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Tajikistan
Population
Tajikistan's population has been characterized as primarily
rural, with a relatively high birth rate and substantial ethnic
tensions. Substantial forced relocation has occurred, first as
a result of various Soviet programs and then because of the civil
war.
By the time Tajikistan became independent, its social structure
reflected some of the changes that Soviet policy had consciously
promoted, including urbanization, nearly universal adult literacy,
and the increased employment of women outside the home. However,
the changes were not as far-reaching as the central government
had intended, nor did they take the exact form the government
wanted. Tajikistan's cities grew, but the republic remained predominantly
rural. More women had wage-paying jobs, but society still held
traditional women's roles in higher regard. Tajikistan had an
especially high birth rate and the highest rate of population
increase of all the former Soviet republics.
Data as of March 1996
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