Tajikistan

Republic of Tajikistan

Central Asia Dushanbe

Population

10.59M

Area

144,100 km²

GDP

$14.21B

GDP Per Capita

$4,800

Pop. Density

74/km²

Quick Facts

Currency

ЅМTajikistani somoni(TJS)

Calling Code

+992

Timezone

UTC+05:00

Languages

Russian, Tajik

Driving Side

right

Demonym

Tadzhik

Background

The Tajik people came under Russian imperial rule in the 1860s and 1870s, but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution of 1917. At that time, bands of indigenous guerrillas (known as "basmachi") fiercely contested Bolshevik control of the area, which was not fully reestablished until 1925. Tajikistan was first established as an autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic in 1924, but in 1929 the Soviet Union made Tajikistan as a separate republic and transferred to it much of present-day Sughd Province. Ethnic Uzbeks form a substantial minority in Tajikistan, and ethnic Tajiks an even larger minority in Uzbekistan. Tajikistan became independent in 1991 after the breakup of the Soviet Union, and the country experienced a civil war among political, regional, and religious factions from 1992 to 1997.

Despite Tajikistan's general elections for both the presidency (once every seven years) and legislature (once every five years), observers note an electoral system rife with irregularities and abuse, and results that are neither free nor fair. President Emomali RAHMON, who came to power in 1992 during the civil war and was first elected president in 1994, used an attack planned by a disaffected deputy defense minister in 2015 to ban the last major opposition party in Tajikistan. RAHMON further strengthened his position by having himself declared "Founder of Peace and National Unity, Leader of the Nation," with limitless terms and lifelong immunity through constitutional amendments ratified in a referendum. The referendum also lowered the minimum age required to run for president from 35 to 30, which made RAHMON's first-born son Rustam EMOMALI, the mayor of the capital city of Dushanbe, eligible to run for president in 2020. RAHMON orchestrated EMOMALI's selection in 2020 as chairman of the Majlisi Milli (the upper chamber of Tajikistan's parliament), positioning EMOMALI as next in line of succession for the presidency. RAHMON opted to run in the presidential election later that year and received 91% of the vote.

The country remains the poorest of the former Soviet republics. Tajikistan became a member of the WTO in 2013, but its economy continues to face major challenges, including dependence on remittances from Tajikistani migrant laborers in Russia and Kazakhstan, pervasive corruption, the opiate trade, and destabilizing violence emanating from neighboring Afghanistan. Tajikistan has endured several domestic security incidents since 2010, including armed conflict between government forces and local strongmen in the Rasht Valley and between government forces and informal leaders in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast. Tajikistan suffered its first ISIS-claimed attack in 2018, when assailants attacked a group of Western bicyclists, killing four. Friction between forces on the border between Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic flared up in 2021, culminating in fatal clashes between border forces in 2021 and 2022.

Historical Trends

GDP (USD)

↑401.9% since 2006

$3B (2006)$14B (2024)

Population

↑50.1% since 2006

7.1M (2006)10.6M (2024)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Latest: 71.8 years

2006: 67.0 years2023: 71.8 years

Data source: World Bank Open Data

Geography19

Location

Central Asia, west of China, south of Kyrgyzstan

Geographic coordinates

39 00 N, 71 00 E

Map references

Asia

Area

total : 144,100 sq km
land: 141,510 sq km
water: 2,590 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Land boundaries

total: 4,130 km
border countries: Afghanistan 1,357 km; China 477 km; Kyrgyzstan 984 km; Uzbekistan 1,312 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Climate

mid-latitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains

Terrain

mountainous region dominated by the Alay Mountains in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofirnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Elevation

highest point: Qullai Somoniyon 7,495 m
lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m
mean elevation: 3,186 m

Natural resources

hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold

Land use

agricultural land

27.9% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 6.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 20.4% (2023 est.)

forest

3.1% (2023 est.)

other

69% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

5,681 sq km (2022)

Major rivers (by length in km)

Syr Darya (shared with Kyrgyzstan [s], Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan [m]) - 3,078 km; Amu Darya river source (shared with Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan [m]) - 2,620 km

note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Tarim Basin (1,152,448 sq km), (Aral Sea Basin) Amu Darya (534,739 sq km), Syr Darya (782,617 sq km)

