Tajikistan is a country in Central Asia surrounded by Afghanistan, China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. It’s known for rugged mountains, popular for hiking and climbing. The Fann Mountains, near the national capital Dushanbe, have snow-capped peaks that rise over 5,000 meters. The range encompasses the Iskanderkulsky Nature Refuge, a notable bird habitat named for Iskanderkul, a turquoise lake formed by glaciers.
Languages: Tajik, Uzbek, Russian
Ethnic Groups: Tajik 79.9%, Uzbek 15.3%, Russian 1.1%, Kyrgyz 1.1%, other 2.6%
Belief Systems: Sunni Muslim 85%, Shia Muslim 5%, other 10%
Demogrpahics:
Population: 7.29 million people (World Rank: 101st) (2014 estimate)
Population Density: 133 people/mi^2 (People per Square Mile) (World Rank: 159th) (2014 estimate)
Population Growth: 1.48 %/yr (World Rank: 84th) (2013 estimate)
Life Expectancy: 67.2 years (World Rank: 172nd) (2013 estimate)
Median Age: 21.2 years (World Rank: 142nd) (2010 estimate)
Sites for More Information:
Map of Tajikistan
Worldatlas.com
Tajikistan
World Factbook
Tajikistan - Country Profile
U.S. Library of Congress
Tajikistan - General Information
Encyclopedia.com
Tajik Embassy
in Washington D.C.
Tajik Government Web Sites
by Gunnar Anzinger
Travel Info for Tajikistan
Travelnotes.org
