History of Tajikistan in Timeline

Tajikistan, officially the Republic of Tajikistan, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Its capital and largest city is Dushanbe. Tajikistan shares borders with Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and China, and is separated from Pakistan by Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor. The country has a population exceeding 10.7 million.

1910: Uprisings against the Khanate of Kokand

Between 1910 and 1913, Russian troops were required to restore order during uprisings against the Khanate of Kokand.

1913: Uprisings against the Khanate of Kokand

Between 1910 and 1913, Russian troops were required to restore order during uprisings against the Khanate of Kokand.

July 1916: Violence in Khujand

In July 1916, demonstrators attacked Russian soldiers in Khujand over the threat of forced conscription during World War I. Russian troops brought Khujand back under control, but clashes continued throughout the year in various locations in Tajikistan.

1917: Basmachi revolt after the Russian Revolution

After the Russian Revolution of 1917, guerrillas throughout Central Asia, known as basmachi, waged a war against Bolshevik armies in an attempt to maintain independence.

1924: Creation of the Tajik Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic

In 1924, the Tajik Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was created as a part of Uzbekistan.

1926: Increase in Russian population

Between 1926 and 1959 the proportion of Russians among Tajikistan's population grew from less than 1% to 13%.

1927: Collectivization of agriculture begins

Between 1927 and 1934, collectivization of agriculture and an expansion of cotton production took place in Tajikistan, especially in the southern region.

1927: Stalin's purges begin

Two rounds of Stalin's purges (1927–1934 and 1937–1938) resulted in the expulsion of nearly 10,000 people from all levels of the Communist Party of Tajikistan.

1928: Soviet authorities start an anti-religious campaign of secularization

Between 1928 and 1941, Soviet authorities started an anti-religious campaign of secularization in Tajikistan. Practising Christianity, Islam, or Judaism was discouraged and repressed; several churches, mosques, and synagogues were closed.

December 1929: Tajikistan becomes a constituent republic of the Soviet Union

On December 5, 1929, the country's borders were drawn when it was part of Uzbekistan as an autonomous republic before becoming a constituent republic of the Soviet Union.

1929: Tajikistan Soviet Socialist Republic formed

In 1929 the Tajikistan Soviet Socialist Republic (Tajikistan SSR, Таджикская ССР) was made a separate constituent republic; the predominantly ethnic Tajik cities of Samarkand and Bukhara remained in the Uzbek SSR.

1934: Collectivization of agriculture continues

Between 1927 and 1934, collectivization of agriculture and an expansion of cotton production took place in Tajikistan, especially in the southern region.

1934: Stalin's purges

Two rounds of Stalin's purges (1927–1934 and 1937–1938) resulted in the expulsion of nearly 10,000 people from all levels of the Communist Party of Tajikistan.

1937: Stalin's purges continue

Two rounds of Stalin's purges (1927–1934 and 1937–1938) resulted in the expulsion of nearly 10,000 people from all levels of the Communist Party of Tajikistan.

1938: Stalin's purges

Two rounds of Stalin's purges (1927–1934 and 1937–1938) resulted in the expulsion of nearly 10,000 people from all levels of the Communist Party of Tajikistan.

1939: Tajiks conscripted into the Red Army

In 1939, Tajiks began to be conscripted into the Red Army.

1941: Soviet authorities start an anti-religious campaign of secularization

1946: Bobojon Ghafurov becomes First Secretary

In 1946, Bobojon Ghafurov became First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan.

1956: Bobojon Ghafurov remains First Secretary

From 1946 to 1956, Bobojon Ghafurov was the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan.

1957: Virgin Lands Campaign

During 1957–58 Nikita Khrushchev's Virgin Lands Campaign focused attention on Tajikistan, where living conditions, education and industry lagged behind the other Soviet Republics.

1959: Increase in Russian population

Between 1926 and 1959 the proportion of Russians among Tajikistan's population grew from less than 1% to 13%.

1979: Peak of Ethnic German Population

In 1979, the ethnic German population in Tajikistan peaked at 38,853 before declining.

1988: Dushanbe Tea House gift

In 1988, Tajikistani artisans created the Dushanbe Tea House, which was presented as a gift to the sister city of Boulder, Colorado.

1989: Ethnic Russian population decline

In 1989, ethnic Russians constituted 7.6% of Tajikistan's population.

February 1990: Riots and Strikes in Dushanbe

In February 1990, riots and strikes began in Dushanbe and other cities due to socio-economic issues, housing shortages, and unemployment. Nationalists, democrats, and Islamists demanded independence and reforms, leading to the Soviet leadership deploying Internal Troops to quell the unrest.

