Tajikistan's border with Afghanistan follows the Panj River for hundreds of kilometres. For the Tajiks this border region is associated with the presence of smugglers and Taliban on the opposite side of the river
swissinfo.ch
A mosque in Khujand, one of the oldest cities in central Asia that dates back about 2,500 years. The city was named 'Alexandria the furthest' as the troops of Alexander the Great were unable to advance beyond the city
swissinfo.ch
Around one million Tajiks out of a population of eight million work abroad, especially in Russia. Money sent back home represents about 48% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
swissinfo.ch
A tank from the Russia's 201 military base (6,000 soldiers) near the border with Afghanistan. It represents Russia's largest foreign military base. According to an agreement between the two countries, the base will remain in Tajikistan until at least 2042 in order to maintain regional stability
swissinfo.ch
Dushanbe residents in traditional costume admire the musical fountain in front of the opera
swissinfo.ch
Kouliabé, in the south of the country, is an important cattle-raising centre
swissinfo.ch
A second-hand car market at Kouliabé
swissinfo.ch
A bus in the capital Dushanbe. In summer temperatures can rise to around 40 degrees Celsius
swissinfo.ch
When you follow the Pamir road (M-41), you can see Afghan villages on the opposite bank. The population used to form one nation before being divided in the 19th century when the Russian and British empires fought over central Asia
swissinfo.ch
One-third of the population lives below the poverty level, especially farmers. Most fields are cultivated by hand as few industrial farm machines are available
swissinfo.ch
Children play in the Syr Darya River in Soghd province
swissinfo.ch
The Nourek Dam: a huge artificial lake has been built on the Vakhsh River to help irrigate local fields
swissinfo.ch
A Pamir mountain goat, a symbol of the mountains and freedom, dominates the entrance to Khorog, a city of 30,000 people located at 2,200m
swissinfo.ch
This content was published on
Lioudmila Clot, swissinfo.ch
Come with us on a journey through Tajikistan, a country boasting a diverse natural habitat and incredible mix of traditional and modern.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.