Tajikistan Proud Mountain Nation cenically spectacular, culturally rich, patchwork of valleys, often making communication and emergent from a difficult post-Soviet difficult.Tajikistan is endowed with numerous transformation are apt ways to describe rivers, principal among them being the Amu Darya, Tajikistan. A ride along the Pamir Highway Syr Darya, Pianj, Vakhsh, and Kofarnihon. Stakes a visitor through high-altitude terrain as scenic as anywhere on the planet. The Persian- Ethnically, the country’s estimated 7 million people rooted Tajik language, distinct from the Turkik ones are 80% Tajik, 15% Uzbek, and 1% Russian and of the rest of the region, bespeaks the nation’s Kyrgyz each. Other nationalities include Germans, cultural diversity. Independence, civil war, and Koreans, Turkmen, and Ukrainians, as well as small consolidation mark the transformative steps Iranian ethnic groups. Though Tajik is the official Tajikistan has taken to evolve into a proud nation. state language, Russian is widely used in business and Uzbek is spoken by roughly 25% of the Tajikistan has an area of 142,557 square population. Nearly three-quarters of the population kilometers, and stretches roughly 700 kilometers live in rural areas. east to west and 350 kilometers north to south. It is the region’s smallest country, and shares borders with the Kyrgyz Republic to the north, From Growing Pains to Upper: Yaks grazing near the village of Tokhtamysh in the Aksu Valley in Uzbekistan to the north and west, Afghanistan Growing Economy the Pamir mountains. Lower: A young to the south, and the People’s Republic of China boy riding his donkey carries firewood to the east. Some 93% of land is mountainous, While each of its regional neighbors experienced along the banks of the Vakhsh River in Sangtuda. and approximately half lies 3,000 meters or more economic disruption in the period following the above sea level. Desert and semidesert zones 1991 breakup of the former Soviet Union, only are found in the south and southwest. To the Tajikistan suffered the turmoil of civil war (1992– southeast and east rise the Pamir Mountains, and 1997). During this painful period, tens of thousands to the north are the Alay and Kurama ranges. The were killed or displaced, the economy weakened, vast mountains separate the country into various and wildlife and protected areas deteriorated. In regions, and further separate these regions into a 1997, a brokered peace marked a new chapter 38 Central Asia Atlas of Natural Resources 69°0'E 74°0'E National capital N Provincial capital District capital 50 25 0 50 100 Railway Shaidon 40°30'N Buston Kilometers Main road 40°30'N River Khudzand Kayrakkum District boundary Zafarabad Res. Kanibadam Provincial boundary Gafurov Proletarsk Isfara International boundary UZBEKISTAN Ganchi Istaravshan Boundaries are not necessarily authoritative. KYRGYZ REPUBLIC Shahriston Pendzhekent Sughd Region Madrushkat Ayni PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC Dzhirgital OF CHINA Garm Lake Tojikobod Regions of Republican Karakul Subordination Nurabod Varzob Tavildara Rogun Shahrinav DUSHANBE Tursunzade Faizabod Gorno-Badakhshan Hisor Vahdat Somoniyon Nurek Autonomous Region Khatlon Kalaikhum Vanch Nurek Res. Yavan Region Baljovon Muminabad Lake Obikiik Dangara Sarez Murgab 38°0'N Temurmalikskiy 38°0'N Kuibyshevsk Rushan Kulyab Vose Kurgan-Tyube Sarband Shuroabod Vakhsh Khamadoni Kolkhozabod Kubodiyon Dzhilikul Farkhor Khorog Dusti Beshkent Shaartuz Medon Pyandzh AFGHANISTAN Tajikistan Ishkashim 69°0'E 74°0'E of stability. Reconstruction in the aftermath of the while that of orchards is increasing. Still, cotton long civil conflict was slow. The country, however, contributes about 20% of exports, is farmed on has made substantial progress, with gross domestic 75% of irrigated land, supports 75% of farm product growth averaging roughly 8.6% over the households, and is the primary source of income last 5 years, incidence of poverty falling from for 75% of poor households. But as in other parts 81.0% to 44.4% between 1999 and 2003, and of the region, cotton has been planted extensively people living with less than the revised standard of in semiarid tracts using irrigation networks that US$2.15 per day, declining from 81% to less than have not been well maintained, resulting in soil 60% between 1999 and 2007. damage from salinity and chemical fertilizers and the spread of toxic elements to downstream fields, Although poverty has shown significant declines, endangering populations. Since independence, and progress has also been made in education, Tajikistan has stopped using toxic chemicals in Tajikistan remains the poorest nation in Central agriculture and greatly reduced the amounts of Asia and one of the poorest in the world. mineral fertilizers