Part 806

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 : (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