Tajikistan in figures

Official name – Republic of Tajikistan

Capital – Dushanbe

Location – the South-east of Central Asia

Territory – 143.1 square km.

Population – 8 000 000 (01.04.2013)

Currency – Somoni (TJS), introduced in October, 2000

Greenwich Time – (+)5 hours. 

Telephone code  – +992

Language – Tajik (state language), Russian

Regions

Soghd region is one of the administrative regions in the Republic of Tajikistan. It was established in October 27, 1939 as Leninabad region. On November 10, 2000 it was renamed as Soghd region. The region is located in the North of Tajikistan, in the mountain ranges of the Tien Shan and Gissar-Alai mountains, the Northern part is occupied by the Ferghana valley. The Soghd region is divided into 14 districts: Ayni, Asht, Bobojon-Gafurov, Ganji, Jabbar-Rasulov, Zafarabad, Isfara, Istravshan, Kanibadam, Kuhistoni-Mastchoh, Mastchoh, Penjikent, Spitamen and Shahristan. The administrative centre is Khujand. Cities in the Soghd region are Gafurov, Istaravshan, Isfara, Kairakum, Kanibadam, Penjikent, Taboshar, and Chkalovsk. The climate in Khujand is continental And the main rivers are Sirdarya and Zeravshan. The biggest and most popular lake is Iskanderkul. Other water reservoirs include Kairakum, Farhad, Kattasai and Daganasai. 

History

Until the mid of the first millennium B.C. the territory of modern Tajikistan in the areas of Amudarya and Sirdarya were settled by Eastern Iranian tribes. Bactria and Sogdiana were the most ancient states, lying along the banks of the upper and middle Amudarya. In the 6^th – 4^th century B.C. these states were part of the Akhamenids Empire established by Persians. The agricultural area of Sogdiana, that included Fergana and Zerafshan valleys and reaching in the west the area of Bukhara, played an important role in international trade, as it was on trade routes that linked China and Central Asia. The Akhamenid State collapsed in 330 B.C. under pressure from Greek-Macedonian forces. Bactrians, Sogdians and other people of Central Asia were conquered, in spite of their heroic resistance to the army of Alexander the Great.