Population distribution

the population is concentrated at lower elevations, with perhaps as many as 90% living in valleys; overall density increases from east to west

Natural hazards

earthquakes; floods

Geography - note

landlocked; highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountain in the former USSR

People & Society35

Population

total: 10,593,876 (2025 est.)
male: 5,322,920
female: 5,270,956

Nationality

noun: Tajikistani(s)
adjective: Tajikistani

Ethnic groups

Tajik 84.3% (includes Pamiri and Yagnobi), Uzbek 13.8%, other 2% (includes Kyrgyz, Russian, Turkmen, Tatar, Arab) (2014 est.)

Languages

Languages: Tajik (official) 84.4%, Uzbek 11.9%, Kyrgyz 0.8%, Russian 0.5%, other 2.4% (2010 est.)
major-language sample(s):
Китоби Фактҳои Ҷаҳонӣ, манбаи бебадали маълумоти асосӣ (Tajik)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

Muslim 98% (Sunni 95%, Shia 3%) other 2% (2014 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 36.9% (male 1,953,472/female 1,877,192)
15-64 years: 59.3% (male 3,086,964/female 3,071,642)
65 years and over: 3.9% (2024 est.) (male 181,382/female 223,411)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 68.5 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 61.5 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 6.9 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 14.5 (2025 est.)

Median age

total: 22.8 years (2025 est.)
male: 22.3 years
female: 23.2 years

Population growth rate

1.89% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

25.31 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

4.45 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

-1.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

the population is concentrated at lower elevations, with perhaps as many as 90% living in valleys; overall density increases from east to west

Urbanization

urban population: 28.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.73% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

987,000 DUSHANBE (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

23.2 years (2017 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

14 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 20.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 24.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.9 years (2024 est.)
male: 70.1 years
female: 73.8 years

Total fertility rate

3.52 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.71 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban

urban: 95.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 76.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 81.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 4.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 23.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 18.1% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 8% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 6.4% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

1.87 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Hospital bed density

4.3 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban

urban: 98.9% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 99.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0.6% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

14.2% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 0.85 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

5.2% (2023 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

68% (2020 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 0.1% (2017)
women married by age 18: 8.7% (2017)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 5.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 19.3% national budget (2024 est.)

Literacy

female: 94.6% (2017 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 12 years (2024 est.)
male: 12 years (2024 est.)
female: 11 years (2024 est.)

Government25

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Tajikistan

conventional short form

Tajikistan

local long form

Jumhurii Tojikiston

local short form

Tojikiston

former

Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

etymology

the Persian suffix -ostan means "land," so the country name means "Land of the Tajik [people];" the name Tajik comes from the Sanskrit tajika, a name originally used to distinguish Arabs from Turks and derived from the Tay, an Arab people

Government type

presidential republic

Capital

name: Dushanbe
geographic coordinates: 38 33 N, 68 46 E
time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name means Monday in Persian; today's city was originally at the crossroads where a large bazaar was held on Mondays, or the second day (du) after Saturday (shambe)

Administrative divisions

2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor), 1 capital region** (viloyati poytakht), and 1 area referred to as Districts Under Republic Administration***; Dushanbe**, Khatlon (Bokhtar), Kuhistoni Badakhshon [Gorno-Badakhshan]* (Khorugh), Nohiyahoi Tobei Jumhuri***, Sughd (Khujand)

Legal system

civil law system

Constitution

history: several previous; latest adopted 6 November 1994
amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or by at least one third of the total membership of both houses of the Supreme Assembly; adoption of any amendment requires a referendum, which includes approval of the president or approval by at least two-thirds majority of the Assembly of Representatives; passage in a referendum requires participation of an absolute majority of eligible voters and an absolute majority of votes; constitutional articles, including Tajikistan’s form of government, its territory, and its democratic nature, cannot be amended

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Tajikistan
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years or 3 years of continuous residence prior to application

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state

President Emomali RAHMON (since 16 November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly Chairman since 20 November 1992)

head of government

Prime Minister Qohir RASULZODA (since 23 November 2013)

