Tag: Tajikistan

According to thereligionfaqs, Tajikistan is a small nation in Central Asia with a population of over 9 million people. While the majority of its citizens are Muslims, there is also a significant minority of non-Muslim religious adherents. The two main religions practiced in Tajikistan are Islam and Christianity. Islam is the predominant faith in Tajikistan and is estimated to be followed by almost 90% of the population. It was introduced to the region centuries ago by Arab traders and has since become deeply embedded in Tajik culture and life. Most Tajik Muslims adhere to Sunni Islam, although there are also some Shia groups present in the country. In addition to mosques, Islamic schools (madrassas) are widespread throughout the nation, providing religious education to children from a young age. Christianity is practiced by a small but growing minority of Tajiks, mainly among ethnic Russians or other non-Muslim immigrants. The majority of Christians belong to Eastern Orthodox churches, although there are also some Protestants present as well as members of various Catholic denominations such as Roman Catholics or Armenian Catholics. In addition to these two major religions, there are also several smaller religious groups present in Tajikistan including Baha’i, Buddhism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism and Hinduism. These faiths have been largely brought by immigrants from other countries or regions such as India or Iran and have gained more prominence in recent years due to increased migration into the country. Overall, religious freedom is protected under the Constitution of Tajikistan and all faiths are respected by both government authorities and local citizens alike. There has been some tension between Muslim and Christian communities at times due to differences in beliefs and customs but generally speaking relations between them remain peaceful and tolerant. In 2011, the Republic of Tajikistan was a landlocked country located in Central Asia, bordered by Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and China. It was the smallest of the former Soviet republics and its population of 7.5 million people was largely rural. Tajikistan’s economy had been severely weakened by the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and it remained one of the poorest countries in Central Asia. The agricultural sector accounted for almost half of GDP while industry and services contributed around 20 percent each. The country also relied heavily on remittances from Tajik citizens working abroad for economic support. Due to its weak economy and lack of resources, Tajikistan faced numerous social challenges in 2011. Poverty levels were high with almost 40 percent of the population living below the poverty line and access to basic services such as healthcare and education was limited. Additionally, corruption was widespread throughout all levels of government which further hindered development efforts. The environment in Tajikistan suffered from years of mismanagement and neglect which had resulted in air pollution from burning fossil fuels as well as water pollution from agricultural runoff and industrial discharges. The government had taken some steps towards improving environmental protection but much more needed to be done in order to address these issues. Check programingplease for Tajikistan in 2010.