Sughd Region


Sughd Region is one of the four administrative divisions and one of the three provinces that make up Tajikistan. Centered in the historical Sogdiana, it is located in the northwest of the country, with an area of some 25,400 square kilometers and a population of 2,658,400, up from 2,233,550 according to the 2010 census and 1,871,979 in 2000. It was founded in 1924 as part of Uzbek SSR and transferred to Tajik SSR by Soviet Communists in 1929. Today, the region is still home to many ethnic Uzbeks. The Province's ethnic composition in 2010 was 84% Tajik, 14.8% Uzbek, 0.6% Kyrgyz, 0.4% Russian and 0.1% Tatar.
The region shares a border with the Jizakh, Namangan, Samarkand and Fergana provinces of Uzbekistan, and the Osh and Batken regions of Kyrgyzstan. The Syr Darya river flows through it. It contains the Akash Massif and Mogoltau Massif Important Bird Areas. Sughd is separated from the rest of Tajikistan by the Gissar Range. The southern part of the province is the east-west valley of the upper Zarafshan River. North, over the Turkestan Range, is the Ferghana Valley. The province has 30% of Tajikistan's population and one-third of its arable land. It produces two thirds of the country's GDP.
It was known as Leninabad until 1991, then Leninobod until 2000, then Sogd until 2004.

Economy

The economy of Sughd has been growing steadily since 2000, at the average rate of 13.2% in 2008 and 13.3% in 2009. In 2009, farming, trade and industrial production contributed 28.2%, 25.8% and 14.0% to the GRP of Sughd, respectively. Since 2000, the output of industrial production increased two-fold, at an average annual growth rate of 5–8%.
A free economic zone has been established in the region called Sughd Free Economic Zone.

Towns

The capital is Khujand, with a population of 181,600. Other major towns include:
The region is divided into 14 districts.

Northern districts of Sughd

  1. Asht District
  2. Ghafurov District
  3. Ghonchi District
  4. Zafarobod District
  5. Istaravshan District
  6. Isfara District
  7. Konibodom District
  8. Mastchoh District
  9. Spitamen District
  10. Rasulov District
  11. Shahriston District

    Southern districts of Sughd (Zeravshan Valley">Zarafshon, Tajikistan">Zeravshan Valley)

  12. Ayni District
  13. Kuhistoni Mastchoh District
  14. Panjakent District