1990: Nationalists called for increased rights

By the 1980s Tajik nationalists were calling for increased rights and in 1990 real disturbances occurred within the republic.

September 1991: Tajikistan Declares Independence

On September 9, 1991, Tajikistan declared its independence.

1991: Alternate spellings of Tajikistan

Prior to 1991, Tajikistan appeared as Tadjikistan or Tadzhikistan in English. This is due to a transliteration from the Russian: "Таджикистан".

May 1992: Start of the Tajik Civil War

In May 1992, a civil war began in Tajikistan following its independence.

September 1992: Nabiyev forced to resign

On September 7, 1992, Nabiyev was forced at gunpoint to resign from office. Emomali Rahmon came to power in the early part of this conflict in 1992.

1992: Andrey Abduvaliyev Olympic gold

In 1992, Andrey Abduvaliyev won gold in the men's hammer throw at the Olympics as part of the Unified Team.

1992: Decrease in hospital beds

Since 1992 following the dissolution of the USSR, Tajikistan has experienced a decrease in per capita hospital beds.

1992: Civil War

The Islamic Renaissance Party was a combatant in the 1992–1997 Civil War.

1994: Emomali Rahmon comes to power

In 1994, Emomali Rahmon became the leader of Tajikistan, heading an authoritarian regime.

1994: Decrease in patent applications

The annual number of patent applications for inventions in Tajikistan decreased from 193 in 1994 to 5 in 2011.

1996: Richard Frye explains the evolution of Tajiks

In a 1996 publication, Richard Frye explains that factors must be taken into account in explaining the evolution of the peoples whose remnants are the Tajiks in Central Asia.

June 1997: End of the Tajik Civil War

The civil war in Tajikistan, which began in May 1992, ended in June 1997.

1997: Ceasefire reached in Tajikistan

In 1997, a ceasefire was reached between Rahmon and opposition parties under the guidance of Gerd D. Merrem, Special Representative to the Secretary General, a result praised as a successful United Nations peacekeeping initiative. The ceasefire guaranteed 30% of ministerial positions would go to the opposition.

1997: Library of Congress study on the origins of the word "Tajik"

In 1997, the Library of Congress's Country Study of Tajikistan found it difficult to definitively state the origins of the word "Tajik."

1997: End of the civil war

In 1997, the civil war in Tajikistan ended after a peace agreement was made between the government and the Islamist-led opposition.

1997: The war lasted until 1997

The war in Tajikistan lasted until 1997. During this time more than 500,000 residents fled because of persecution and increased poverty.

1998: Further reduction of ethnic Russians after civil war

By 1998, the proportion of ethnic Russians in Tajikistan had reduced to approximately 0.5% following the Tajikistani Civil War, which displaced many.

1999: Births attended by skilled health staff

According to the World Bank, 66.6% of births were attended by skilled health staff in 1999 in Tajikistan.

1999: Peaceful elections

In 1999, a central government began to take form in Tajikistan, with peaceful elections taking place.

1999: Rahmon re-elected in criticized elections

In 1999, elections were held and were criticised by opposition parties and foreign observers as unfair; Rahmon was re-elected with 98% of the vote.

2000: Registered disabled people

In 2000, the state's Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare reported that 104,272 disabled people were registered in Tajikistan.

2000: International assistance for rehabilitation programs

In fiscal year 2000, international assistance remained an essential source of support for rehabilitation programs that reintegrated former civil war combatants into the civilian economy.

2000: Economic growth

The GDP of Tajikistan expanded at an average rate of 9.6% over the period of 2000–2007 according to the World Bank data.

August 2001: Famine striking Tajikistan

On 21 August 2001, the Red Cross announced that a famine was striking Tajikistan, and called for international aid for the country.

September 11, 2001: French troops stationed at Dushanbe Airport

Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, French troops have been stationed at Dushanbe Airport in support of air operations of NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

2004: Construction of the Tajik–Afghan Friendship Bridge

In 2004 the Tajik–Afghan Friendship Bridge between Afghanistan and Tajikistan was built by the United States, improving the country's access to South Asia.

2004: Public expenditure on health

In 2004, public expenditure on health in Tajikistan was at 1% of the GDP.

2005: Accusations against the parliamentary elections

In 2005, opposition parties and international observers accused President Emomali Rahmon of corruptly manipulating the election process and unemployment.

2005: Public spending on education

Public spending on education in Tajikistan was relatively constant between 2005–2012.

