Please note this is a Working Document
Profile last updated: 21 December 2011
The Republic of Tajikistan (conventionally referred to as Tajikistan) is the smallest country in terms of surface area in Central Asia (Library of Congress 2011). As a former republic of the Soviet Union, it inherited a relatively developed education system, but the sector has suffered some setbacks in the post-independence period both in terms of access and quality. The literacy rate for adults has nonetheless remained very high and even experienced a slight increase in the recent years reaching 99.7% in 2009 (UIS 2011). Tajikistan’s political and economic stability was shaken by the bloody civil conflict that unfolded following independence in 1992 and lasted until 1997 (Library of Congress 2011). The country’s economic transition, partly due to the civil war, has been slow. The country’s political and economic difficulties have culminated in a number of development challenges such as extreme poverty and widespread child labour.
| Quick Facts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (millions)* | 6.8 | Rural Population (%) | 74 |
| GDP per capita (PPP US$) | 2,163 | Adult HIV Prevalence (%) | 0.2 |
| Primary Gross Enrolment (%) | 102 | Life Expectancy (years) | 67 |
| Primary Net Enrolment (%) | 97 | Adult Literacy rate (%) | 99.7 |
| Out of School Children (%) | 2 | Human Development Index (value)** | 0.60 |
| Public Spending on Education as % of GDP | 4 | EFA Development Index (value)*** | 0.97 |
