Chapter I SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND HOUSING INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK A. GENERAL information 93% of its 143,100-square kilometre surface area. As a result, about half of the country lies Geographic situation above 3,000 metres.2 The major part of the Pamir Tajikistan is the smallest country in Central Asia. It Mountains, also known as the Roof of the World, borders on Kyrgyzstan to the north, Afghanistan to lies in Tajikistan. Tajikistan’s mountains are home the south, China to the east, and Uzbekistan to the to numerous glaciers that supply its rivers and lakes, west. The autonomous region of Gorno-Badakhshan and its dense river network provides abundant water (GBAO) occupies 45% of the country’s territory.1 resources to the country. The country’s population is mostly concentrated in the lowland areas, which Tajikistan is a landlocked country which has an are situated in the river valleys. extremely mountainous terrain. Mountains cover Figure 1. Map of Tajikistan KAZAKHSTAN Tashkent Angren TAJIKISTAN National capital Andizhan Viloyati Autonomous (V.A.) ya or viloyat centre TAJIKISTAN ar D Town or kishlak Taboshar r Sy Kokand Major airport International boundary Khujand Bekabad Kanibadam Viloyati Autonomous (V.A.) C Kayrakkum or viloyat boundary h k Reservoir a Main road l Isfara Uroteppa ov Secondary road sk Railroad UZBEKISTAN KYRGYZSTAN 0255075 100 km Shahriostan 0 25 50 75 mi Panjakent Ayni Zeravshan SUGHD N Jirgatal' a v a Lake b Garm ad ob au Karakul' CHINA Surkh agn i n R g Komsomolabad e Lairon t Sayod O a Childara bi r Sicharog kh Wakhio in aObigarm Tavildara Dashtishur g Dushanbe K ou d Tursunzade a Kofarnikhon v Nurek Kalaikhum go ar Rangkul' Hisor Nurek Reservoir K Kudara (Gissar) Vanj h khingo ya s Khovaling bi u r h O a ng k ta Murgab D a r Lake V Dangara a M n j B urga a Kulob n Sarezskoye b h a Kalot k r (Kulyab) P Rushan u KUHISTONI BADAKHSHON S Kalininabad O (GORNIY BADAKSHAN) q Shuroabad s Qurghonteppa u (Kurgan-Tyube) Dzhartyrabot n Moskovskiy a KHATLON Buved Vir g i n Kolkhozabad r Shaymak i f a Khorugh mez K er Nizhniy AFGHANISTAN T Panj Panj r h mi ar Shaartuz he a Amu D ya c P Shir Khan k Feyzabad w o Vrang K Kazidi nj Pa Ishkashim Kholm Taloqan The boundaries and names shown and the designations (Tashkurghan) used on this map do not imply official endorsement or Qonduz PAKISTAN acceptance by the United Nations. Khanabad Map No. 3765 Rev. 11 UNITED NATIONS Department of Field Support October 2009 Cartographic Section Source: UN Cartographic Section 1 United Nations Development Programme, “Tajikistan 2 Statistical Agency under the President of the Republic of Human Development Report 1998”, p. 130. Tajikistan, “Tajikistan in Figures 2009”, pp. 11–13. 5 Country profiles on the housing sector – Tajikistan The climate is continental, subtropical and generally head of State and the Government. The President semi-arid, but changes drastically according appoints and dismisses the Prime Minister, the heads to elevation. Tajikistan’s difficult topographic, of Government ministries, the chairs and deputies of geographic and climatic conditions have given way the National Bank, the judges of the Constitutional to a range of natural disasters like floods, avalanches, Court and the Supreme Court, as well as the mud flows, droughts, landslides and earthquakes. The Prosecutor General, and the Governors of the oblasts. most recent disasters that occurred were the extremely The President has the power to sign laws, formulate cold winter and droughts in 2008 and the heavy foreign policy and to sign international treaties. rainfalls in 2009 as well as mudslides and earthquake in January 2010. The legislative body is made up of a two- chambered Majlisi Oli (Parliament) which Picture 1. Family house destroyed by a landslide, Vanj district Source: UNECE. Political system3 consists of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Chamber of Representatives), which functions on a regular Tajikistan gained independence in September 1991 basis, and the Majlisi Milli (Regional Chamber), and officially adopted its Constitution in 1994, which which meets less frequently and functions on a serves as the legal framework for its political system. convening basis. The Parliament is the highest On the recommendation of the National Reconciliation organ of representation of Tajikistan. The Chamber Commission, established at the end of the civil war in of Representatives consists of 63 deputies directly 1997, major constitutional amendments were made. elected through a secret ballot voting procedure. The Constitution was further amended after a national The Regional Chamber, with its 33 members (plus referendum in June 2003. former Presidents who choose to become members), represents the regions. Twenty-five of the members The Constitution outlines a Presidential form of are elected indirectly at a meeting of all local governance with three branches of State power: assemblies within that region, with the