Tajiks

The Tajiks are one of the principal ethnic groups of Central Asia, and are primarily found in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Iran, and the Xinjiang province of China.

Location

Tajiks are the principal ethnic group in most of Tajikistan, as well as in northeastern Afghanistan and the Afghan cities of Kabul, Mazar-e-Sharif, and Herat. Tajiks also dominate the populations of the cities of Bukhara and Samarqand in Uzbekistan, and are found in large numbers in the Surkhandarya region of southern Uzbekistan, and in the eastern part of that country, along its border with Tajikistan. Historically, the ancestors of the Tajiks lived in a much larger territory in Central Asia, but were largely displaced as waves of Turkic invaders moved into the region from the north and east. Today, Tajiks comprise around 66% of the population of Tajikistan, and between 25-30% of the population of Afghanistan. While official statistics in Uzbekistan state the Tajik community as comprising 5% of the nation's total population, it is widely believed that they make up 15 to 30 percent of the country's population. In addition, there is an estimated 500,000 to 1 million Tajiks found in western Pakistan, most being refugees from the Afghan war while others are native to various regions such as Chitral (see Wakhi language) found in the Gilgit Agency.

Related Topics:
Kabul - Mazar-e-Sharif - Herat - Bukhara - Samarqand - Uzbekistan - Surkhandarya - Turkic - Chitral - Wakhi language - Gilgit Agency

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