Tajikistan
At a Glance:

CIA map
Tajikistan, riven by civil war for much of its history since becoming
idependent from the Soviet Union in 1991, has the highest rate of
poverty of the 15 former-Soviet Republics. United Nations estimates
show that 83 percent of Tajiks live in poverty.
Tajikistan has few known oil or gas reserves relying instead on hydroelectric
power for 98 percent of its electricity consumption. The country relies
heavily on gas imports from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. But Tajikistan
has had difficulty paying for the gas, and in April, 2001, Uzbekistan
threatened to cut supplies if Tajikistan failed to pay.
A proposed pipeline connecting oil and gas from the Caspian Sea to
the Chinese market would provide Tajikistan with some badly needed
revenue. As it stands, Tajikistan is in danger of becoming another
failed state. As it stands, Tajikistan is already a major trafficking
route for heroin and opiates from Afghanistan going to Russia and
Western Europe.
Population: 6,578,681 (July 2001
est.)
Percent Below Poverty Line: 80
Inflation: 61 percent (2000)
Exportspartners: Liechtenstein
26 percent, Uzbekistan 20 percent, Russia 8 percent (1998)
Exports: $761 million (2000 est.)
Imports: $782 million (2000 est.)
Importspartners: Europe
32.3 percent, Uzbekistan 29 percent, Russia 13.6 percent (1998)
Sources: U.S. Dept. of Energy,
CIA World Factbook, Center for Strategic Studies, East-West Institute
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