If you like it vertical, Tajikistan has the landscape for you. Tajikistan is a patchwork of self-contained valleys and regional contrasts, forged together by Soviet nation-building and shared pride in a Persian cultural heritage that is claimed as the oldest and most influential in the Silk Road region.
Capital: Dushanbe
President: Emomali Rakhmonov
Prime Minister: Akil Akilov
Government: republic
Time zone: GMT +5
Area: 143100
Population: 6440732
Religions: Sunni Muslim (80%), Shi'a Muslim, other
Currency: Somoni (TJS)
Country Dialing Code: 992
Tajikistan International Airlines has weekly flights from Karachi, Delhi, Istanbul and Munich to Dushanbe. Turkish Airines flies from Istanbul to Dushanbe. Aeroflot flies between Moscow and Dushanbe a few times a week. There are also irregular charter connections from Dushanbe to Aleppo and Abu Dhabi. You'll probably find it easier to fly to another Central Asian republic and then take a regional flight. There's a railway route from Moscow through Kazakstan and Uzbekistan with a branch line from Tashkent to Dushanbe or Khojand.
The only regular air services are between Dushanbe, Khojand and Khorog. There's no train between Dushanbe and Khojand; you have to take the bumpy bus. Other buses go south to Kurgan-Tyube and Kulyab, and as far down as Pyanj and Ayvadz, but get advice on how clever it would be to board these services. Buses to the east reach only around 100km (60mi), as far as Komsomolabad, though shared jeeps run as far as Khorog. Beyond this things become hit-and-miss; there's only the occasional weekly minibus. The scarcity of petrol and spare parts means many vehicles spend time off the road - be prepared for long, rough rides, missed connections and vomiting children. If this doesn't appeal, it's often possible to hire a car and driver: taxis and private citizens are often willing to take travellers between cities.
Lowland Tajikistan veers between extremely hot summers with July days of 42° C (108° F) and extremely chilly winters with an average minimum of -12° C (10° F) in January. From October through May, fierce snowstorms rage in the mountains and the temperature can drop to a demolishing -45° C (-49° F), making getting around almost impossible. Spring (March to May) brings mild temperatures and frequent heavy showers while on the plains, strong duststorms can be expected from June through October.
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