Tajikistan

This landlocked territory lies across Central Asia and covers 143,100 square kilometers dominated by the Pamir mountain system with summits exceeding 7,000 meters. Deep valleys cut through the terrain with glacial lakes and rivers flowing west toward the Fergana basin.

The region belonged to the Persian Empire from the sixth century before Christ and passed through different dynasties before coming under Russian control in the nineteenth century. It became a Soviet republic in 1929, gained independence in 1991, followed by civil war until 1997.

The population speaks Tajik, a Persian language heard in daily conversation and at poetry readings. Families still craft silk carpets and embroidered textiles following traditional patterns worn at weddings and celebrations.

Trips to the mountains work best between June and September when high passes stay free of snow. The airport in Dushanbe offers regular connections, and the National Museum displays archaeological finds and traditional weaving.

The Wakhan Valley forms a narrow mountain corridor connecting the territory with Afghanistan, Pakistan and China. Archaeologists have uncovered Buddhist sites from the first millennium that merchants passed on old routes.

Inception: September 9, 1991

Capital city: Dushanbe

Part of: Central Asia

Shares border with: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, People's Republic of China, Afghanistan

GPS coordinates: 38.62817,70.81565

Latest update: December 14, 2025 19:30