Main Brochure.indd

The Republic of Tajikistan is a small, mountainousand land-locked country in the southeasternarea of Central Asia. To the west andnorth, it shares borders with Uzbekistan andthe Kyrgyz Republic. To the east and southwith the People’s Republic of China and theIslamic State of Afghanistan. Ninety-threepercent of its territory is covered by threevast mountain ranges: the Pamirs, the TianShen and the Hissay-Alay.Two thirds of Tajikistan’s 6.2 million peopleare poor and live in rural areas. Half of themare children many of whom will die beforereaching their fifth birthday. More than halfof the deaths among children under fiveyears of age are caused by childhood illnessesand malnutrition. Amongst schoolage childremany girls do not complete nine years ofcompulsary education.The Tajik people celebrated its independenceover a decade ago but also suffered from thecivil war which lasted for almost five years.With peace secured in 1997 and stability gainingground since then, numerous opportunitieshave emerged which could help determinea bright future for the country’s youngpopulation.