The Republic of Tajikistan is located in the southeast of Central Asia. The total territory is 143.1 thousand square kilometers. The population is 10,300,800 people (as of January 1, 2023). The capital is Dushanbe. The currency unit is somoni / TJS.
The border of Tajikistan is 700 kilometres long from east to west and 350 kilometres long from north to south. The country shares borders to the west and north with Uzbekistan (910 kilometres) and Kyrgyzstan (630 kilometres); to the south with Afghanistan (1,030 kilometres); and to the east with China (430 kilometres).
The climate is continental. The average temperature in June – July is 30C° to 35C°. Modern Tajikistan is a mountainous country with absolute altitudes from 300 to 7495 meters above sea level. The 93% of the country’s territory has occupied by mountain ranges of the Pamir, Gissar Alay and Tien Shan Mountain systems. These ranges are divide by rich and fertile lands of the Fergana, Zerafshan, Vakhsh and Gissar valleys.
Cultural and historical heritage: part of the Great Silk Road, a site of ancient settlement "Sarazm", Tajikistan National Park, Tigrovaya Balka State Nature Reserve and other nine objects are included in the List of World Heritage (UNESCO)
Visa free: From January 1, 2022, Tajikistan has introduced a unilateral visa-free regime (for up to 30 days of temporary residence and for all types of passports) for citizens of 52 countries of the world.
HISTORY
The history of the Tajik people dates back to the depths of centuries, to the beginning of human civilization. The most ancient finds on the territory of modern Tajikistan serve as the evidence.
The story of how Tajikistan came into being is a turbulent series of events. Historic sites in the region reveal inhabitation dating back over 6500 years, but not many details are known about these ancient cultures. The oldest written history go back to around 500 B.C, when the present-day Tajikistan was part of the First Persian Empire.
Through the centuries, many changes in power occurred, with several different empires and states controlling the region. Being located right between China and the Western World, Tajikistan was an important trading hub on the Silk Road, giving it an economically strategic position and entailed territorial aspiration from all directions. Most notably, Alexander the Great and Dzenghis Khan were among those conquerors, but had no cultural connection to the Persians.
At the beginning of the 9th century, tendencies toward national self-identification of the people arisen, the first state formations of Tajik people appeared, the largest of which was the Samanid state with its capital in Bukhara, founded by Ismail Somoni from the Samanid dynasty.
Ismoil Somoni reigned the empire during the high days and led the Saminids to great power and prosperity. Tajikistan takes pride in the Persian renaissance in the region during Saminid times and Ismoil Somoni is considered a national hero. His legacy is ubiquitous in the present-day, for example living forth in the national currency (Somoni), the name of the highest peak of Tajikistan (Ismail Somoni Peak) and his prominent statue in capital Dushanbe.
In 999, the Saminid Empire got overpowered by a Turkic empire. This so-called Kara-Khanid Khanate took control over Central Asia, which also explains the present-day predominance of Turkic people in Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan).
From 1860 onward, the Russian Empire took control over the Tajik territories, which were at that time part of the Emirate of Bukhara. The Russian influence and repression increased over the years despite growing resistance and attempts to gain independence.
The Tajikistan that we know nowadays gained shape in 1924 when the Tajik ASSR was created as a part of Uzbekistan. Five years later, in 1929, it was turned into the Tajik SSR, a constituent republic within the Soviet Union separated from Uzbekistan. The Tajik SSR continued to exist until the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991. At that moment, the country gained its independence to become the Tajikistan that we know today.
The Tajiks made a significant contribution to the spiritual treasury of civilization, gave the world outstanding and remarkable scientists, philosophers, writers, poets and architects whose works have become an integral part of the scientific and cultural baggage accumulated by the world civilization. Examples of this are the lyrics of Abuabdullo Rudaki, the founder of Persian-Tajik literature, the immortal poem “Shahnama” by Abul Qasim Firdausi and “The Canon of Medical Science” Abu Ali Ibn Sina (Avicenna), the treatise that for centuries served as the main medical guide in European educational institutions. The world poetry stars: Khayyam, Rumi, Saadi, Hafiz, Jami, masters of artistic creativity Borbad, Mani, Behzod – were known far beyond the boundaries of ancient Sugd, Khorasan and Movarounnahr – the main territory of modern Central Asia.
