Tajik National Encyclopedia

The Tajik National Encyclopedia (abbreviated as TNE) is the national encyclopedia of Tajikistan, the compilation and editing of which began in Tajikistan in 2008.

History#

By decree of the President of Tajikistan, in our sovereign, ancient-culture, civilized, secular, and law-based state, work also began on the preparation and compilation of a multi-volume national encyclopedia. This was because encyclopedic books would include the country’s history, science, economy, agriculture, culture, literature and art, customs, rituals, and the lives and work of great personalities, well-known public figures, distinguished representatives of science and education, writers, craftsmen, and famous artists. Historical experience shows that no nation can become strong and cultured, or remain enduring and sustainable through the centuries, without benefiting from the shared civilization of neighboring nations and peoples.

The course pursued by our country, which supports a policy of recognition and respect for the norms of international law, non-interference in the political and economic independence of other countries, and the development and expansion of mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation and relations with the countries of the world, always upholds the national and cultural values of the Tajik people at all levels and in all spheres.

The first edition of Volume One of the Tajik National Encyclopedia was published in 2012 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in a print run of 5,000 copies, at a cost of 350,000 somoni. The encyclopedia contains 3,200 articles written by 650 authors. Eleven volumes of the Tajik National Encyclopedia had been published by 2025.

Beginning of Activities#

From the very start of work on the multi-volume Tajik National Encyclopedia, the Chief Scientific Editorial Board of the Tajik National Encyclopedia contacted scientific institutions, state agencies, universities and higher education institutes, creative unions, individual specialists from all fields of science and culture, and even foreign research institutes and individual specialists abroad with the draft glossary of this publication, inviting them to cooperate and provide assistance. As a result, the glossary underwent broad public discussion and was improved to some extent. The experience of publishing the eight volumes of the Tajik Soviet Encyclopedia, based on the many reviews and critiques published in the mass media, showed that most of the objections from specialists and ordinary readers concerned the inclusion of personalities in the book. In order to prevent such criticism in the future, the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan adopted Resolution No. 439 of September 2, 2010, “On the Criteria for Including Well-Known Historical and Contemporary Personalities in the Tajik National Encyclopedia,” in accordance with which the Editorial Board operates.

In connection with the introduction of newer technologies for page layout and book design, and taking into account the quality of book printing, the use of mostly old black-and-white photographs and images that could not be restored was abandoned. Likewise, those individuals who did not provide their photographs were left out of the first volume. The length of articles was determined and assigned according to the position and significance of the proposed subject, its importance, and the authors’ recommendations, while also taking into account the availability of additional information for future researchers.

Most of the encyclopedia’s articles were written by prominent scholars in various specialties, while compiled and translated articles were also prepared or translated by experienced specialists on the basis of reliable sources and references.

All the articles in the first volume of the TNE, in addition to being reviewed by individual scholars and specialists from various fields of science, were read, approved, endorsed, and recommended for publication by the Scientific Editorial Council confirmed by the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan. The preparation of subsequent volumes of the TNE will continue in the same manner.

Contents#

The Tajik National Encyclopedia has a scholarly-popular character and is, first and foremost, a national encyclopedia. It includes articles on the history of the country, science, economy, agriculture, culture, literature and art, customs, rituals, the lives and activities of great personalities, well-known public figures, representatives of science and education, writers, and famous craftsmen. At the same time, the encyclopedia also contains a section of materials on world history, the most important achievements of science, technology, and global culture, as well as the life, work, and struggles of world geniuses whose examples are instructive.