Chapter 110
Current issues: Tajikistan has experienced three changes of government since it gained independence in September 1991. The current president, Emomali RAHMONOV, was elected in November 1994, yet has been in power since 1992. The country is suffering through its fourth year of a civil conflict, with no clear end in sight. Underlying the conflict are deeply rooted regional and clan-based animosities that pit a government consisting of people primarily from the Kulob (Kulyab), Khujand (Leninabad), and Hisor (Hissar) regions against a secular and Islamic-led opposition from the Gharm, Gorno-Badakhshan, and Qurghonteppa (Kurgan-Tyube) regions. Government and opposition representatives have held periodic rounds of UN-mediated peace talks and agreed in September 1994 to a cease-fire which has been periodically extended. Russian-led peacekeeping troops are deployed throughout the country, and Russian-commanded border guards are stationed along the Tajikistani-Afghan border.
@Tajikistan:Geography
Location: Central Asia, west of China
Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 71 00 E
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States
Area: total : 143,100 sq km land: 142,700 sq km water: 400 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Land boundaries: total: 3,651 km border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains
Terrain: Pamirs and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Syrdariya 300 m highest point: Qullai Kommunizm 7,495 m
Natural resources: significant hydropower potential, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten
Land use: arable land : 6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 4% other: 65% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 6,390 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides; part of the basin of the shrinking Aral Sea suffers from severe overutilization of available water for irrigation and associated pollution
Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: landlocked
@Tajikistan:People
Population: 5,945,903 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% (male 1,263,725; female 1,234,730) 15-64 years : 53% (male 1,578,940; female 1,599,458) 65 years and over: 5% (male 114,118; female 154,932) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.18% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 27.93 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 7.74 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -8.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 109.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.68 years male : 61.55 years female: 67.97 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.58 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Tajikistani(s) adjective: Tajikistani
Ethnic groups: Tajik 64.9%, Uzbek 25%, Russian 3.5% (declining because of emigration), other 6.6%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 5%
Languages: Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 97% (1989 est.)
@Tajikistan:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Republic of Tajikistan conventional short form: Tajikistan local long form: Jumhurii Tojikistan local short form: none former : Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: TI
Government type: republic
National capital: Dushanbe
Administrative divisions: 2 oblasts (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and one autonomous oblast* (viloyati avtonomii); Viloyati Avtonomii Badakhshoni Kuni* (Khorugh - formerly Khorog), Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa - formerly Kurgan-Tyube), Viloyati Leninobod (Khujand - formerly Leninabad) note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses
Independence: 9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: National Day, 9 September (1991)
Constitution: new constitution adopted 6 November 1994
Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state : President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6 November 1994; head of state and Assembly chairman since NA November 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Yahyo AZIMOV (since 8 February 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president who proposes them to the Supreme Assembly for approval elections : president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 6 November 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 58%, Abdumalik ABDULLAJANOV 40%
Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli (181 seats; members are popularly elected to serve five-year terms) elections : last held 26 February and 12 March 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; estimated seats by party - Communist Party and affiliates 100, People's Party 10, Party of People's Unity 6, Party of Economic and Political Renewal 1, other 64
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: People's Party of Tajikistan [Abdumajid DOSTIYEV]; National Revival Bloc [Abdumalik ABDULLOJONOV]; Tajik Communist Party [Shodi SHABDOLOV]; Democratic Party [Jumaboy NIYAZOV, chairman]; Islamic Renaissance Party or IRP [Mohammed Sharif HIMMATZODA, chairman]; Rebirth (Rastokhez) [Takhir ABDUZHABOROV]; Lali Badakhshan Society [Atobek AMIRBEK]; Tajikistan Party of Economic and Political Renewal or TPEPR; Citizenship, Patriotism, Unity Party [Bobokhon MAHMADOV]; Adolatho "Justice" Party [Abdurahmon KARIMOV, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Tajikistan Opposition Movement based in northern Afghanistan [Seyed Abdullah NURI, chairman]
International organization participation: CIS, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM, ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Tajikistan does not have an embassy in the US, but has a mission at the UN: address - 136 East 67th Street, New York, NY 10021, telephone - [1] (212) 472-7645, FAX - [1] (212) 628-0252; permanent representative to the UN is Rashid ALIMOV
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador R. Grant SMITH embassy : interim chancery, Oktyabrskaya Hotel, 105A Prospect Rudaki, Dushanbe 734001 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone : [7] (3772) 21-03-56 FAX: Telex (787) 20116
Flag description: three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven five-pointed gold stars is located in the center of the white stripe
Economy
Economy - overview: Tajikistan had the next-to-lowest per capita GDP in the former USSR, the highest rate of population growth, an extremely low standard of living, and rampant inflation. Agriculture dominates the economy, with cotton being the most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but limited in amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry is limited to a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry and food processing. The Tajik economy has been gravely weakened by four years of civil conflict and by the loss of subsidies from Moscow and of markets for its products, which has left Tajikistan dependent on Russia and Uzbekistan and on international humanitarian assistance for much of its basic subsistence needs. Moreover, constant political turmoil and the continued dominance by former communist officials have impeded the introduction of meaningful economic reforms. The regime made initial efforts to stabilize the economy and promote reform in 1996.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $5.4 billion (1996 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)