Tajikistan is known for many sights of ancient history and culture. There are unique monuments among them. One of them is the city Penjikent located in the north of the republic, in the valley of the Zarafshan river.
In the V - VIII centuries, before the Arabian conquest, Penjikent was the center of one Sogdian principality. Here archaeologists found remains of houses and public buildings, the citadel with the palace, the necropolis, beautiful wall paintings (scenes from the life of the local community before the arrival of the Arabs in Central Asia).The museum-reserve was formed at the archaeological site. Not far from Penjikent, on the Mug Mountain the Penjikent ruler’s archive of documents, written in the Sogdian language, was found. The decryption of these documents allows to reason about social, economical and political life of the population of Central Asia in the VIII century.
In the south of Tajikistan, in the borough Ajinatepe, near the town of Kurgan-Tube, the archaeologists found traces of the ancient Buddhist monastery of the VII - VIII centuries, including the 12-meters figure of the lying Buddha. High mountains, difficult and dangerous for climbing slopes, glaciers - all this in Tajikistan attracts sportsmen and athletes.
RELIGION
Islam is the religion of about 98% of the Tajik population. The traditional islamic holidays of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are national holidays. The biggest holiday arguably is Navruz: the Persian New Year at the astronomical onset of spring. Navruz (or Nowruz) comes with nation-wide celebrations and spectacles.
GREAT SILK ROAD
From ancient times, the territory of Tajikistan lay on the important historical routes of the Great Silk Road connecting the East and the West. It occupied an important place in international trade and cultural exchange.
Today, ancient historical, cultural and handicraft traditions are carefully preserved in the ancient cities of Tajikistan: Khujand, Istaravshan, Panjakent, Kulob, whose appearance has changed significantly over the years.
FOODS
Food plays an important role during celebrations and festivities. One of the national dishes of Tajikistan is plov, which is a special rice preparation served with beef. Qurutob — another traditional dish — is a vegetarian preparation with flat bread, fresh vegetables and salty cheese balls (qurut). Dishes like plov and qurutob are typically eaten together from a large shared wooden dish. Tea is the number one drink accompanying any meal and has an important place in Tajik culture.
INDUSTRY
The main export products of Tajikistan are aluminum and cotton. Raw aluminum ore is imported and processed by the Tajik Aluminum Company (TALCO) in Central Asia’s largest aluminum manufacturing plant. The cultivation of cotton was stimulated during Soviet times and currently makes up half of the agricultural production.
Tajikistan also exploits several large hydroelectric power stations, including the dams near the cities of Nurek, Rogun and Khujand.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
Tajikistan has a land climate with hot summers and cold winters. The tourism season is in spring, summer, autumn and runs from March to October when temperatures are most pleasant. In the mountains, daytime temperatures are usually around 20 to 30˚C in summer. In the lower regions (including Dushanbe), it can be extremely hot (> 40˚C) in summer with pleasant temperatures at night.
Trekking in most of Tajikistan is not possible all year round. Outside the main season, the conditions can be icy cold in the high mountains with trails covered by lots of snow. For the highest hiking routes in the Pamir Mountains (> 4000 m), snow may complicate trekking all the way until the end of June.
The amount of precipitation in Tajikistan varies throughout the year. During summer and early autumn, there is almost no rainfall at all. Precipitation is more frequent the rest of the year with rainfall amounts being highest in early spring. Good rainwear is necessary when you go trekking outside the main trekking season in summer, especially in the mountains north of Dushanbe, including the Fann Mountains and the Zerafshan Range. The Pamir Mountains are more arid with relatively low rainfall throughout the entire year.
