Tajikistan has a population of around 10 million, making it the smallest of the Central Asian republics by population as well as area. It is also the poorest. A significant proportion of working-age men are labor migrants in Russia, sending remittances home — these transfers account for a substantial share of GDP.
About 84 percent of the population is Tajik. Uzbeks make up roughly 14 percent, concentrated in the north around Khujand and in the Hissar Valley. The Russian minority that once staffed the Soviet bureaucracy and industry has largely emigrated since 1991. A smaller Pamiri population in Gorno-Badakhshan speaks distinct languages related to but different from Tajik.
Tajik is the official language, a variety of Persian (Farsi). It is written in a modified Cyrillic script — Soviet-era policy — rather than the Persian script, which means Tajiks and Iranians can understand each other when speaking but not always in writing. Russian remains widely used in government, business, and the older generation in cities. Learning a few phrases of Tajik opens doors considerably.
The country is predominantly Sunni Muslim, with a Shia minority in parts of the Pamirs. Islam is practiced with varying degrees of observance; in cities you see both headscarves and miniskirts. Religious expression has become more visible since the Soviet collapse, though the government keeps a close watch on political Islam.
Hospitality is genuine and pervasive. An invitation into someone's home means tea, then food, then more food. Refusing is awkward. Tajiks eat on the floor, seated on cushioned mattresses (kurpachi) arranged around a low tablecloth. Meals at home are relaxed and generous. Accepting hospitality graciously — and reciprocating with small gifts or by buying tea — is the right approach.
Traditional sports include gushtingiri (wrestling) and buzkashi, a rough mounted game played with a goat carcass, familiar across the region and spectacular to watch.