GDP - real growth rate: -17% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $920 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 65% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 1.9 million (1996) by occupation: agriculture and forestry 52%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 17%, services 31% (1995)
Unemployment rate: 2.4% includes only officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of underemployed workers and unregistered unemployed people (December 1996)
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures : $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers
Industrial production growth rate: -20% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 4.44 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 16.8 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 2,135 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats
Exports: total value: $768 million (1996 est.) commodities : cotton, aluminum, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles partners: FSU 78%, Netherlands (1994)
Imports: total value: $657 million (1996 est.) commodities: fuel, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, textiles, foodstuffs partners : FSU 55%, Switzerland, UK (1994)
Debt - external: $635 million (of which $250 million to Russia) (1995 est.)
Economic aid: recipient : ODA, $22 million (1993) note: commitments, $885 million (disbursements $115 million) (1992-95)
Currency: the Tajikistani ruble (TSR) = 100 tanga; Tajikistan introduced its own currency in May 1995
Exchange rates: Tajikistani rubles (TJR) per US$1 - 350 (January 1997), 284 (January 1996)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Tajikistan:Communications
Telephones: 303,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: poorly developed and not well maintained; many towns are not reached by the national network domestic: cable and microwave radio relay international: linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics, and by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 2 Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations: 1 state-owned radio broadcast station
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 note : 1 Intelsat earth station provides TV receive-only service from Turkey
Televisions: NA
@Tajikistan:Transportation
Railways: total: 480 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines (1990)
Highways: total: 32,752 km paved: 21,119 km (note - these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, meaning that some are paved and some are all-weather gravel surfaced) unpaved: 11,633 km (1992 est.)
Pipelines: natural gas 400 km (1992)
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 59 (1994 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total : 14 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1994 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m : 36 (1994 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force, Presidential National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,393,416 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 1,143,159 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 60,832 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: 180 billion rubles (1995); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.4% (1995)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: boundary with China in dispute; territorial dispute with Kyrgyzstan on northern boundary in Isfara Valley area; foreign support to Islamic fighters based in northern Afghanistan in Tajikistan's civil war
Illicit drugs: limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption; increasingly used as transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia to Russia and Western Europe ______________________________________________________________________
TANZANIA
@Tanzania:Geography
Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 35 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total : 945,090 sq km land: 886,040 sq km water: 59,050 sq km note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar
Area - comparative: slightly larger than twice the size of California
Land boundaries: total : 3,402 km border countries: Burundi 451 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km
Coastline: 1,424 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands
Terrain: plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south
Elevation extremes: lowest point : Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m
Natural resources: hydropower potential, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops : 1% permanent pastures: 40% forests and woodland: 38% other: 18% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,500 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: the tsetse fly; flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season
Environment - current issues: soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Desertification
Geography - note: Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa
@Tanzania:People
Population: 29,460,753 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 6,597,703; female 6,638,333) 15-64 years: 52% (male 7,496,133; female 7,868,581) 65 years and over: 3% (male 399,747; female 460,256) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.6% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 40.92 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 19.84 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -5.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth : 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 104.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 41.71 years male: 40.34 years female: 43.13 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.58 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun : Tanzanian(s) adjective: Tanzanian
Ethnic groups: mainland - native African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab) note: Zanzibar - Arab, native African, mixed Arab and native African
Religions: mainland - Christian 45%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 20% note: Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim
Languages: Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguju (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages note : Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of Bantu people living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety of sources, including Arabic and English, and it has become the lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of most people is one of the local languages
Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic total population: 67.8% male: 79.4% female: 56.8% (1995 est.)