TAJIKISTAN CAPITAL
Dushanbe City is the capital of the Republic of Tajikistan. As a political and administrative center, it was listed on the world map at the beginning of the XX century. it is located in the scenic and fertile Gissar Valley, at an altitude of 750 – 930 meters above sea level. From the north to the south it is crossed by the Varzob River, from east to the west – by the Kofarnikhon River.
Dushanbe is a wonderful city that has survived happy and woeful days in the past. Today, a sincere desire to revive the former glory of the hospitable capital, where curious tourists and business people have always strived, is awakened. A large kishlak (village) with clay shacks which had over 500 yards and 6-8 thousand people (mostly dekhkans, artisans, pawn brokers, few slaves, servants, arbakeshes), situated on the site of a modern flowering city.
Dushanbe is a city of cozy, quiet architecture. Sightseeing attractions are mainly located on Rudaki Avenue, the longest and most diverse city street. Here is the famous Chinar alley Dushanbe people love to walk along. The symbol of the Tajik statehood bearing the idea of civil consent, national reconciliation and unity is personified by the memorial of Ismail Somoni.
Forums, symposia, summits are held in Dushanbe. Concerts, festivals, music is played everywhere. All of this inspires and gives a huge impulse to people living in Dushanbe, where everything speaks to the heart. The gold scattering of stars, the dazzling shine of the dawn – the ever-green Dushanbe City is seems to be created for poetry.
VISA TO TAJIKISTAN
The introduction of electronic visa and unilateral visa-free regime with 52 countries, the implementation of a simplified visa regime with 126 countries, as well as the abolition of internal registration of tourists will allow tourists and other foreign citizens to travel abroad without applying to Tajik consulates but through https://www.visa.gov.tj to obtain an electronic visa and travel to our country.
According to international assessments, Tajikistan's e-visa system has been included in the top five visa issuance systems and ranked fourth.
TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE
In Tajikistan, the contribution of law enforcement agencies in ensuring the safety of domestic and foreign tourists is significant, and the provision of safe recreation and tourism for tourists is always in the focus of special attention. Since 2018, a tourist police department has been operating under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan. There is a direct cooperation and communication between this department and tourism companies, which contributes to meeting the needs of tourists.
Currently, more than 239 tourism companies, 182 hotels, 29 hostels and motels, 49 sanatoriums, 8 health centers and clinics, 7 rest homes, 1 boarding house, 1 camping site and 4 tourist and recreation bases are operating in the market of tourist services of Tajikistan. Totally, there are 288 tourist facilities.
In the process of development of domestic and international tourism in Tajikistan, more than 3,000 registered historical and cultural monuments, a large number of ecological resources are being studied for inclusion in the tourist list.
According to statistics, the capital now has an international airport, a railway station, a transport station, 37 hotels and 57 restaurants, 4 national teahouses, 32 entertainment centers, 25 markets and 91 shopping centers, 26 gift shops, 17 cultural and leisure parks and 1 zoo, 14 alleys, 5 swimming and recreation lakes, 204 beauty salons and 201 barbershops, 4 cultural palaces and 7 professional theaters, 10 museums and 6 libraries, 6 amphitheaters, 23 ancient, monumental and architectural monuments, 109 tourist companies, fountains in 37 areas of the capital, 1 tennis court and a water sports complex, palaces "Navruz", "Borbad", "Vahdat", "Surush", 306 medical and prophylactic institutions, which provide services to hundreds of domestic and foreign guests every day.
One of the tallest flags in the world with a height of 165 meters was erected in Dushanbe and recorded in the Guinness Book of Records, and today it has become one of the recreation and tourist sites of residents and guests of the capital.
In the capital there is the “Navruz” Palace, which is one of the finest examples of modern urban art and embodies the unique style of national architecture. The patterns and elements of its decorative culture reflect the more than 6,000-year history of the culture and civilization of the Tajik people, and it is recognized as a modern tourist wonder.