applied. Moreover, its growing economy is undergoing accelerating inflation, led by increases in food and Tajikistan’s aluminum industry, which provides energy prices in recent years. almost 40% of exports, is a key performer Young girls in colorful dresses for but another cause of environmental concern. the national festival of Navrus, which Aluminum is produced at the state-owned Tajik takes place around the spring equinox Economics and the Environment Aluminum smelter (TadAz) in Tursunzade. The (21 March) and is the biggest Central Asian holiday. smelter is the country’s largest enterprise and Aluminum and cotton have long been the among the world’s largest smelters. However, mainstays of the Tajik economy. But cotton is now it is extremely energy inefficient and, being of losing its priority in the economy and its place Soviet-era design, there are a number of legacies, is being taken by fruits and other horticultural which include contamination of the surrounding products. The area planted to cotton is decreasing environment. Tajikistan 39 On an environmentally bright note, the robust energy demands through release of water in the economic growth in 2007 was driven by rapid winter, which affects downstream countries. Better expansion outside the aluminum and cotton intercountry water management and enforceable sectors. In fact, industry almost doubled its rate agreements are needed. of growth in almost all subsectors but aluminum, with expansion in construction materials, food processing, and textiles leading the way. Non- Rich Biota In Need of Protection cotton agriculture also expanded, driven by higher production of livestock, fruits, and vegetables, Tajikistan has diverse ecosystems and a wide as did the service sector, thanks to expansion in array of flora and fauna. Plant species number in construction, finance, and trade—evidence of the thousands. They reflect altitude zonation, and increasing consumer spending and demand. This range from arid to alpine, polar, and subtropical multisector expansion suggests solid movement vegetation, with alpine meadows, and mountain toward a more diversified economy. Remittances and tugai forests comprising the most productive from Tajik workers employed in the construction and diverse ecosystems. But these ecosystems and oil sectors in Kazakhstan and the Russian are under threat. Unsustainable agricultural Federation also played a part in boosting the Tajik and industrial practices have resulted in land economy and bringing in much-needed foreign degradation, while natural disasters, such as exchange capital. earthquakes, droughts, and floods have, in some instances, combined to make things worse. Deforestation, land erosion, and salinization are Immense Water Resources common, and have degraded mountains, lowland Top: Rolling hillsides of Sangtuda, plains, and valleys alike. Provision of safe drinking southern Tajikistan. Middle: Fruits Tajikistan is rich in mineral resources, including water in cities and towns has also become a major and vegetables, such as these gold, silver, and uranium. As with the Kyrgyz concern. onions, contribute to the economy’s growth. Bottom: About a third of poor Republic, however, water may be its greatest households in the country rely on cotton. resource asset. The country’s hydro capacity Reversing years of environmental abuse dating places it among the top 10 nations in the from the Soviet era will take time. And due to civil world for hydropower potential. Hydropower conflicts in the 1990s,Tajikistan had gotten off to a provides virtually all of the country’s electricity much slower start than its neighbors. There is hope, needs, yet only a tiny percentage of estimated however. Regarding “water, the atmosphere, flora, capacity is used. Projects under way to exploit fauna, and other natural resources,” Article 13 of this vast unused potential include the Rogun the Republic of Tajikistan Constitution has this to station on the Vakhsh and Dashtijum station say: “the government guarantees their effective on the Pianj; others are being considered. utilization in the interests of the people.” Plans are also being made to build networks for electricity export outside the region. The Law on Nature Protection strengthens this mandate by establishing frameworks to Like the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan lacks prevent environmental degradation, and ensure alternative energy resources and so meets its environmental quality. With so many of Tajikistan’s 40 Central Asia Atlas of Natural Resources people living in rural areas and depending on are encouraging. Economic growth will continue, Left: The remote Pamir Highway, also known as the Rooftop of the World. natural resources, protection of the environment is however, only if environmental laws are Right: A