Tajikistan Country & Tourist Information

Location
Central Asia.

Area
143,100 sq km (55,251 sq miles).

Population
6.3 million (UN estimate 2005).

Population Density
44 per sq km.

Capital
Dushanbe.
Population: 575,900 (2002).

Government
Republic. Gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. 
Recent history: In February 2005, parliamentary elections were held in Tajikistan which were condemned by the OSCE as falling short of international standards in some areas. Mr Rahmonov’s People’s Democratic Party won virtually all 63 seats in the lower house of parliament. The opposition Islamic and Communist parties won just a handful between them. President Rahmonov was elected to a third term in office in November 2006, but international observers said the election was neither free nor fair.

Language
Tajik is the official language, an ancient Persian language similar to the languages of Iran and Afghanistan. In the Pamir Mountains, there are at least five different languages, all related to an even more ancient form of Iranian. Russian is widely used (35 per cent of the population speak Russian fluently), and discrimination against Russian speakers is prohibited by law. English is sometimes spoken by those involved in tourism.

Religion
Predominantly Sunni Muslim (80 per cent) with a small Shi’ite Muslim minority (5 per cent). A large Ishmaeli minority exists in the Pamirs. There is also a smaller and shrinking Russian Orthodox minority and a small Jewish community.

Time
GMT + 5.

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz. Round, two-pin continental plugs are standard.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Oqil Ghaybulloyevich Oqilov.

Head of State
President Imamali S Rahmonov since 1992.

Telephone
IDD to Tajikistan is available but services are unreliable. Country code: 992 (followed by 372 for Dushanbe). International telephone calls can be made from telephone offices which will usually be found attached to a post office (in Dushanbe, on Prospekt Rudaki). There are now also some new, private telephone offices in Dushanbe. International, operator-routed calls can also be ordered from some hotels such as the Hotel Tajikistan and the Hotel Independence. Direct-dial calls within the CIS are obtained by dialing 8 and waiting for another dial tone and then dialing the city code. Calls within the city limits are free of charge.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is limited to urban areas.

Internet
There are Internet cafes in the main cities. Some will allow you to plug in your own computer.

Media
Press freedom is provided for in the constitution, but is not widely respected; independent journalists are said to come under huge pressure from the state. The Government controls the editorial policy of the state-owned media and state-operated radio and TV dominate broadcasting. There are over 30 local and regional private TV stations and more than 200 registered newspapers. Some are government-owned; others are connected to political parties and movements. There are no dailies. A few private radio stations exist. Dushanbe’s first private station opened in September 2002, after waiting four years for a license.

Post
Mail to Western Europe and the USA can take between two weeks and two months. Stamped envelopes can be bought from post offices. Addresses should be laid out in the following order: country, postcode, city, street, house number and, lastly, the person’s name. Postal services available include registered mail, restricted delivery, special delivery and Express mail (in Dushanbe only). Both surface and air mail are available for parcels. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1800, Sat: 0900-1700. Visitors can also use the post offices located within the major hotels.

Press
All the main newspapers are printed in Dushanbe and include Narodnaya Gazeta (Russian), Jumhuriyat and Tojikiston Ovozi (Tajik).

Radio
Tajik Radio is state-run and operates two national networks. Private stations include Asia-Plus (Dushanbe’s first private station), Radio Vatan and Radio Tiroz.

Below are Public Holidays listed for the January 2007-December 2008 period.

2007
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
8 Mar International Women’s Day.
21-24 Mar Navrus (Persian New Year).
1 May International Labor Day.
9 May Victory Day.
27 Jun National Unity Day.
9 Sep Independence Day.
13 Oct Eid-i-Ramazon (End of Ramadan).
6 Nov Constitution Day.
20 Dec Eid-i-Kurbon (Feast of the Sacrifice).

2008
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
8 Mar International Women’s Day.
21-24 Mar Navrus (Persian New Year).
1 May International Labor Day.
9 May Victory Day.
27 Jun National Unity Day.
9 Sep Independence Day.
2 Oct Eid-i-Ramazon (End of Ramadan).
6 Nov Constitution Day.
9 Dec Eid-i-Kurbon (Feast of the Sacrifice).

Contact Information:

State National Tourism Company of the Republic of Tajikistan (SAYOH)
1/2 Dekhoti Street, Dushanbe City, 734055, Tajikistan
Tel: (37) 234 5392.
Website: www.tourism.tj


Embassy of the Tajikistan Republic in Germany
Otto-Suhr-Allee 84, 10585 Berlin, Germany
Tel: (30) 347 9300.
Website: www.embassy-tajikistan.de

Embassy of the Tajikistan Republic in the USA
1005 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20037
Tel: (202) 223 6090. Fax: (202) 223 6091.
E-mail: tajikistan@verizon.net
Website: www.tjus.org


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