Tajikistan ranks last among CIS countries in housing availability as of 2023, according to data from the Agency for Statistics under the President of Tajikistan and the CIS Statistical Committee.
Despite significant growth in Tajikistan’s total housing stock over the past decades, access to housing for most citizens remains low. High construction costs and limited financial resources among the population create barriers to improving living conditions.
As a result, Tajikistan, with 10.9 square meters of housing per person, is one of the countries with the least residential space in the region. This can be attributed to low housing development in rural areas and economic challenges that hinder access to quality and affordable housing for the majority of the population.
Everything is relative
To better understand the situation, let’s compare Tajikistan’s figures with other CIS countries:
- Armenia (36.4 sq. m) and Moldova (35.3 sq. m) have significantly higher housing availability. These countries implement more robust housing programs, resulting in better living conditions for their citizens. The disparity of over 25 sq. m per person highlights the stark imbalance in housing accessibility.
- Belarus (29.9 sq. m) and Russia (28.8 sq. m) also boast high housing availability. However, Russia, despite its vast territories and developed real estate market, still faces housing accessibility issues in some regions.
- Turkmenistan (23.2 sq. m) and Azerbaijan (22.6 sq. m), while having similar housing stock, struggle with economic development and high housing prices, limiting access to quality housing for much of their populations.
- Uzbekistan (19.0 sq. m), Kazakhstan (18.0 sq. m), and Kyrgyzstan (12.7 sq. m) also surpass Tajikistan, providing comparatively better housing conditions for their citizens.
Housing availability in Tajikistan
Although Tajikistan’s total housing stock increased from 50.5 million sq. m in 1991 to 110.6 million sq. m by 2023, the country’s average housing availability remains low.
· In Dushanbe, housing availability is 13.5 sq. m per person, while in Khatlon Province, it barely reaches 9.5 sq. m. This disparity creates challenges in ensuring decent living conditions and results in high population density in some regions.
Housing stock in Tajikistan
As of late 2023:
· The urban housing stock totaled 42.5 million sq. m, with the largest share located in Dushanbe (16.57 million sq. m).
· The rural housing stock reached 68 million sq. m, with significant shares in Sughd and Khatlon Provinces.
Dushanbe leads in housing construction
In 2023, Tajikistan commissioned 1.823 million sq. m of new housing, a 4.8% increase from 2022. However, this growth was uneven across regions.
· Dushanbe is the clear leader in new housing construction. In 2023, 550,000 sq. m of housing was built in the capital, accounting for nearly one-third of the country’s total.
· The Shohmansour district stood out, contributing 236,900 sq. m. in the capital. Overall, housing construction in Dushanbe grew by 26.7%, a record among all regions.
Private investment plays a key role in housing construction nationwide.