2005: Russian border troops stationed along the Tajik–Afghan border

Russian border troops were stationed along the Tajik–Afghan border until summer 2005.

November 2006: Political passivity in Tajikistan

In November 2006, Ilan Greenberg wrote about Tajikistan's profound aversion to risk and skepticism of promises of reform in The New York Times, before the country's presidential election.

November 2006: Presidential election boycott

In November 2006, the presidential election was boycotted by "mainline" opposition parties, including the 23,000-member Islamic Renaissance Party.

2006: Administrative divisions

As of 2006, there were 58 districts and 367 jamoats in Tajikistan.

2006: Rahmon wins another election amidst criticism

Elections in 2006 were again won by Rahmon (with 79% of the vote) and he began his third term in office. Opposition parties boycotted the 2006 election and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) criticised it, while observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States claimed the elections were legal and transparent.

2006: AFC Challenge Cup win

In 2006, the men's football team won the inaugural edition of the AFC Challenge Cup.

2006: Drug confiscations

Tajikistan held third place in the world for heroin and raw opium confiscations in the first half of 2006.

2006: World Bank Tajikistan Policy Note

The World Bank Tajikistan Policy Note 2006 concludes that remittances have played a role as 1 of the drivers of Tajikistan's economic growth during the past years, have increased incomes, and as a result helped reduce poverty.

2007: Economic growth

The GDP of Tajikistan expanded at an average rate of 9.6% over the period of 2000–2007 according to the World Bank data.

January 2008: Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric power station commenced operations

On 18 January 2008, Russia's RAO UES's Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric power station (670 MW capacity) commenced operations.

2008: Tertiary education enrollment

As of 2008, tertiary education enrollment in Tajikistan was 17%.

2008: Rugby union registered

In 2008, rugby union was officially registered with the Ministry of Justice in Tajikistan.

2009: Airports in Tajikistan

In 2009 Tajikistan had 26 airports, 18 of which had paved runways, of which two had runways longer than 3,000 meters.

2009: Agreement to improve highway and rail system

In 2009, an agreement was made between Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to improve and build a 1,300 km (810 mi) highway and rail system connecting the three countries to Pakistan's ports.

2009: Tajik migrant workers and rural female population

In 2009, nearly 1 million Tajiks worked abroad, mainly in Russia, and over 70% of the female population lived in traditional villages.

2009: Increase in remittances

Remittances from Tajik labour migrants totalled an estimated $2.1 billion US dollars in 2010, an increase from 2009.

2009: Sunni Islam recognized

Since 2009, Sunni Islam of the Hanafi school has been officially recognised by the government of Tajikistan.

February 2010: Parliamentary elections

In February 2010, the ruling PDPT lost four seats in Parliament, yet still maintained a majority. The OSCE stated that "these elections failed on many basic democratic standards."

September 2010: Ayni Air Base rebuilt

In September 2010, The Government of India rebuilt the Ayni Air Base, a military airport located 15 km southwest of Dushanbe, completing the repairs at a cost of $70 million.

October 2010: OSCE criticizes Rahmon's administration

In October 2010, Rahmon's administration came under further criticism from OSCE for its censorship and repression of the media.

November 2010: End of the military operation in the Rasht Valley

The military operation in the Rasht Valley was concluded in November 2010.

2010: Polio outbreak

In 2010, Tajikistan experienced an outbreak of polio that caused more than 457 cases and 29 deaths before being brought under control.

2010: Remittances from Tajik labour migrants

In 2010, remittances from Tajik labour migrants totalled an estimated $2.1 billion US dollars.

2011: Jewish population in Tajikistan

As of 2011, the Jewish population in Tajikistan was estimated at less than 500, with roughly half living in Dushanbe.

2011: Researchers at universities

In 2011, 6707 researchers worked at universities in Tajikistan, of which 2450 had academic degrees.

January 2012: Food insecurity

In January 2012, 680,152 of the people living in Tajikistan were living with food insecurity.

July 2012: Fighting Erupts in Gorno-Badakhshan

In July 2012, fighting erupted again in and around Gorno-Badakhshan.

2012: Cricket Federation formed

In 2012, the Tajikistan Cricket Federation was formed as the governing body for the sport of cricket in Tajikistan.

2012: Agreement to construct roads, railways, and pipelines

In 2012, the presidents of Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Iran signed an agreement to construct roads and railways, and oil, gas, and water pipelines to connect the three countries.

2012: Public spending on education

Public spending on education in Tajikistan was relatively constant between 2005–2012.

2014: Highway and tunnel construction projects underway

As of 2014 highway and tunnel construction projects are underway or have been completed, supported by international donor countries.

