Jumhurii Tojikiston

Political Status: Designated autonomous republic within the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic on October 27, 1924; became constituent republic of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) on October 16, 1929; declared independence as Republic of Tajikistan on September 9, 1991; current constitution adopted by referendum on November 6, 1994.

Area: 55,250 sq. mi. (143,100 sq. km).

Population: 9,107,000 (2018E—World Bank); 8,604,882 (2018E—U.S. Census).

Major Urban Centers (2015E—UN): DUSHANBE (822,000), Khujand (172,700).

Official Language: Tajik. Although the 1994 constitution accords Russian the status of a language of interethnic communication, a law passed in October 2009 requires all official government communication to be conducted in Tajik and states that all citizens should have a working knowledge of the language. Use of other languages in daily communication has not, ...