ABSTRACT
The Republic of Tajikistan is a mountainous, landlocked country in Central Asia. The country’s history is ancient: The Silk Road once passed through Tajikistan. In a population of 9 million people, 90 percent live in lower elevations, predominantly in settlements called qishlaqs, with population density increasing from east to west. The population is overwhelmingly of the Tajik ethnicity, and the majority of Tajikistanis are Muslim. The nation is rich in mineral resources such as iron, lead, zinc, salt, fluorite, and precious stones.
