Part 96
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m : 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force and Antiaircraft Command, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards
Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,889,213 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 1,617,691 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 41,038 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3.74 billion (1995)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.4% (1995)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: money-laundering center; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin ______________________________________________________________________
SYRIA
@Syria:Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey
Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 38 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 185,180 sq km land: 184,050 sq km water: 1,130 sq km note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory
Area - comparative: slightly larger than North Dakota
Land boundaries: total: 2,253 km border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km
Coastline: 193 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 41 nm territorial sea: 35 nm
Climate: mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically hitting Damascus
Terrain: primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west
Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m
Natural resources: petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum
Land use: arable land: 28% permanent crops : 4% permanent pastures: 43% forests and woodland: 3% other: 22% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 9,060 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms
Environment - current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from dumping of raw sewage and wastes from petroleum refining; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Environmental Modification
Geography - note: there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 1996 est.)
@Syria:People
Population: 16,137,899 (July 1997 est.) note: in addition, there are 32,600 people living in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 17,600 Arabs (16,000 Druze and 1,600 Alawites) and 15,000 Israeli settlers (August 1996 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years : 46% (male 3,839,369; female 3,654,350) 15-64 years: 51% (male 4,174,734; female 3,997,666) 65 years and over : 3% (male 234,127; female 237,653) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.3% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 38.7 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.7 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 38.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.44 years male: 66.21 years female : 68.74 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.73 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Syrian(s) adjective: Syrian
Ethnic groups: Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Languages: Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian, French widely understood
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 70.8% male : 85.7% female: 55.8% (1995 est.)
@Syria:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic conventional short form: Syria local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah local short form : Suriyah former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
Data code: SY
Government type: republic under military regime since March 1963
National capital: Damascus
Administrative divisions: 14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus
Independence: 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
National holiday: National Day, 17 April (1946)
Constitution: 13 March 1973
Legal system: based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Hafiz al-ASAD (since 22 February 1971); note - President ASAD seized power in the November 1970 coup, assumed presidential powers 22 February 1971, and was confirmed as president in the 12 March 1971 national elections; Vice Presidents 'Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984), Rifaat al-ASAD (since 11 March 1984), and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984) head of government: Prime Minister Mahmud ZUBI (since 1 November 1987), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March 1984), Salim YASIN (since NA December 1981), and Rashid AKHTARINI (since 4 July 1992) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 2 December 1991 (next to be held NA December 1998); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Hafiz al-ASAD reelected president; percent of vote - Hafiz al-ASAD 99.98%
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 24-25 August 1994 (next to be held NA 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - National Progressive Front 167, independents 83
Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court, justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president; High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts
Political parties and leaders: National Progressive Front includes : the ruling Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party, Hafiz al-ASAD, president of the republic, secretary general of the party, and chairman of the National Progressive Front; Syrian Arab Socialist Party (ASP), 'Abd al-Ghani KANNUT; Arab Socialist Union (ASU), Jamal ATASSI; Syrian Communist Party (SCP), Yusuf FAYSAL; Arab Socialist Unionist Party, Safwan QUDSI; Democratic Socialist Union Party, Ahmad al-ASAD
Political pressure groups and leaders: non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence; Communist party ineffective; conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood
International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Walid MUALEM chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313 FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher W. S. ROSS embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street No. 2, Damascus mailing address : P. O. Box 29, Damascus telephone: [963] (11) 333-2814, 333-0788, 332-0783 FAX: [963] (11) 224-7938
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band
Economy
Economy - overview: Sheltered from the pressures of the international marketplace for almost three decades, Syria's predominantly statist economy is on a weak footing because of Damascus's failure to implement extensive economic reform. After an economic rebound in the early 1990s in the wake of the Persian Gulf war, economic growth has slowed as the traditionally volatile economy has once again slumped. Current account and budget deficits and inflation are increasing. The dominant agricultural sector remains underdeveloped, with roughly 80% of agricultural land still dependent on rain-fed sources. Although Syria has sufficient water supplies in the aggregate at normal levels of precipitation, the great distance between major water supplies and population centers poses serious distribution problems, and the water problem is exacerbated by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution. Unemployment remains a nagging problem because about 60% of the population is under the age of 20, ensuring a steady flow of job seekers into the already tight labor market. Private investment is critical to the modernization of the agricultural, energy, and export sectors, particularly because Damascus is saddled with a heavy foreign debt. Oil production is leveling off, and the efforts of the nonoil sector to penetrate international markets have fallen short. Syria's inadequate infrastructure, outmoded technological base, and weak educational system hamper competition with neighbors such as Jordan and Israel. The dominant public sector continues to be plagued by labor, financial, and management problems, and much of the private sector is hobbled by a shortage of capital. The economic benefits of any peace treaty with Israel will depend in large part on the pace of economic reform.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $98.3 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.2% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,300 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28% industry: 18% services: 54% (1994)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 20% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 4.7 million (1995 est.) by occupation: services 40%, agriculture 40%, industry 20% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 9% (1994 est.)