country’s executive, legislative, and judicial. four oblasts and the capital city each having five representatives. The remaining eight members are The Executive Body consists of the Office of the appointed by the President. President and the Government. The President is the Tajikistan has a tripartite court system with no 3 Based on the Constitution of the Republic of Tajikistan. single centre of authority. The Constitutional Court, 6 Chapter I: Socio-economic conditionsand housing institutional framework the Supreme Court and the Higher Economic 1994, averaging 20% per year (table 1). However, with Court are separate from each other. The President the restoration of peace and stability after the signing submits the candidatures for judicial positions to the of the 1997 peace agreement, Tajikistan entered into Majlisi Milli for election to the three courts and the a new development phase. The economic, political Council of Justice, an executive body established and social situation started to improve through the by the 1999 constitutional amendment with various execution of tight fiscal and monetary policies, credit responsibilities within the judicial system. The monitoring, spending cuts, accelerated privatization, Council of Justice administers all lower courts and land reforms and disciplined social spending.5 GDP recommends appointment and dismissal of judges. started growing and continued its positive trend until The Council of Justice reports to the President. 2009. Growth between 2000 and 2008 was strong, averaging about 8% per year. Strong economic The country is divided into four administrative regions (Oblast):4 Gorno-Badakhstan Autonomous Table 1. GDP growth rates, 1990–2009 (%) Oblast in the east; Khatlon Oblast in the south; Sogd Oblast in the north; and the Region of Republican Subordination in the centre. The capital of Tajikistan Year Change in real GDP is Dushanbe, with over 600,000 habitants. The powers of GBAO are also regulated by the national laws of 1990–1994 -20.2 the Republic of Tajikistan. 1995 -12.5 The local government consists of representative and 1996 -16.7 executive authorities (Hukumats). Their function is to 1997 1.7 ensure that the Constitution, laws and decrees by the Majlisi Oli and the President are implemented. The 1998 5.3 local representative authority consisting of people’s 1999 3.7 delegates from the oblast, towns and rayons form an assembly or majlis headed by a chair. The local 2000 8.3 executive authority is attributed to the President’s 2001 9.6 representative to the oblast, town or rayon. Local self- government in settlements and villages is formed by a 2002 10.8 local organization (Jamoat). 2003 11.0 Overall economic development 2004 10.3 2005 6.7 Economic and social conditions in Tajikistan in the early 1990s reflected the severe difficulties the 2006 7.0 country experienced in its transition from a planned 2007 7.8 to a market economy. These difficulties were further exacerbated by the heavy impact of the withdrawal of 2008 7.9 subsidies from the Russian Federation after the break- up of the Soviet Union. Five years of civil unrest, 2009 3.4 which started less than a year after its independence, Sources: The average rate for the period 1990–1994: derailed the implementation of economic reforms and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Country Report further aggravated the country’s difficult situation. The No. 05/131, April 2005, p. 8. Other statistics from the United Nations-led peace process resulted in a power- Statistical Agency under President of the Republic of sharing agreement between concerned parties in 1997 Tajikistan. and the General Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and National Accord in Tajikistan was signed. growth since 2000 was not only influenced by the implementation of macroeconomic and structural Tajikistan’s economy was seriously weakened by reforms, but also by favourable external factors. the civil war. There was a drastic decline in gross These include high market prices for the country’s top domestic product (GDP) output between 1990 and export commodities, such as aluminium and cotton, and also high demand for migrant labour, especially 4 Statistical Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, “Tajikistan in Figures 2009”. 5 Ibid, p. 13. 7 Country profiles on the housing sector – Tajikistan from the Russian Federation. The significantly large of all exports in 2008. The energy shortage in early amount of remittances from labour migrants played a 2009 affected aluminium production and so did the significant role in boosting the economy of Tajikistan much lower demand and prices during the global as well. The latest statistics show that economic economic crisis. growth in 2009 decreased to 3.4%, mainly because of higher oil prices, the global economic downturn and The country is also heavily reliant on export revenues the severe energy shortages during the winter season. from electricity, which in 2008 accounted for 4.2% of the country’s total exports.