Tajikistan: Trade Profile
Tajikistan has a relatively open economy and low tariffs: the total value of foreign trade equals 55% of GDP (World Bank - latest available data), and the average applied rate is 5%. Tajikistan has taken steps to improve its global and regional integration through accession to the WTO in 2013, and participation in a free-trade agreement with the CIS. Historically, Tajik exports are mainly made of aluminium, agricultural products and light industry. Low product diversification and dependence on natural resources make the country's economy particularly sensitive to volatile commodity prices. In 2021, exports were made up mostly of gold, silver and other metals (58%), minerals (9.5%), aluminium (9.1%), and cotton fibre (8% - data TajTrade). The country mainly imports oil, machinery and food products.
In 2021, the main suppliers were Russia (30.4%), Kazakhstan (19.4%), China (16.1%), and Turkey (3.7%); while the main customers were Switzerland (41.7%), Kazakhstan (16.7%), Turkey (10.8%), China (7.4%), and Uzbekistan (6%).
Tajikistan has a structurally negative trade balance. Data from TajTrade shows that in 2021 exports of goods stood at USD 2.1 billion (marking an increase of 52.8% compared to one year earlier), whereas imports reached USD 4.2 billion (+33.6% year on year). Tajikistan is also a net importer of services: in 2021, it imported USD 159 million of services against USD 147 million of exports. According to the latest data from the World Bank, the overall trade balance was negative by 21.1% of GDP in 2020.
| Foreign Trade Indicators | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imports of Goods (million USD) | 2,775 | 3,151 | 3,349 | 3,151 | 4,210 |
| Exports of Goods (million USD) | 1,198 | 1,073 | 1,174 | 1,407 | 2,150 |
| Imports of Services (million USD) | 368 | 434 | 479 | 404 | 532 |
| Exports of Services (million USD) | 247 | 238 | 239 | 136 | 147 |
| Trade Balance (million USD) | -1,517 | -1,890 | -1,920 | -1,445 | -1,712 |
| Foreign Trade (in % of GDP) | 54 | 56 | 56 | 56 | n/a |
| Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) | 39 | 41 | 41 | 38 | n/a |
| Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) | 15 | 14 | 15 | 17 | n/a |
Source: WTO – World Trade Organisation ; World Bank - Latest available data.
To go further, check out our service Import Export Flows
| 0.2 bn USD of services exported in 2017 | |
|---|---|
| 90.38% | |
| Sea transportSea transport | 8.92% |
| PassengerPassenger | 5.21% |
| FreightFreight | 3.72% |
| Air transportAir transport | 0.12% |
| FreightFreight | 0.12% |
| 3.73% | |
| Personal travelPersonal travel | 2.22% |
| Education-related expenditureEducation-related expenditure | 1.65% |
| Health-related expenditureHealth-related expenditure | 0.56% |
| Business travelBusiness travel | 1.52% |
| Expenditure by seasonal and...Expenditure by seasonal and border workers | 1.49% |
| OtherOther | 0.02% |
| 2.61% | |
| Telecommunications servicesTelecommunications services | 2.61% |
| 2.53% | |
| 0.36% | |
| Miscellaneous business,...Miscellaneous business, professional, and technical services | 0.71% |
| Agricultural, mining, and...Agricultural, mining, and on-site processing services | 0.22% |
| Legal, accounting, management...Legal, accounting, management consulting, and public relations | 0.01% |
| Advertising, market research,...Advertising, market research, and public opinion polling | 0.01% |
| 0.36% | |
| 0.01% | |
| n/a% | |
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, Latest Available Data
Member of CIS - Commonwealth of Independent States
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Latest Update: February 2023
