Tajikistan
Table of Contents: Regions / Cities / Other destinations / Culture and History / Climate / Terrain / History / Travel to Tajikistan, visa requirements By car Flights to Tajikistan, airtickets Buses to Tajikistan By boat By train / Get around By minivan By plane 2 / Talk / Shopping, Tajikistan souvenirs / Good restaurants and cheap meals / Tajikistan nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs. / Hotels, youth hostels, lodging / Learn / Work / Stay safe / Stay healthy / Respect / Contact / Cope / Embassies More from Central Asia: Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan More from Asia: Caucasus, Central Asia, East Asia, Middle East, Southeast Asia |
Tajikistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia that borders Afghanistan to the south, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west and northwest. The ancient Silk Road passed through it.
Regions
- Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon* (Khorugh)
- Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa)
- Viloyati Sughd (Khujand)
Cities
- Dushanbe - Tajikistan's capital
- Khorugh
- Qurghonteppa
- Khujand
Other destinations
- Penjikent, a town next to the border, 70km from Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with ruins of an ancient city.
Culture and History
Climate
Midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains
Terrain
The Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate Tajikistan's landscape. The western Fergana Valley is in north, and the Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in the southwest.
The country's lowest point is at Syr Darya (300 m), and it's highest point is at Qullai Ismoili Somoni (7,495 m)
History
Tajikistan has experienced three changes in government and a five-year civil war since it gained independence in 1991 from the USSR. A peace agreement among rival factions was signed in 1997, and implemented in 2000. The central government's less than total control over some areas of the country has forced it to compromise and forge alliances among factions. Attention by the international community in the wake of the war in Afghanistan has brought increased economic development assistance, which could create jobs and increase stability in the long term. Tajikistan is in the early stages of seeking World Trade Organization membership and has joined NATO's Partnership for Peace.
Travel to Tajikistan, visa requirements
By car
Private cars and minivans run between Samarkand in Uzbekistan and Penjikent daily. From Osh in Kyrgyzstan minivans go to Murgab every few days for $15; hitch hiking on Kamaz trucks and ZIL petrol tankers is also possible anywhere enroute for $10.
Flights to Tajikistan, airtickets
There are flights from Moscow's Domodedovo airport to Dushanbe on Tajikistan Airlines, Domodedovo Airlines, and Samara Airlines. There are also flights to Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Kabul, Urumchi, Dubai, Tehran, Mashad, Istanbul, and Munich.
Buses to Tajikistan
By boat
By train
Get around
By minivan
Scheduled minivans run between the major cities but otherwise hiring a vehicle or sharing one with other passengers is the only way to travel around the country. Prices are generally per person, not for the vehicle and divided by the number of passengers.
Flights to Tajikistan, airtickets
As the country is broken into many isolated areas by mountain passes that are closed in winter travel during this time is by air only if the planes are flying.
Talk
Tajik is the main official language, but Russian is also an official language and most city-dwellers speak it better than Tajik.
Shopping, Tajikistan souvenirs
- Traditional Tajik padded coats. Comfortable and perfect for the colder weather in the mountains. The ensemble can be completed with a hat and sash.
- Mercedes Benz (approx. $7000) cars and Land Cruisers from Dushanbe's Sunday Car Market. Also available russian cars, jeeps and minivans and an assortment of other models.
- Vodka.
- Rugs and carpets
Good restaurants and cheap meals
Tajikistan nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.
Hotels, youth hostels, lodging
Learn
Work
Stay safe
Some factional fighting spilling over from nearby Afghanistan (as well as local warlordism) still occurs in Tajikistan. Visitors should keep abreast of the security situation and not take any unneccessary risks.
Stay healthy
Respect
Contact
Cope
Embassies
- United States - 109A Ismoili Somoni Avenue, Zarafshon, Dushanbe 734019, tel: +992-37-229-23-00, fax: +992-37-229-2309. The consular section is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and closed on U.S. and Tajik holidays.
More from Central Asia: Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan More from Asia: Caucasus, Central Asia, East Asia, Middle East, Southeast Asia |
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