Budget: revenues: $3 billion expenditures : $3.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)
Industries: petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining
Industrial production growth rate: 4.3% (1994)
Electricity - capacity: 4.16 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 14.25 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 902 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas; beef, lamb, eggs, poultry, milk
Exports: total value: $4.4 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: petroleum 56%, food and live animals 16%, textiles 16% (1994 est.) partners: EU 57% (Germany 17%, Italy 16%, France 11%), Lebanon 14%, Saudi Arabia 7% (1995 est.)
Imports: total value : $5.2 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: machinery 25%, food and live animals 15%, transport equipment 12%, chemicals 8% (1994 est.) partners: EU 33% (Italy 9%, Germany 8%, France 4%), South Korea 4.5%, US 4%, Japan 3% (1995 est.)
Debt - external: $22 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: $4.2 billion (1990-92)
Currency: 1 Syrian pound (£S) = 100 piastres
Exchange rates: Syrian pounds (£S) per US$1 - 41.9 (January 1997); official fixed rate 11.225
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Syria:Communications
Telephones: 541,465 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey;
## participant in Medarabtel
Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 3.392 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 17
Televisions: 700,000 (1993 est.)
@Syria:Transportation
Railways: total : 1,998 km broad gauge: 1,766 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 232 km 1.050-m gauge
Highways: total: 39,243 km paved : 27,862 km (including 850 km of expressways) unpaved: 11,381 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 870 km; minimal economic importance
Pipelines: crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km
Ports and harbors: Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus
Merchant marine: total: 125 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 381,408 GRT/565,225 DWT ships by type: bulk 12, cargo 109, livestock carrier 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 99 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 84 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m : 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 62 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m : 2 914 to 1,523 m: 13 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force, Syrian Arab Air Defense Forces, Police and Security Force
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,742,851 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 2,095,933 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 170,328 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $875 million (1994 est.); note - based on official budget data that understate actual spending
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 8% (1994 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; Hatay question with Turkey; dispute with upstream riparian Turkey over Turkish water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers; Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976
Illicit drugs: a transit point for Lebanese and Turkish refined cocaine going to Europe and heroin and hashish bound for regional and Western markets ______________________________________________________________________
TAJIKISTAN
Introduction
Current issues: Tajikistan has experienced three changes of government since it gained independence in September 1991. The current president, Emomali RAHMONOV, was elected in November 1994, yet has been in power since 1992. The country is suffering through its fourth year of a civil conflict, with no clear end in sight. Underlying the conflict are deeply rooted regional and clan-based animosities that pit a government consisting of people primarily from the Kulob (Kulyab), Khujand (Leninabad), and Hisor (Hissar) regions against a secular and Islamic-led opposition from the Gharm, Gorno-Badakhshan, and Qurghonteppa (Kurgan-Tyube) regions. Government and opposition representatives have held periodic rounds of UN-mediated peace talks and agreed in September 1994 to a cease-fire which has been periodically extended. Russian-led peacekeeping troops are deployed throughout the country, and Russian-commanded border guards are stationed along the Tajikistani-Afghan border.
@Tajikistan:Geography
Location: Central Asia, west of China
Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 71 00 E
Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States
Area: total : 143,100 sq km land: 142,700 sq km water: 400 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Land boundaries: total: 3,651 km border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains
Terrain: Pamirs and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Syrdariya 300 m highest point: Qullai Kommunizm 7,495 m
Natural resources: significant hydropower potential, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten
Land use: arable land : 6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 4% other: 65% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 6,390 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides; part of the basin of the shrinking Aral Sea suffers from severe overutilization of available water for irrigation and associated pollution
Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: landlocked
@Tajikistan:People
Population: 5,945,903 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% (male 1,263,725; female 1,234,730) 15-64 years : 53% (male 1,578,940; female 1,599,458) 65 years and over: 5% (male 114,118; female 154,932) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.18% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 27.93 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 7.74 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -8.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 109.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.68 years male : 61.55 years female: 67.97 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.58 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Tajikistani(s) adjective: Tajikistani
Ethnic groups: Tajik 64.9%, Uzbek 25%, Russian 3.5% (declining because of emigration), other 6.6%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 5%
Languages: Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 99% female: 97% (1989 est.)
