Asia > Tajikistan > Economy

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Agriculture > products cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats
Aid as % of GDP	14.4%		[20th of 129]
Debt > External	$1,560,000,000.00		[118th of 136]
Distribution of family income > Gini index	32.6		[29th of 43]
Economic freedom	1.05		[146th of 156]
Economy > Overview Tajikistan has one of the lowest per capita GDPs among the 15 former Soviet republics. Only 7% of the land area is arable. Cotton is the most important crop, but this sector is burdened with debt and an obsolete infrastructure. Mineral resources include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry and food processing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in industrial and agricultural production. While Tajikistan has experienced steady economic growth since 1997, nearly two-thirds of the population continues to live in abject poverty. Economic growth reached 10.6% in 2004, but dropped to 8% in 2005, 7% in 2006, and 7.8% in 2007. Tajikistan's economic situation remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural reforms, corruption, weak governance, widespread unemployment, seasonal power shortages, and the external debt burden. Continued privatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises could increase productivity. A debt restructuring agreement was reached with Russia in December 2002 including a $250 million write-off of Tajikistan's $300 million debt. Tajikistan ranks third in the world in terms of water resources per head, but suffers winter power shortages due to poor management of water levels in rivers and reservoirs. Completion of the Sangtuda I hydropower dam - built with Russian investment - and the Sangtuda II and Rogun dams will add substantially to electricity output. If finished according to Tajik plans, Rogun will be the world's tallest dam. Tajikistan has also received substantial infrastructure development loans from the Chinese government to improve roads and an electricity transmission network. To help increase north-south trade, the US funded a $36 million bridge which opened in August 2007 and links Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
Exchange rates Tajikistani somoni per US dollar - 2.9705 (2004), 3.0614 (2003), 2.7641 (2002), 2.3722 (2001), 2.0763 (2000)
Exports	$1,606,000,000.00		[126th of 189]
Exports to US	$300,000.00		[194th of 224]
GDP	$2,811,461,000.00		[130th of 203]
GDP > PPP	$7,673,000,000.00		[130th of 163]
GDP > Real growth rate	7.8%		[34th of 198]
GDP growth > annual %	7.5 annual %		[25th of 187]
GINI index	32.64		[30th of 40]
Gross National Income	$1,101,600,000.00		[136th of 172]
Human Development Index	0.652		[123rd of 178]
Income distribution > Poorest 10%	3.2%		[30th of 114]
Income distribution > Richest 10%	25.2%		[87th of 114]
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	13.1%		[14th of 192]
Population below poverty line	60%		[3rd of 46]

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