Flag description:
three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and
green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold, five-pointed stars is
located in the center of the white stripe
Economy Tajikistan
Economy - overview:
Tajikistan has one of the lowest per capita GDPs among the 15
former Soviet republics. Only 5% to 6% of the land area is arable.
Cotton is the most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but
limited in amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten.
Industry consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower
facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry
and food processing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the
already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in
industrial and agricultural production. Even though 60% of its
people continue to live in abject poverty, Tajikistan has
experienced steady economic growth since 1997. Continued
privatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises will
further increase productivity. Tajikistan's economic situation,
however, remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural
reforms, weak governance, widespread unemployment, and the external
debt burden. A debt restructuring agreement was reached with Russia
in December 2002, including an interest rate of 4%, a 3-year grace
period, and a US $49.8 million credit to the Central Bank of
Tajikistan.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$7.95 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
10.5% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23.7% industry: 24.3% services: 52% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
3.187 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 67.2%, industry 7.5%, services 25.3% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
40% (2002 est.)