@Tajikistan
Introduction Tajikistan
Background:
The Tajik people came under Russian rule in the 1860s and 1870s,
but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution
of 1917. Bolshevik control of the area was fiercely contested and
not fully reestablished until 1925. Tajikistan became independent in
1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union and has now completed
its transition from the civil war that plagued the country from 1992
to 1997. There have been no major security incidents in recent
years, although the country remains the poorest in the region.
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.
Geography Tajikistan
Location:
Central Asia, west of China
Geographic coordinates:
39 00 N, 71 00 E
Map references:
Asia
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