The Pamir Highway's birthplace — a mountainous Central Asian nation where the roof-of-the-world plateau connects ancient Silk Road settlements, and traditional hospitality means a stranger becomes a houseguest within minutes.
- Capital
- Dushanbe
- Population
- 10,499,000
- Area
- 143,100 km²
- Languages
- Russian, Tajik
- Currency
- Somoni (TJS)
- GDP
- $14,836M
Good to know
Driving side
Right
National dish
O'sh (pilaf)
Annual visitors
1,035,000 (2018)
Safety
Very low (0.89/100k)
Avg temp
3.9°C
Religion
Islam
Coast
Landlocked
☎ Ambulance 03
Travel guide
Tajikistan (Tajik: Тоҷикистон Tojikiston) is a landlocked country on the ancient Silk Road in Central Asia. The nation's majority culture is non-Turkic, unlike its neighbors to the north and west and east. Tajikistan is the poorest of the former Soviet states, owing to its remote geography and a devastating civil war that wracked the country from 1992 until 1997. But travelers here will find a land of stunning beauty, replete with soaring mountains, quaint pamirs (U-shaped valleys or plateaus surrounded by mountains), turquoise alpine lakes, Silk Road cities and ruins, and a charming and hospitable people. For those looking to experience a true adventurer's dream in the Roof of the World without the throngs of tourists in Nepal and Pakistan, Tajikistan is the place to be.
© Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA)
Explore Tajikistan
Best time to visit
June–September is the only viable period for the Pamir Highway. May–October for Dushanbe and lower areas. The mountains are snowbound November–April. Nowruz (March 21) is the main national celebration.
Visa
Citizens of many Western countries including US, UK, EU, Canada, and Australia can apply for an e-Visa at evisa.tj. Most nationalities can get visa-free or visa on arrival. The Tajik visa process has simplified significantly.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (5)
Book your trip to Tajikistan
We may earn a commission when you book through these links.