2014: Remittance-dependent economy

In 2014 Tajikistan was the world's most remittance-dependent economy with remittances accounting for 49% of GDP.

2014: Physicians per capita

In 2014, there were 2.1 physicians per 1,000 people in Tajikistan.

May 2015: Colonel Gulmurod Khalimov defects to Islamic State

In May 2015, Colonel Gulmurod Khalimov, commander of the special-purpose police unit (OMON) of the Interior Ministry, defected to the Islamic State, marking a setback for Tajikistan's national security.

2015: Russia sends troops to Tajikistan

In 2015, Russia sent more troops to Tajikistan.

2015: Remittances expected to fall

In 2015, Tajikistan's remittances were expected to fall by 40% due to the economic crisis in the Russian Federation.

January 2016: Anti-radicalisation campaign

In January 2016, police in the Khatlon region of Tajikistan reportedly shaved the beards of 13,000 men and shut down 160 shops selling the hijab as part of an "anti-radicalisation campaign".

2016: Dilshod Nazarov Olympic gold

In 2016, Dilshod Nazarov won gold in the men's hammer throw at the Olympics.

2016: Planned education system change

In 2016, the government of Tajikistan planned to implement a 12-year public education system.

September 2017: Alleged death of Gulmurod Khalimov

In September 2017, Gulmurod Khalimov was allegedly killed during a Russian airstrike near Deir ez-Zor, Syria, although Tajikistan authorities expressed doubts about his death.

September 2017: University of Central Asia campus launch

In September 2017, the University of Central Asia launched its second campus in Khorog, Tajikistan, offering majors in Earth & Environmental Sciences and Economics.

2018: Infant mortality rate

In 2018, the infant mortality rate in Tajikistan was approximately 30.42 deaths per 1,000 children.

2018: CAFA Women's Championship participation

In 2018, the women's football side participated in the CAFA Women's Championship, finishing third.

July 2019: Joint letter defending China's treatment of Uyghurs

In July 2019, UN ambassadors of 37 countries, including Tajikistan, signed a joint letter to UNHRC defending China's treatment of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region.

2019: GDP from immigrant remittances

In 2019, nearly 29% of Tajikistan's GDP came from immigrant remittances (mostly from Tajiks working in Russia).

October 2020: Presidential re-election

In October 2020, President Emomali Rahmon was re-elected for another seven-year term with 90% of the vote, following a largely ceremonial election.

2020: Democracy Index rank

In 2020, Tajikistan was ranked 160th in the Democracy Index by the Economist Intelligence Unit, receiving the designation of "authoritarian regime".

2020: Life expectancy

In 2020, the estimated life expectancy at birth in Tajikistan was 69 years.

April 2021: Conflict over water escalates into border clashes

In April 2021, a conflict over water with Kyrgyzstan escalated into one of the border clashes between the two countries since independence.

July 2021: Appeal to CSTO for help

In July 2021, Tajikistan appealed to members of a Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) for help in dealing with security challenges emerging from neighboring Afghanistan.

2021: Tajik citizens in Russia

In 2021, approximately 2.4 million Tajik citizens were officially registered in Russia.

2021: Tajikistan allegedly involved in Panjshir conflict

In 2021, following the Fall of Kabul, Tajikistan allegedly got involved in the Panjshir conflict against the Taliban on the side of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan.

2021: Coronavirus ravages Tajikistan

In the summer of 2021, coronavirus ravaged Tajikistan, and the Tajik president's sister reportedly died in a hospital of COVID-19.

September 2022: Armed clashes erupt between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

In September 2022, armed clashes, including the use of artillery, erupted along most of the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

2022: CAFA Women's Championship hosted

In 2022, the women's football side hosted the CAFA Women's Championship.

2023: Population estimate

In 2023, Tajikistan was estimated to have a population of 10,389,799 as per the World Bank data.

2023: Malaria-free certification

In 2023, according to the World Health Organization, Tajikistan received its certification, declaring its status as a malaria-free country.

2023: Malnutrition rate forecast

In 2023, the malnutrition rate in Tajikistan will reach 30% according to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

2023: AFC Asian Cup qualification

In 2023, the men's football side qualified for the AFC Asian Cup, reaching the quarter finals.

2024: Global Innovation Index ranking

Tajikistan was ranked 107th in the Global Innovation Index in 2024.

2024: Medal haul at Olympics

Tajikistan's highest medal haul at an Olympic Games came in the 2024 Summer Olympics, where its athletes won three medals.

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