One of the most attractive tourist destinations in Tajikistan is the northern part of Sughd region, which is famous for its beautiful rivers and lakes, mountains and unique sights. The development of tourism in the region is due to the existence of historical sites, such as Sarazm, which dates back more than 5500 years, ancient Panjakent, the birthplace of Tajik and Persian classical literature, Ustod Abuabdullo Rudaki in Panjrud village, Fan and Archamaydon mountains, fabulous lakes, such as Haftkul and others.
In almost all districts, nature trips and visits to historical religious sites have become a tradition in the spring. Particularly, the mausoleum of “Mir Said Ali Hamadoni” in Kulob city, “Hulbuk Fortress” in Vose district, “Khoja Mashhad” mausoleum and “Chiluchorchashma” site in Shahritus district, “Zaynalobuddin” mausoleum in Dusti district, “Hazrati Sulton” mausoleum in Khovaling district, “Sarikhosor” waterfall site in Baljuvon district, “Childukhtaron” waterfall site in Muminobod district and dozens of other sites are attracting a large number of domestic and foreign tourists.
Agro-tourism is also developing in Tajikistan and is still considered a new and modern form of tourism. Interest in this type of tourism has been steadily growing. Because juicy and ecologically pure fruits of Tajikistan, including grapes, peaches, apricots, cherries, apples, pears and their collection directly in the gardens, fresh vegetables, melons, such as melons and watermelons, dried fruits, the most delicious honey, fruit and vegetable juices and other environmentally friendly products are the basis for the development of agricultural tourism or agro-tourism.
One of the main attractions of gastronomic tourism in Tajikistan is the Navruz dishes, including sumanak and haftsin, haftshin foodstuffs, which are prepared on the occasion of the International Day of Navruz. Navruz is presented as a tourism brand.
In the Republic of Tajikistan, Navruz, Mehrgon, Sada, Tirgon, honey, apple, pumpkin and other holidays are being promoted as a tourist brand in order to attract more tourists.
MOUNTAIN LANDSCAPE
Tajikistan is the land of the highest peaks, powerful glaciers, rapid, turbulent rivers, unique beautiful lakes, unique vegetation and rare animals. It is the mountain, floor landscape that determines the distinctiveness and uniqueness of the nature of Tajikistan, the richness of its forms brought by the diversity of climatic zones. In the republic, in an hour and a half of flight from the sultry heat of the Vakhsh valley, you can get into the arctic cold of the eternal snows of the Pamirs.
The mountains and valleys of Tajikistan, the peoples who lived on its territory are mentioned in ancient sources of ancient authors: Pliny and Ptolemy. The Venetian traveler Marco Polo wrote about his travelling to the Pamirs.
About 93% of Tajikistan is covered by mountains, extending west from the Himalayas. Only minor parts in the south and far north have an elevation that not exceeds 1000 meters. The greatest altitudes are in the east of the country, which hosts some of the highest peaks in the world rising up to 7.495 meters. The mountains are still actively building up, giving them a rough and majestic aspect.
Tajikistan is known as a habitat for mountain sheep Marco Polo (argali) and is considered suitable for the development of hunting tourism. In addition, there are many different and rare species of animals in the protected areas of the country, which attract thousands of hunting lovers.
Protection and population of Marco Polo sheep, ibex, Bukhara mountain goat, brown bear and other rare species allow hunting of this species in our republic.
The area of specially protected natural areas of Tajikistan is 3.1 million hectares, which includes 4 state nature reserves, nature park, natural-historical park, National Park of Tajikistan, 2 branches of the National Park, 13 nurseries, 37 natural monuments and other facilities. Currently, 85 species of rare animals in nature reserves, nature parks and sanctuaries of the country are protected, such as free-ranging tiger (ozodapalang), red wolf, Bukhara deer, gazelle, Bukhara mountain sheep, argali, ibex, jayran, Turkestan silos, which are of great interest to tourists.
