- Country name
- conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan
conventional short form: Tajikistan
local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston
local short form: Tojikiston
former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic
etymology: the Persian suffix -ostan means "land," so the country name means "Land of the Tajik [people];" the name Tajik comes from the Sanskrit tajika, a name originally used to distinguish Arabs from Turks and derived from the Tay, an Arab people - Government type
- presidential republic
- Capital
- name: Dushanbe
geographic coordinates: 38 33 N, 68 46 E
time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name means Monday in Persian; today's city was originally at the crossroads where a large bazaar was held on Mondays, or the second day (du) after Saturday (shambe) - Administrative divisions
- 2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor), 1 capital region** (viloyati poytakht), and 1 area referred to as Districts Under Republic Administration***; Dushanbe**, Khatlon (Bokhtar), Kuhistoni Badakhshon [Gorno-Badakhshan]* (Khorugh), Nohiyahoi Tobei Jumhuri***, Sughd (Khujand)
- Legal system
- civil law system
- Constitution
- history: several previous; latest adopted 6 November 1994
amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or by at least one third of the total membership of both houses of the Supreme Assembly; adoption of any amendment requires a referendum, which includes approval of the president or approval by at least two-thirds majority of the Assembly of Representatives; passage in a referendum requires participation of an absolute majority of eligible voters and an absolute majority of votes; constitutional articles, including Tajikistan’s form of government, its territory, and its democratic nature, cannot be amended - International law organization participation
- has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
- Citizenship
- citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Tajikistan
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years or 3 years of continuous residence prior to application - Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
- Executive branch
- chief of state: President Emomali RAHMON (since 16 November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly Chairman since 20 November 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Qohir RASULZODA (since 23 November 2013)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Supreme Assembly
election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 7-year term (two-term limit), but as the "Leader of the Nation," president has no term limit; prime minister appointed by the president
most recent election date: 11 October 2020
election results: 2020: Emomali RAHMON reelected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMON (PDPT) 92.1%, Rustam LATIFZODA (APT) 3.1%, other 4.8%2013: Emomali RAHMON reelected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMON (PDPT) 84%, Ismoil TALBAKOV CPT) 5%, other 11%
expected date of next election: 2027 - Legislative branch
- legislature name: Supreme Council (Majlisi Oli)
legislative structure: bicameral - Legislative branch - lower chamber
- chamber name: House of Representatives (Majlisi namoyandogon)
number of seats: 63 (all directly elected)
electoral system: mixed system
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 3/2/2025
parties elected and seats per party: People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan (PDPT) (49); Agrarian Party of Tajikistan (APT) (7); Party of Economic Reforms of Tajikistan (PERT) (5); Other (2)
percentage of women in chamber: 28.6%
expected date of next election: March 2030 - Legislative branch - upper chamber
- chamber name: National Assembly (Majlisi milli)
number of seats: 33 (25 indirectly elected; 8 appointed)
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 3/28/2025
percentage of women in chamber: 30.3%
expected date of next election: March 2030 - Judicial branch
- highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chairman, deputy chairmen, and 34 judges organized into civil, family, criminal, administrative offense, and military chambers); Constitutional Court (consists of the court chairman, deputy chairman, and 5 judges); High Economic Court (consists of 16 judicial positions)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, and High Economic Court judges nominated by the president and approved by the National Assembly; judges of all 3 courts appointed for 10-year renewable terms with no term limits, but the last appointment must occur before the age of 65
subordinate courts: regional and district courts; Dushanbe City Court; viloyat (province-level) courts; Court of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region - Political parties
- Agrarian Party of Tajikistan or APTDemocratic Party or DPTParty of Economic Reforms or PERTPeople's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPTSocialist Party of Tajikistan or SPT
- Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Zavqi ZAVQIZODA (since 14 November 2025)
chancery: 1005 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090
FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091
email address and website: tajemus@mfa.tjhttps://mfa.tj/en/washington - Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission: Ambassador Manuel P. MICALLER Jr. (since 9 March 2023)
embassy: 109-A Ismoili Somoni Avenue (Zarafshon district), Dushanbe 734019
mailing address: 7090 Dushanbe Place, Washington DC 20521-7090
telephone: [992] (37) 229-20-00
FAX: [992] (37) 229-20-50
email address and website: DushanbeConsular@state.govhttps://tj.usembassy.gov/ - International organization participation
- ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
- Independence
- 9 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
- National holiday
- Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)
- Flag
- description: three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a gold crown under seven five-pointed gold stars is in the center of the white stripemeaning: red stands for the sun, victory, and the unity of the nation; white for purity, cotton, and mountain snows; green for Islam and nature's bounty; the crown symbolizes the Tajik people; the stars represent the number seven, which is considered a symbol of perfection and the embodiment of happiness
- National symbol(s)
- arc of seven five-pointed stars over a crown, Marco Polo sheep
- National color(s)
- red, white, green
- National anthem(s)
- title: "Surudi milli" (National Anthem)
lyrics/music: Gulnazar KELDI/Sulaimon YUDAKOV
history: adopted 1994; after the fall of the Soviet Union, Tajikistan kept the music of its Soviet-era anthem, but adopted new lyrics - National heritage
- total World Heritage Sites: 5 (3 cultural, 2 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Proto-urban Site of Sarazm (c); Tajik National Park (Mountains of the Pamirs) (n); Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor (c); Tugay forests of the Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve (n); Cultural Heritage Sites of Ancient Khuttal (c)