— Penjikent highway was reconstructed. The Asian Development Bank has
provided a US$100 million grant for the rehabilitation of this 113 km
long road.
December 15, 2015 — The Asian Development Bank suspended
financing of the Trans-Afghan railway, which involved Turkmenistan,
Afghanistan and Tajikistan, due to the low level of security in
Afghanistan and insufficient financial resources for the implementation
of the Afghan section.
On May 22, 2016, a constitutional referendum
was held in Tajikistan.
May 26, 2018 — The population of Tajikistan
has reached 9 million people.
November 16, 2018 — the first
hydroelectric unit of the Rogun HPP was officially launched. The second
hydroelectric unit was commissioned in June 2019.
November 6, 2019 —
An attack was carried out on the Ishkobod outpost, located 60 km from
Dushanbe, on the Tajik-Uzbek border, killing 6 soldiers, including 5
border guards and 1 policeman. The terrorist organization Islamic State
(banned in Russia and Tajikistan) claimed responsibility for the attack.
Tajikistan participates in several major investment projects jointly
with Russia, China and Iran.