Tajikistan

Tajikistan (pronounced /tə’dʒɪkɨstæn/ or /tə’dʒi:kɨstæn/; Tajik: Тоҷикистон, pronounced or ), officially the Republic of Tajikistan (Tajik: Ҷумҳурии То Ҷикистон) is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and People’s Republic of China to the east.

A former Soviet republic, Tajikistan plunged into civil war almost as soon as it became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. A rugged, mountainous country, with lush valleys to the south and north, it now faces the challenge of strengthening peace and reviving its ruined economy.

Location: Central Asia, west of China.

Capital: Dushanbe

Official language: Tajik

Government type:  Republic

President: Emomali Rahmon

Prime Minister: Oqil Oqilov

National Holiday: Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Area

total: 143 100 km²
land: 142 700 km²
water: 400 km²

Climate: midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains.

Population: 7 076 598 (July 2007) Currency: Somoni (TJS)

Internet domain: .tj

International dialing code: +992

Sources: www.wikipedia.org

http://news.bbc.co.uk