Among these sites, the National Park of Tajikistan is unique in Central Asia with its splendor and beauty, historical monuments and rare flora and fauna. Located in the central part of the Pamirs and Alai, this fantastic site covers an area of 2.6 million hectares and in 2013 was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a unique natural site. And it should be noted that there are many such beautiful places in our beloved Motherland, such as "Dashtijum", "Romit", "Beshai Palangon" (Tigrovaya Balka) with their unique nature.
LAKE LANDSCAPE
Tajikistan features an endless list of amazing lakes. The most widely known lakes are Iskanderkul, Alovudinkul and Kulikalon in the northwest, while the Pamirs are host to the magnificent lakes of Sarez, Zorkul, Yashikul and Karakul. There are also several large reservoirs for generating hydroelectric power, the two largest being the Kayrakkum Reservoir near Khujand in the north and the Nurek Reservoir just southeast of Dushanbe.
Thus, 947 rivers, lakes, reservoirs, mineral springs, foothills, highlands of Tajikistan, Karategin and Darvaz, the Pamirs, mountain glaciers, waterfalls, natural and historical sites, favorable climate, flora and fauna of mountainous sites – all these anthtropological and geographic elements have become strong tourist assets of the country, contributing to the development of economy and standards of living in Tajikistan.
Zerafshan valley fascinates lovers of history, culture and nature with its unique monuments, such as ancient Sarazm and ancient Panjakent and interesting views of the Fan mountains and lakes Marghuzor, Aloviddin, Kuli Kalon and Iskandarkul. The basin of the lake Kuli Kalon includes the lakes Dushokha, Bibijannat, Siyoh, and Jangal, which are among the most beautiful landscapes of the valley. The magical nature of Aloviddin lakes and its surroundings captivates every spectator.
IS TAJIKISTAN SAFE?
The good news is, yes it is. With a low crime rate, a growing range of home-stay accommodation, a friendly population than some neighboring countries, Tajikistan is keen to push forward and to welcome travelers.
Tajikistan had foreign trade relations with 101 countries of the world, including 11 CIS countries and 90 far-abroad countries.
Tajikistan is a country of astounding natural beauty but as a solo female traveler, certain precautions need to be observed. While the local community is generally friendly, understanding of gender dynamics can be quite different. Street harassment can be an issue and in remote areas, there is a lack of consistent law enforcement. Many areas are safe yet vigilance is important, especially during the night. Depending on your travel habits, experiences may vary. It's crucial to respect local customs and dress modestly.
THE BEST POINTS
The Republic of Tajikistan has ranked first among 142 countries in the world in terms of security, stability, and public trust in law enforcement agencies. This information was obtained from the annual law and order ranking by the American analytics and advisory company “Gallup”. The top ten countries in the ranking include the Republic of Tajikistan with a score of 96, Finland – 92, Iceland – 92, Kuwait – 92, Luxembourg – 92, Norway, Vietnam – 92, Switzerland – 91, Denmark – 90, and Indonesia – 90. According to the survey conducted by the authors of the ranking, Tajik citizens stated that they do not feel any danger during nighttime strolls and trust law enforcement authorities.
Tajikistan's tourism industry has won the world's most prestigious business award - "The BIZZ Business Excellence Award 2019".
According to a survey conducted by the authoritative international magazine "Lonely Planet", Tajikistan ranks first among the 10 best regions for travel and travel on the Silk Road in Central Asia.
The British travel magazine “Wanderlust” presented and recommended for tourists to visit the Fedchenko, Garmchashma, Iskandarkul, Lake Sarez, Vakhon, Karakul and Chapdara glaciers as 7 natural wonders in 2020.
The Pacific Tourism Association (PATWA), recognized as one of the world's leading organizations in the field of tourism, in March 2020 declared the Republic of Tajikistan a stable and inviolable country for tourism.
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