Tajikistan

Tajikistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, bordered by Afghanistan to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north and China to the east. The capital and largest city is Dushanbe. With a population of about 10-million, Tajikistan is one of the smaller Central Asian republics by population but is characterised by mountainous terrain, with more than half its territory lying above 3 000 metres. The economy is heavily dependent on remittances from migrant workers, aluminium exports and agriculture, particularly cotton. Tajikistan's currency is the somoni. The country is rich in water resources, with significant hydropower potential derived from rivers fed by glaciers and snowmelt in the Pamir and Alay mountain ranges. The government has prioritised energy infrastructure, most notably the Rogun Hydropower Project, which is set to become one of the world's tallest dams. Tajikistan is a presidential republic and gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. It is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and other regional bodies. Despite its natural resources, the country faces challenges including energy shortages in winter, limited economic diversification and infrastructure deficits. Hydropower development is central to Tajikistan's strategy for energy security and export revenue.