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Supreme Assembly

election/appointment process

president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 7-year term (two-term limit), but as the "Leader of the Nation," president has no term limit; prime minister appointed by the president

most recent election date

11 October 2020

election results

2020: Emomali RAHMON reelected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMON (PDPT) 92.1%, Rustam LATIFZODA (APT) 3.1%, other 4.8%

2013: Emomali RAHMON reelected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMON (PDPT) 84%, Ismoil TALBAKOV CPT) 5%, other 11%

expected date of next election

2027

Legislative branch

legislature name: Supreme Council (Majlisi Oli)
legislative structure: bicameral

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

House of Representatives (Majlisi namoyandogon)

number of seats

63 (all directly elected)

electoral system

mixed system

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

most recent election date

3/2/2025

parties elected and seats per party

People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan (PDPT) (49); Agrarian Party of Tajikistan (APT) (7); Party of Economic Reforms of Tajikistan (PERT) (5); Other (2)

percentage of women in chamber

28.6%

expected date of next election

March 2030

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

National Assembly (Majlisi milli)

number of seats

33 (25 indirectly elected; 8 appointed)

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

most recent election date

3/28/2025

percentage of women in chamber

30.3%

expected date of next election

March 2030

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chairman, deputy chairmen, and 34 judges organized into civil, family, criminal, administrative offense, and military chambers); Constitutional Court (consists of the court chairman, deputy chairman, and 5 judges); High Economic Court (consists of 16 judicial positions)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, and High Economic Court judges nominated by the president and approved by the National Assembly; judges of all 3 courts appointed for 10-year renewable terms with no term limits, but the last appointment must occur before the age of 65
subordinate courts: regional and district courts; Dushanbe City Court; viloyat (province-level) courts; Court of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region

Political parties

Agrarian Party of Tajikistan or APT
Democratic Party or DPT
Party of Economic Reforms or PERT
People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT
Socialist Party of Tajikistan or SPT

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Zavqi ZAVQIZODA (since 14 November 2025)
chancery: 1005 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090
FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091
email address and website:
[email protected]

https://mfa.tj/en/washington

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Manuel P. MICALLER Jr. (since 9 March 2023)

embassy

109-A Ismoili Somoni Avenue (Zarafshon district), Dushanbe 734019

mailing address

7090 Dushanbe Place, Washington DC  20521-7090

telephone

[992] (37) 229-20-00

FAX

[992] (37) 229-20-50

email address and website

[email protected]

https://tj.usembassy.gov/

International organization participation

ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Independence

9 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday

Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Flag

description: three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a gold crown under seven five-pointed gold stars is in the center of the white stripe

meaning: red stands for the sun, victory, and the unity of the nation; white for purity, cotton, and mountain snows; green for Islam and nature's bounty; the crown symbolizes the Tajik people; the stars represent the number seven, which is considered a symbol of perfection and the embodiment of happiness

National symbol(s)

arc of seven five-pointed stars over a crown, Marco Polo sheep

National color(s)

red, white, green

National anthem(s)

title: "Surudi milli" (National Anthem)
lyrics/music: Gulnazar KELDI/Sulaimon YUDAKOV
history: adopted 1994; after the fall of the Soviet Union, Tajikistan kept the music of its Soviet-era anthem, but adopted new lyrics

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 5 (3 cultural, 2 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Proto-urban Site of Sarazm (c); Tajik National Park (Mountains of the Pamirs) (n); Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor (c); Tugay forests of the Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve (n); Cultural Heritage Sites of Ancient Khuttal (c)

Economy31

Economic overview

lower-middle-income Central Asian economy; large infrastructure projects, including Rogun Dam, and a push towards green development and digitalization driving growth; strong metal mining, electricity, and manufacturing industries; challenges include land scarcity, climate vulnerability, and complex bureaucratic processes for investors

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $50.37 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $46.467 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $42.905 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2024: 8.4% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 8.3% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 8% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024: $4,800 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $4,500 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $4,200 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$14.205 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019: 7.7% (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018: 3.9% (2018 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017: 7.3% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 22.9% (2023 est.)
industry: 33.6% (2023 est.)
services: 34.7% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption

89.6% (2023 est.)

government consumption

10.7% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

28.3% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

3.4% (2023 est.)

exports of goods and services

17.2% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-48.4% (2023 est.)

Agricultural products

potatoes, milk, wheat, watermelons, onions, tomatoes, carrots/turnips, cotton, vegetables, grapes (2023)

Industries

aluminum, cement, coal, gold, silver, antimony, textile, vegetable oil

Industrial production growth rate

9.9% (2023 est.)

Labor force

2.78 million (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2024: 11.7% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 11.6% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 11.7% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 27.1% (2024 est.)
male: 30% (2024 est.)
female: 23.3% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

20.4% (2023 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015: 34 (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3% (2015 est.)
highest 10%: 26.4% (2015 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2024: 47.9% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 37.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 49.9% of GDP (2022 est.)

Budget

revenues: $2.911 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures: $3.036 billion (2023 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016: 42% of GDP (2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

10.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2024: $887.016 million (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: $584.022 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $1.635 billion (2022 est.)

Exports

Exports 2024: $1.618 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $2.105 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $1.753 billion (2022 est.)

Exports - partners

Switzerland 31%, Kazakhstan 18%, China 17%, Uzbekistan 10%, Turkey 8% (2023)

Exports - commodities

gold, precious metal ore, aluminum, lead ore, antimony (2023)

Imports

Imports 2024: $6.907 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $5.931 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $5.261 billion (2022 est.)

Imports - partners

China 57%, Kazakhstan 13%, Uzbekistan 8%, Turkey 6%, UAE 4% (2023)

Imports - commodities

garments, footwear, cars, wheat, vehicle parts/accessories (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $3.304 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $3.847 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021: $2.499 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023: $3.024 billion (2023 est.)

Exchange rates

Currency

Tajikistani somoni (TJS) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

10.799 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

10.845 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

11.031 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

11.309 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

10.322 (2020 est.)

Energy7

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 99%
electrification - rural areas: 100%

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 6.481 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 15.275 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 3.101 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 714.025 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 3.94 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 7.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 92.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

production: 2.394 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption: 2.297 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 475,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 147,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 4.075 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 300 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 31,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 12 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas

production: 18.476 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 43.767 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 24.196 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 5.663 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 16.192 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Communications6

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 502,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 7.92 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 119 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

state-run broadcaster has 9 national TV and 10 radio stations, and 4 regional stations; 31 independent TV and 20 independent radio stations broadcast locally and regionally; Russian and other foreign stations available via cable and satellite (2016)

Internet country code

.tj

Internet users

percent of population: 57% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 6,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1

Transportation4

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

19 (2025)

Heliports

1 (2025)

Railways

total: 680 km (2014)
broad gauge: 680 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge

Military & Security6

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan: Ground Forces, Mobile Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces

Tajik National Guard (TNG); Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Troops of Tajikistan; State Committee on National Security: Border Troops (aka Tajik Border Service) (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2024: 1.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 1.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimated 10,000 active Armed Forces; estimated 5-10,000 active paramilitary National Guard, Border Service, and Internal Troops personnel (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military is equipped with mostly older Russian and Soviet-era armaments; it also has smaller amounts of items from suppliers such as China, Türkiye, and the US (2025)

Military service age and obligation

18-27 years of age for compulsory (men only) or voluntary (men and women) military service; up to a 24-month service obligation for conscripts based on education level (2025)

Military - note

the military's primary concerns are terrorism, border security, territorial defense, and regional security, particularly in neighboring Afghanistan; Russia is traditionally Tajikistan’s most important security partner and thousands of Russian troops are stationed in the country, primarily at the 201st military base, which Moscow has leased until at least 2042; Russia and Tajikistan have a joint air defense system, and they conduct periodic joint exercises; Tajikistan has been a member of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) since 1994 and contributes troops to CSTO's rapid reaction force; Tajikistan also cooperates on security matters with China, including joint military training

Tajikistan is the only former Soviet republic that did not form its armed forces from old Soviet Army units following the collapse of the USSR in 1991; rather, Russia retained command of the Soviet units there while the Tajik government raised a military from scratch; the first ground forces were officially created in 1993 from groups that fought for the government during the Tajik Civil War (2025)

Transnational Issues1

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 15,191 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 238 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 4,466 (2024 est.)

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