@Tajikistan:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Republic of Tajikistan conventional short form: Tajikistan local long form: Jumhurii Tojikistan local short form: none former : Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: TI
Government type: republic
National capital: Dushanbe
Administrative divisions: 2 oblasts (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and one autonomous oblast* (viloyati avtonomii); Viloyati Avtonomii Badakhshoni Kuni* (Khorugh - formerly Khorog), Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa - formerly Kurgan-Tyube), Viloyati Leninobod (Khujand - formerly Leninabad) note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses
Independence: 9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: National Day, 9 September (1991)
Constitution: new constitution adopted 6 November 1994
Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state : President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6 November 1994; head of state and Assembly chairman since NA November 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Yahyo AZIMOV (since 8 February 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president who proposes them to the Supreme Assembly for approval elections : president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 6 November 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 58%, Abdumalik ABDULLAJANOV 40%
Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli (181 seats; members are popularly elected to serve five-year terms) elections : last held 26 February and 12 March 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; estimated seats by party - Communist Party and affiliates 100, People's Party 10, Party of People's Unity 6, Party of Economic and Political Renewal 1, other 64
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: People's Party of Tajikistan [Abdumajid DOSTIYEV]; National Revival Bloc [Abdumalik ABDULLOJONOV]; Tajik Communist Party [Shodi SHABDOLOV]; Democratic Party [Jumaboy NIYAZOV, chairman]; Islamic Renaissance Party or IRP [Mohammed Sharif HIMMATZODA, chairman]; Rebirth (Rastokhez) [Takhir ABDUZHABOROV]; Lali Badakhshan Society [Atobek AMIRBEK]; Tajikistan Party of Economic and Political Renewal or TPEPR; Citizenship, Patriotism, Unity Party [Bobokhon MAHMADOV]; Adolatho "Justice" Party [Abdurahmon KARIMOV, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Tajikistan Opposition Movement based in northern Afghanistan [Seyed Abdullah NURI, chairman]
International organization participation: CIS, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, IOM, ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Tajikistan does not have an embassy in the US, but has a mission at the UN: address - 136 East 67th Street, New York, NY 10021, telephone - [1] (212) 472-7645, FAX - [1] (212) 628-0252; permanent representative to the UN is Rashid ALIMOV
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador R. Grant SMITH embassy : interim chancery, Oktyabrskaya Hotel, 105A Prospect Rudaki, Dushanbe 734001 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone : [7] (3772) 21-03-56 FAX: Telex (787) 20116
Flag description: three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven five-pointed gold stars is located in the center of the white stripe
Economy
Economy - overview: Tajikistan had the next-to-lowest per capita GDP in the former USSR, the highest rate of population growth, an extremely low standard of living, and rampant inflation. Agriculture dominates the economy, with cotton being the most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but limited in amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry is limited to a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry and food processing. The Tajik economy has been gravely weakened by four years of civil conflict and by the loss of subsidies from Moscow and of markets for its products, which has left Tajikistan dependent on Russia and Uzbekistan and on international humanitarian assistance for much of its basic subsistence needs. Moreover, constant political turmoil and the continued dominance by former communist officials have impeded the introduction of meaningful economic reforms. The regime made initial efforts to stabilize the economy and promote reform in 1996.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $5.4 billion (1996 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)
GDP - real growth rate: -17% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $920 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 65% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 1.9 million (1996) by occupation: agriculture and forestry 52%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 17%, services 31% (1995)
Unemployment rate: 2.4% includes only officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of underemployed workers and unregistered unemployed people (December 1996)
Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures : $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers
Industrial production growth rate: -20% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 4.44 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 16.8 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 2,135 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats
Exports: total value: $768 million (1996 est.) commodities : cotton, aluminum, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles partners: FSU 78%, Netherlands (1994)
Imports: total value: $657 million (1996 est.) commodities: fuel, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, textiles, foodstuffs partners : FSU 55%, Switzerland, UK (1994)
Debt - external: $635 million (of which $250 million to Russia) (1995 est.)
Economic aid: recipient : ODA, $22 million (1993) note: commitments, $885 million (disbursements $115 million) (1992-95)
Currency: the Tajikistani ruble (TSR) = 100 tanga; Tajikistan introduced its own currency in May 1995
Exchange rates: Tajikistani rubles (TJR) per US$1 - 350 (January 1997), 284 (January 1996)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Tajikistan:Communications
Telephones: 303,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: poorly developed and not well maintained; many towns are not reached by the national network domestic: cable and microwave radio relay international: linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics, and by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 2 Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations: 1 state-owned radio broadcast station
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 note : 1 Intelsat earth station provides TV receive-only service from Turkey
Televisions: NA
@Tajikistan:Transportation
Railways: total: 480 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines (1990)
Highways: total: 32,752 km paved: 21,119 km (note - these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, meaning that some are paved and some are all-weather gravel surfaced) unpaved: 11,633 km (1992 est.)
Pipelines: natural gas 400 km (1992)
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 59 (1994 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total : 14 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1994 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m : 36 (1994 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force, Presidential National Guard, Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,393,416 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 1,143,159 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 60,832 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: 180 billion rubles (1995); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.4% (1995)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: boundary with China in dispute; territorial dispute with Kyrgyzstan on northern boundary in Isfara Valley area; foreign support to Islamic fighters based in northern Afghanistan in Tajikistan's civil war