@Tanzania:Government
Country name: conventional long form : United Republic of Tanzania conventional short form: Tanzania former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar
Data code: TZ
Government type: republic
National capital: Dar es Salaam note: some government offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital by the end of the 1990s
Administrative divisions: 25 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida, Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar Urban/West, Ziwa Magharibi
Independence: 26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent 19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964
National holiday: Union Day, 26 April (1964)
Constitution: 25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984
Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 22 November 1995); Vice President Omar Ali JUMA (since 22 November 1995); note the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 22 November 1995); Vice President Omar Ali JUMA (since 22 November 1995); note the president is both chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, are appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 29 October-19 November 1995 (next to be held NA October 2000); prime minister appointed by the president election results: percent of vote - Benjamin William MKAPA 62%, MREMA 28%, LIPUMBA 6%, CHEYO 4%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats, 232 directly elected; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 29 October-19 November 1995 (next to be held NA October 2000) election results : percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CCM 186, opposition parties 46; note - of the 42 seats which are not elected, some are filled by presidential appointment and others are designated by law for specific officials
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal; High Court
Political parties and leaders: Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM (Revolutionary Party) [Benjamin William MKAPA]; Civic United Front or CUF [Seif Sharif HAMAD]; National Convention for Construction and Reform or NCCR [Lyatonga (Augustine) MREMA]; Union for Multiparty Democracy or UMD [Abdullah FUNDIKIRA]; Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo or CHADEMA [Edwin I. M. MTEI, chairman]; Democratic Party (unregistered) [Reverend MTIKLA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mustafa Salim NYANG'ANYI chancery : 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125 FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador J. Brady ANDERSON embassy: 36 Laibon Road (off Bagamoyo Road), Dar es Salaam mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam telephone: [255] (51) 66010 through 66015 FAX : [255] (51) 66701
Flag description: divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is blue
Economy
Economy - overview: Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, which accounts for 57% of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 90% of the work force. Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated crops to only 4% of the land area. Industry accounts for 17% of GDP and is mainly limited to processing agricultural products and light consumer goods. The economic recovery program announced in mid-1986 has generated notable increases in agricultural production and financial support for the program by bilateral donors. The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's deteriorated economic infrastructure. Growth in 1991-96 has featured a pickup in industrial production and a substantial increase in output of minerals, led by gold. Recent banking reforms have helped increase private sector growth and investment.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $18.9 billion (1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $650 (1995 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 57% industry: 17% services: 26% (1994 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 30% (1995 est.)
Labor force: total: 13.495 million by occupation: agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 10% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues : $495 million expenditures: $631 million, including capital expenditures of $118 million (1990 est.)
Industries: primarily agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine), diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes, cement, textiles, wood products, fertilizer
Industrial production growth rate: 7.7% (1994)
Electricity - capacity: 440,000 kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 1.91 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 60 kWh (1994 est.)
Agriculture - products: coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashews, tobacco, cloves (Zanzibar), corn, wheat, cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats
Exports: total value: $679 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: coffee, cotton, cashew nuts, cloves, tobacco, sisal partners: India, Germany, Belgium, UK, Japan, Netherlands, Kenya, Hong Kong, US
Imports: total value: $1.69 billion (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and transportation equipment, cotton piece goods, crude oil, foodstuffs partners : UK, Germany, Italy, Japan, US, Kenya, China
Debt - external: $7.4 billion (1994 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Tanzanian shilling (TSh) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Tanzanian shillings (TSh) per US$1 - 597.27 (January 1997), 579.98 (1996), 574.76 (1995), 509.63 (1994), 405.27 (1993), 297.71 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Tanzania:Communications
Telephones: 137,000 (1989 est.)