Tajikistan is a small, low-income developing country with a GDP of $10.5 billion in 2022, forecast to grow six to eight percent in 2023.  It has a resident population of about 9.5 million people, augmented by an estimated one to two million Tajiks residing in Russia as labor migrants. The median age of the population is 24.5 years, and the population largely live in northern and western Tajikistan, with a quarter of the population living in cities.  According to the World Bank, Tajikistan has had good GDP growth rates for several years – ten percent in 2021, eight percent in 2022 – with 2020 being the singular exception due to the global pandemic.

Tajikistan has an abundance of untapped natural resources, including gold, silver, antimony, copper, coal, zinc, and other mineral deposits.  Construction materials, such as concrete, gypsum, slate, and marble are also of increasing importance.  It is home to the largest glaciers in Asia, and has abundant wildlife, especially in its sparsely settled eastern regions. Adventure tourism and eco-tourism are expanding avenues for investment.

In recent years, Dushanbe has seen rapid development, with high levels of construction and infrastructure development, and is regarded generally as a safe city. Tajikistan only has three cities with populations above 100,000 – Dushanbe, Khujand, and Bokhtar. 

Tajikistan’s economy is largely import-reliant, with few reliable exports.  Raw cotton and dried fruits are the key agricultural exports.  In 2016, President Rahmon issued the National Development Strategy for the Republic of Tajikistan Up to 2030, envisioning a transition of Tajikistan’s economy from a rural and agricultural economy to one that is industrialized, digital, and (since the 2020 revision) ecologically sustainable.  Infrastructure remains one of the country’s primary focus areas, especially for transportation, telecommunication, digital network development, and logistics. 

The country is making investments in its digital infrastructure but is starting from a low base. Cash transactions are common, and neither credit card processing nor electronic payment systems are widely used.

Political Environment

Visit the State Department website for background on Tajikistan’s political and economic environment.