Qurghonteppa is a city in southwestern Tajikistan. It is the capital of the Viloyati Khatlon region and it is located 100 km from Dushanbe. It is estimated that the population of the city is close to 85,000 (est. 2006) people, making it the third-largest city in the country. The population fluctuates depending on season (due to Tajik immigrant workers in Russia). The political opposition in Tajikistan primarily comes from Qurghonteppa.
Along with the capital Dushanbe, Qurghonteppa is demographically much more diverse than other major cities such as Khujand, Kulob or Istaravshan. Ethnicities include Tajiks, Uzbeks, Russians, Tatars, Ukrainians, Kazakhs, Greeks and many more. The city had a large number of ethnic Russians who were actively employed by the industrial and agricultural complexes in and around the city. Qurghonteppa was seriously demaged during the civil war in 1992-1997; during and after that war 85 % of the Russians left the city.
Qurghonteppa International Airport serves a handful of cities and Russia and Kazakhstan. The city is considered to be the heart of cotton ("white gold") cultivation in Tajikistan.
Qurghonteppa and Kulob are the main cities of south Tajikistan. Qurghonteppat is a regional hub (one of the top four), especially for banking and telecommunications industries.
Tajik immigrant workers (mostly employed in Russia) have significantly contributed to the local economy since early 2000s. |
