Tajikistan, officially known as the Republic of Tajikistan, is the land of "tajiks", some believe that the name refers to the crown (taj) of the Pamir Knot. The word "tajik" is used to differentiate Iranians from Turks in Central Asia starting as early as the 10th, century.
The territory of what is now known as Tajikistan had been inhabuted continuously since 4000 BC. it had been under the rule of various empires throughout history, for the longest period being part of the Persian Empire. Most of modern Tajikistanhad formed parts of ancient Kamboja and parama Kamboja kingdoms, which find references in the ancient Indian epics like the Mahabharata.
from the last quarter of fourth century BC until the first quarter of the second century BC it was part of the Bactrian Empire, from whom it was passed on to SchithianTukharasand hence hence part of Tukharistan.Contact was made with the Chinese Han Dynasty during 2nd. century BC, when envoys were sent to the area of Bactria to exploreregions west of china. Arab brought Islam here in the 7th. century. The Mongols would later take partial contrl of central Asia and later the land that today comprises Tajikistan became a part of the Emirate of Bukhara. A small community of jews migrated to Tajikistan until the 20th. century. Part of the Tajikistan was coquered by Alixender The great in the 4th. century BC. Between the first and fourth centuries AD the area was part of the Kushan Empire, which spread Budhism in this region.
Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan
