festivites
Here are some of the major festivities or holidays in Tajikistan, along with a brief description of their cultural traditions and how they are celebrated:
1. Nowruz - This is the Persian New Year and is celebrated on March 21st. It marks the beginning of spring and is a time for families to gather, exchange gifts, and share traditional foods like samanak (a sweet pudding made from sprouted wheat).
2. Eid al-Fitr - This marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting for Muslims. It is celebrated with prayers, gift-giving, and feasting. People wear new clothes and visit family and friends.
3. Independence Day - This holiday celebrates Tajikistan's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. It is celebrated on September 9th with parades, concerts, and fireworks.
4. National Unity Day - This holiday commemorates the end of the five-year civil war in Tajikistan in 1997. It is celebrated on June 27th with cultural events, concerts, and sports competitions.
5. Navruzgoh - This is a pre-Nowruz festival that takes place on the eve of the Persian New Year. People light bonfires, sing songs, and dance around them to ward off evil spirits and welcome the new year.
6. Mehrgon - This is a harvest festival that takes place in the fall. It is a time for giving thanks for the bountiful harvest and visiting family and friends. People eat traditional foods like plov (rice pilaf) and drink tea.
These holidays and festivities are celebrated throughout Tajikistan, with various cultural traditions and customs unique to each region.
seasons
Tajikistan has three tourist seasons:
1. Spring Season (April to June): The weather is mild, and the mountains are adorned with colorful wildflowers. This season is perfect for hiking and exploring the countryside.
2. Summer Season (July to September): The weather is warm, and it's the peak season for tourism in Tajikistan. This season is ideal for trekking and mountaineering.
3. Autumn Season (October to November): The weather is cool, and the foliage turns vibrant shades of red, orange, and gold. This season is perfect for cultural tours and visiting historical sites.
Recommendations:
- For Spring and Autumn seasons, bring warm clothes as temperatures can drop at night.
- During the Summer season, bring sunscreen and a hat to protect from the strong sun.
- It's recommended to book accommodation and transportation in advance.
visa
Citizens of most countries require a visa to enter Tajikistan. The following are some special visa rules for certain countries:
1. China: Chinese citizens can obtain an E-visa for Tajikistan, which costs around $55 and allows them to stay in the country for up to 45 days.
2. United States: US citizens can obtain a multiple-entry tourist visa for Tajikistan, which costs around $160 and allows them to stay in the country for up to 45 days per entry.
3. India: Indian citizens can obtain a single-entry tourist visa for Tajikistan, which costs around $60 and allows them to stay in the country for up to 45 days.
It's important to note that visa fees can vary depending on the type of visa, the duration of stay, and the country of origin. It's recommended to check with the Tajikistan embassy or consulate in your country for updated information on visa requirements and fees.
souvenirs
Some of the best souvenirs to buy from Tajikistan include:
1. Hand-woven textiles such as carpets, rugs, and Suzani embroidery. Average price range: $20-$500 depending on size and quality. These can be found in markets like Panjshanbe Bazaar in Dushanbe or Chorsu Bazaar in Khujand.
2. Pamiri hats and other traditional clothing items. Average price range: $5-$50 depending on complexity and quality. These can be found in local bazaars and shops in the Pamir region, such as Khorog and Murghab.
3. Handmade pottery and ceramics. Average price range: $10-$30 depending on size and intricacy. These can be found in markets like Gurminj Museum of Musical Instruments in Dushanbe or the potters' village of Rishtan in the Fergana Valley.
4. Local honey and dried fruits. Average price range: $2-$10 per jar/bag. These can be found in local markets throughout the country.
5. Natural gemstones such as lapis lazuli and turquoise. Average price range: $5-$50 depending on size and cut. These can be found in jewelry shops in Dushanbe and Khujand.
Note that prices may vary depending on location and vendor, and it's always a good idea to haggle at markets and bazaars.
If you have 1 week
Fantastic! Tajikistan is a beautiful country with a rich history and culture. Here's a suggested one week itinerary for you:
Day 1: Visit the Pamir Highway - drive along this incredible roadway to see some of the most stunning scenery in Central Asia, including snow-capped peaks, crystal-clear rivers, and traditional villages.
Day 2: Explore Dushanbe - the capital city of Tajikistan. Start with the National Museum of Tajikistan to learn about the country’s history and culture, and then head to the Gurminj Musical Instruments Museum to listen to traditional Tajik music.
Day 3: Go hiking in the Fann Mountains - these magnificent mountains are home to numerous trails that take you through lush valleys and past turquoise lakes.
Day 4: Check out the Hissor Fortress - located just outside Dushanbe, this ancient fortress dates back to the 7th century and offers fantastic views of the surrounding countryside.
Day 5: Visit Khorog - a town situated in the eastern part of the Pamir Mountains, and the centre of the Pamiri people. Take a stroll around the picturesque bazaar and visit the local handicraft workshops.
Day 6: Discover the Iskanderkul Lake - this stunning lake is surrounded by greenery, and its clear waters reflect the snow-capped mountains in the background. Perfect place for picnic or swimming!
Day 7: Take a day trip to Khujand - the second-largest city in Tajikistan. Enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of the Panjshanbe Bazaar and explore the ancient citadel of Timur Malik.
These seven days will provide you with a taste of the incredible natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and fascinating history of Tajikistan. Don't forget to try some traditional Tajik cuisine along the way, such as plov, shashlik, and samosas!
If you have 2 weeks
First of all, I must say that Tajikistan is a beautiful country with so much to explore. However, since you asked for an itinerary that goes beyond your location, I will suggest some amazing places for you to visit during your two-week trip.
For your first stop, I recommend visiting the ancient city of Petra in Jordan. This UNESCO World Heritage site was carved into rock and dates back to around 300 BC. You can take a guided tour or explore the city on your own, marveling at the intricate architecture and stunning landscapes.
Next up, head to Bali, Indonesia, where you can relax on pristine beaches, go surfing, or hike to waterfalls in the surrounding jungles. Bali is known for its vibrant culture, delicious food, and friendly locals, making it the perfect destination for those looking to unwind and soak up some sun.
After Bali, I suggest traveling to the bustling metropolis of Tokyo, Japan. Here, you can experience the unique blend of traditional Japanese culture and modern innovation. Explore the neon-lit streets of Shinjuku or Shibuya, visit ancient temples like Senso-ji or Meiji Shrine, and indulge in some of the world's most delicious cuisine.
Finally, end your trip with a visit to the stunning city of Cape Town, South Africa. Nestled between mountains and oceans, Cape Town offers breathtaking views, exciting outdoor activities like hiking and surfing, and a rich cultural history. Don't miss the chance to ride a cable car to the top of Table Mountain, visit Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, or stroll through the colorful Bo-Kaap neighborhood.
Overall, this itinerary will give you a taste of some of the world's most fascinating and beautiful destinations, each with their own unique character and charm. Whether you're interested in history, culture, or outdoor adventure, there's something for everyone on this trip. So pack your bags and get ready for an unforgettable two weeks of exploration and adventure!
Culture
The Tajik language is the mother tongue of around 80% of the citizens of Tajikistan. The main urban centers in today's Tajikistan include Dushanbe (the capital), Khujand, Kulob, Panjakent, Bokhtar, Khorugh and Istaravshan. There are also Uzbek, Kyrgyz and Russian minorities.
The Pamiri people of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province in the southeast, bordering Afghanistan and China, though considered part of the Tajik ethnicity, nevertheless are distinct linguistically and culturally from most Tajiks. In contrast to the mostly Sunni Muslim residents of the rest of Tajikistan, the Pamiris overwhelmingly follow the Ismaili branch of Shia Islam, and speak a number of Eastern Iranian languages, including Shughni, Rushani, Khufi and Wakhi. Isolated in the highest parts of the Pamir Mountains, they have preserved many ancient cultural traditions and folk arts that have been largely lost elsewhere in the country.
The Yaghnobi people live in mountainous areas of northern Tajikistan. The estimated number of Yaghnobis is now about 25,000. Forced migrations in the 20th century decimated their numbers. They speak the Yaghnobi language, which is the only direct modern descendant of the ancient Sogdian language.
Tajikistan artisans created the Dushanbe Tea House, which was presented in 1988 as a gift to the sister city of Boulder, Colorado.
In the country, especially among women from the indigenous population, the wearing traditional national clothing is preserved. The seamstresses and embroiderers of various regions of Tajikistan use modern factory fabrics and local needlework embroidery for home decoration and women's clothing. The practice of Chakan embroidery is preserved among women in certain areas, passing the knowledge down from one generation to the next. Men mainly carry the factory clothing of European style. Some men wear upper national clothes — Jom (Taj. Ҷom), and hats — Tubetsey (Taj. Tқиi).
Religion
Tajikistan considers itself a secular state with a constitution providing for freedom of religion. Sunni Islam of the Hanafi school has been officially recognised by the government since 2009. The government has declared two Islamic holidays, Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, as state holidays. According to a US State Department release and Pew research group, the population of Tajikistan is 98% Muslim. Approximately 87–95% of them are Sunni and roughly 3% are Shia and roughly 7% are non-denominational Muslims. The Shia part of the population predominantly live in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, and are followers of the Ismailite branch of Shia Islam. The remaining 2% of the population are followers of Russian Orthodoxy, Protestantism, Zoroastrianism and Buddhism. Many Muslims fast during Ramadan, although only about one third in the countryside and 10% in the cities observe daily prayer and dietary restrictions.
Bukharan Jews had lived in Tajikistan since the second century BC, but today almost none are left. In the 1940s, the Jewish community of Tajikistan numbered nearly 30,000 people. Most were Persian-speaking Bukharan Jews who had lived in the region for millennia along with Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe who resettled there in the Soviet era. The Jewish population is now estimated at less than 500, about half of whom live in Dushanbe.
Relationships between religious groups are generally amicable, although there is some concern among mainstream Muslim leaders that minority religious groups undermine national unity. There is a concern for religious institutions becoming active in the political sphere. The Islamic Renaissance Party (IRP), a major combatant in the 1992–1997 Civil War and then-proponent of the creation of an Islamic state in Tajikistan, constitutes no more than 30% of the government by statute. Membership in Hizb ut-Tahrir, a militant Islamic party which today aims for an overthrow of secular governments and the unification of Tajiks under one Islamic state, is illegal and members are subject to arrest and imprisonment. Numbers of large mosques appropriate for Friday prayers are limited and some feel this is discriminatory.
By law, religious communities must register by the State Committee on Religious Affairs (SCRA) and with local authorities. Registration with the SCRA requires a charter, a list of 10 or more members, and evidence of local government approval prayer site location. Religious groups that do not have a physical structure are not allowed to gather publicly for prayer. Failure to register can result in large fines and closure of a place of worship. There are reports that registration on the local level is sometimes difficult to obtain. People under the age of 18 are also barred from public religious practice.
As of January 2016, as part of an "anti-radicalisation campaign", police in the Khatlon region reportedly shaved the beards of 13,000 men and shut down 160 shops selling the hijab. Shaving beards and discouraging women from wearing hijabs is part of a government campaign targeting trends that are deemed "alien and inconsistent with Tajik culture", and "to preserve secular traditions".
Today, approximately 1.6% of the population in Tajikistan is Christian, mostly Orthodox Christians. The territory of Tajikistan is part of the Dushanbe and Tajikistan Diocese of the Central Asian Metropolitan District of the Russian Orthodox Moscow Patriarchate. The country is also home to communities of Catholics, Armenian Christians, Protestants, Lutherans, Jehovah's Witnesses, Baptists, Mormons, and Adventists.
Demographics
In 2021, Tajikistan was estimated to have a population of 9,749,625 as per the World Bank data. The Tajiks who speak Tajik (a dialect of Persian) are the main ethnic group, although there are sizeable minorities of Uzbeks and Russians, whose numbers are declining due to emigration. The Pamiris of Badakhshan, a small population of Yaghnobi people, and a sizeable minority of Ismailis are all considered to belong to the larger group of Tajiks. All citizens of Tajikistan are called Tajikistanis. In 1989, ethnic Russians in Tajikistan made up 7.6% of the population; by 1998 the proportion had reduced to approximately 0.5% following the Tajikistani Civil War which had displaced the majority of ethnic Russians. Following the end of the war, Russian emigration continued. The ethnic German population of Tajikistan has also declined due to emigration: having topped at 38,853 in 1979, it has almost vanished since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The Tajiks are the principal ethnic group in most of Tajikistan, as well as in northern and western Afghanistan, and there are more Tajiks in Afghanistan than in Tajikistan. Tajiks are a substantial minority in Uzbekistan. More than 3 million Tajik citizens were officially registered in Russia in 2021.
The two official languages of Tajikistan are Tajik as the state language and Russian as the interethnic language, as understood in Article 2 of the Constitution: "The state language of Tajikistan shall be Tajik. Russian shall be the language of international communication."
The state (national) language (забони давлатӣ, государственный язык) of the Republic of Tajikistan is Tajik, which is written in the Tajik Cyrillic alphabet. Several linguists recognise the fact that the Tajik language is a variant of the Persian language (or Farsi). Therefore, Tajik speakers have no problems communicating with Persian speakers from Iran and Dari speakers from Afghanistan. Several million native Tajik speakers also live in neighboring Uzbekistan and in Russia.
According to article 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of Tajikistan, Russian is recognized as the second official language of Tajikistan; the official language of inter-ethnic communication (язык межнационального общения; забони муоширати байни миллатҳо) in the country. Russian had previously lost its official status after Tajikistan's independence in late 1991, which was then restored with the Constitution.
Approximately 90% of the population of Tajikistan speaks Russian at various levels. The varieties of Russian spoken in Tajikistan are referred to by scholars as Tajik(istani) Russian and it shares some similarities with Uzbek(istani) Russian, such as morphological differences and the lexical differences like the use of words урюк for a wild apricot or кислушка for rhubarb. Previously, from the creation of the Tajikistan SSR until Tajik became the official language of the Tajikistan Soviet Socialist Republic on July 22, 1989, the only official language of the republic was the Russian language, and the Tajik language had only the status of the “national language”.
Both Russian and Tajik speakers in the country use the following words in common in address to unfamiliar people and acquaintances.
The highly educated part of the population of Tajikistan, as well as the intelligentsia, prefer to speak Russian and Persian, the pronunciation of which in Tajikistan is called the “Iranian style”.
Apart from Russian, Uzbek is actually the second most widely spoken language in Tajikistan after Tajik. Native Uzbek speakers live in the north and west of Tajikistan. In fourth place (after Tajik, Russian and Uzbek) by number of native speakers are various Pamir languages, whose native speakers live in Kuhistani Badakshshan Autonomous Region. The majority of Zoroastrians in Tajikistan speak one of the Pamir languages. Native speakers of the Kyrgyz language live in the north of Kuhistani Badakshshan Autonomous Region. Yagnobi language speakers live in the west of the country. The Parya language of local Romani people (Central Asian Gypsies) is also widely spoken in Tajikistan. Tajikistan also has small communities of native speakers of Persian, Arabic, Pashto, Eastern Armenian, Azerbaijani, Tatar, Turkmen, Kazakh, Chinese, Ukrainian.
Among foreign languages, the most popular is English, which is taught in schools in Tajikistan as one of the foreign languages. Some young people, as well as those working in the tourism sector of Tajikistan, speak English at different levels. Of the European languages, there are also a number of native speakers of German and French. Many among the Uzbek population learn Turkish in addition to Russian.
In 2009 nearly one million Tajiks worked abroad (mainly in Russia). More than 70% of the female population lives in traditional villages.
The Tajik language is the mother tongue of around 80% of the citizens of Tajikistan. The main urban centers in today's Tajikistan include Dushanbe (the capital), Khujand, Kulob, Panjakent, Bokhtar, Khorugh and Istaravshan. There are also Uzbek, Kyrgyz and Russian minorities.
The Pamiri people of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province in the southeast, bordering Afghanistan and China, though considered part of the Tajik ethnicity, nevertheless are distinct linguistically and culturally from most Tajiks. In contrast to the mostly Sunni Muslim residents of the rest of Tajikistan, the Pamiris overwhelmingly follow the Ismaili branch of Shia Islam, and speak a number of Eastern Iranian languages, including Shughni, Rushani, Khufi and Wakhi. Isolated in the highest parts of the Pamir Mountains, they have preserved many ancient cultural traditions and folk arts that have been largely lost elsewhere in the country.
The Yaghnobi people live in mountainous areas of northern Tajikistan. The estimated number of Yaghnobis is now about 25,000. Forced migrations in the 20th century decimated their numbers. They speak the Yaghnobi language, which is the only direct modern descendant of the ancient Sogdian language.
Tajikistan artisans created the Dushanbe Tea House, which was presented in 1988 as a gift to the sister city of Boulder, Colorado.
In the country, especially among women from the indigenous population, the wearing traditional national clothing is preserved. The seamstresses and embroiderers of various regions of Tajikistan use modern factory fabrics and local needlework embroidery for home decoration and women's clothing. The practice of Chakan embroidery is preserved among women in certain areas, passing the knowledge down from one generation to the next. Men mainly carry the factory clothing of European style. Some men wear upper national clothes — Jom (Taj. Ҷom), and hats — Tubetsey (Taj. Tқиi).
Tajikistan considers itself a secular state with a constitution providing for freedom of religion. Sunni Islam of the Hanafi school has been officially recognised by the government since 2009. The government has declared two Islamic holidays, Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, as state holidays. According to a US State Department release and Pew research group, the population of Tajikistan is 98% Muslim. Approximately 87–95% of them are Sunni and roughly 3% are Shia and roughly 7% are non-denominational Muslims. The Shia part of the population predominantly live in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, and are followers of the Ismailite branch of Shia Islam. The remaining 2% of the population are followers of Russian Orthodoxy, Protestantism, Zoroastrianism and Buddhism. Many Muslims fast during Ramadan, although only about one third in the countryside and 10% in the cities observe daily prayer and dietary restrictions.
Bukharan Jews had lived in Tajikistan since the second century BC, but today almost none are left. In the 1940s, the Jewish community of Tajikistan numbered nearly 30,000 people. Most were Persian-speaking Bukharan Jews who had lived in the region for millennia along with Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe who resettled there in the Soviet era. The Jewish population is now estimated at less than 500, about half of whom live in Dushanbe.
Relationships between religious groups are generally amicable, although there is some concern among mainstream Muslim leaders that minority religious groups undermine national unity. There is a concern for religious institutions becoming active in the political sphere. The Islamic Renaissance Party (IRP), a major combatant in the 1992–1997 Civil War and then-proponent of the creation of an Islamic state in Tajikistan, constitutes no more than 30% of the government by statute. Membership in Hizb ut-Tahrir, a militant Islamic party which today aims for an overthrow of secular governments and the unification of Tajiks under one Islamic state, is illegal and members are subject to arrest and imprisonment. Numbers of large mosques appropriate for Friday prayers are limited and some feel this is discriminatory.
By law, religious communities must register by the State Committee on Religious Affairs (SCRA) and with local authorities. Registration with the SCRA requires a charter, a list of 10 or more members, and evidence of local government approval prayer site location. Religious groups that do not have a physical structure are not allowed to gather publicly for prayer. Failure to register can result in large fines and closure of a place of worship. There are reports that registration on the local level is sometimes difficult to obtain. People under the age of 18 are also barred from public religious practice.
As of January 2016, as part of an "anti-radicalisation campaign", police in the Khatlon region reportedly shaved the beards of 13,000 men and shut down 160 shops selling the hijab. Shaving beards and discouraging women from wearing hijabs is part of a government campaign targeting trends that are deemed "alien and inconsistent with Tajik culture", and "to preserve secular traditions".
Today, approximately 1.6% of the population in Tajikistan is Christian, mostly Orthodox Christians. The territory of Tajikistan is part of the Dushanbe and Tajikistan Diocese of the Central Asian Metropolitan District of the Russian Orthodox Moscow Patriarchate. The country is also home to communities of Catholics, Armenian Christians, Protestants, Lutherans, Jehovah's Witnesses, Baptists, Mormons, and Adventists.
Cities:
