Tajikistan

Nationals from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Russia, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan do not need a visa for visits up to 90 days. Tajikistan has a 30-day visa-free policy for passport holders of 52 countries. See the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for details.

The somoni (Tajik: сомонӣ; ISO code: TJS) is the national currency of Tajikistan. It is subdivided into 100 diram (Tajik: дирам). Wikivoyage uses С placed before the amount in all our articles. However, when you're shopping locally, you may see a variety of notations placed before or after the amount (most commonly just the letter С).

===Maps=== If you prefer a paper map, look in your home country for one made by Reise Know-How or Gizi Map. ===By minivan or shared taxi=== Scheduled minivans run between the major cities but otherwise hiring a vehicle or sharing one with other passengers is the only way to travel around the country. Prices are generally per person, not for the vehicle, and divided by the number of passengers. You can always pay for the entire car too if you are either in a rush or don't want to share with strangers. The nice thing about shared taxis is that the drivers will almost always drop you off at your…

The national and official language of the country is Tajik, which is one of several dialects of Persian. It is written using the Cyrillic script, which was introduced to the country by the Soviets in the 1930s. Speakers of Dari (Afghan Persian) or Farsi (Iranian Persian) should have no problems with getting around. Tajiks are very fond and proud of their language; therefore, learning a few words of Tajik will most certainly endear you to the locals.

Perhaps surprisingly, Tajikistan is one of the safest countries in the world in terms of petty thefts and tourism-specific crimes. Travelers here are treated with respect, and outside of the bazaars pickpockets are not common. Of course, travelers should still bring with them their common sense, but Tajikistan is much safer in this regard than most of Europe and Latin America.

The healthcare system in Tajikistan is best described as severely underdeveloped. Do not drink tap water. There is no working purification system, and outbreaks of typhoid are common, and even cholera (rarely). Other preventable endemic illnesses are hepatitis A, rabies, poliomyelitis and tick-borne encephalitis. The occasional anthrax case comes in, but it's rare nowadays. There are, during the hot season, a few pockets where malaria can occur. HIV is a growing health threat in Tajikistan. There is now an English-speaking comprehensive primary care clinic in operation by the name of Prospekt…

Tajik telecom companies charge for internet usage by the amount downloaded. This is especially important to note for persons planning on living in Tajikistan and paying directly for the service, for example US$50 per month for up to 1GB of downloads. You will need to have a Ministry of Immigration registration form to purchase private internet service.