Part 728

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; was Head of State and Assembly Chairman since NA November 1992) was elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 6 November 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); results - Emomali RAHMONOV 58%, Abdumalik ABDULLAJANOV 40% head of government: Prime Minister Yahyo AZIMOV (since 8 February 1996) was appointed by the president cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president who proposes them to the Supreme Assembly for approval

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Majlisi Oli): elections last held 26 February and 12 March 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); results - percent of vote by party NA; estimated seats - (181 total) 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; Party of People's Unity, Abdumalik ABDULLOJONOR; Tajik Communist Party, Shodi SHABDOLOV; Democratic Party, Jumaboy NIYAZOV, chairman; Islamic Renaissance Party (IRP), Mohammed Sharif HIMMATZODA, chairman; Rebirth (Rastokhez), Takhir ABDUZHABOROV; Lali Badakhshan Society, Atobek AMIRBEK; Tajikistan Party of Economic and Political Renewal (TPEPR); Citizenship, Patriotism, Unity Party, Bobokhon MAHMADOV; Adolatho "Justices" Party, Abdurahmon KARIMOV, chairman

Other political or pressure groups: 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 (nonsignatory user), IOC, IOM, ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in 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 - (212) 472-7645, FAX - (212) 628-0252

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador R. Grant SMITH embassy: interim chancery, Oktyabrskaya Hotel, 105A Prospect Rudaki, Dushanbe 734001 mailing address: Octyabrskaya Hotel, 105A Prospect Rudaki, Dushanbe, Tajikistan 734001 telephone: (3772) 21-03-56 FAX: Telex (787) 20116

Flag: 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 -------

Economic overview: Tajikistan had the next-to-lowest per capita GDP in the former USSR, the highest rate of population growth, and an extremely low standard of living. 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 and 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 has made only halfhearted efforts to stabilize the economy and promote reform.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $6.4 billion (1995 estimate as extrapolated from World Bank estimate for 1994)

GDP real growth rate: -12.4% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $1,040 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 28% monthly average (1995 est.)

Labor force: 1.95 million (1992) by occupation: agriculture and forestry 43%, government and services 24%, industry 14%, trade and communications 11%, construction 8% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 3.3% includes only officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of underemployed workers and unregistered unemployed people (December 1995)

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: -5% (1995)

Electricity: capacity: 3,800,000 kW production: 14.8 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,400 kWh (1995)

Agriculture: cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Illicit drugs: illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy; mostly for CIS consumption; used as transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia to Western Europe and North America