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Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Dushanbe
Душанбе
View of the Palace of the Nation (Presidential Palace).
Official seal of Dushanbe
Seal
Dushanbe is located in Tajikistan
Dushanbe
Dushanbe
Location of Dushanbe in Tajikistan
Coordinates: 38°32′12″N 68°46′48″E / 38.53667°N 68.78000°E / 38.53667; 68.78000Coordinates: 38°32′12″N 68°46′48″E / 38.53667°N 68.78000°E / 38.53667; 68.78000
Country  Tajikistan
Government
 • Mayor Mahmadsaid Ubaydulloyev
Area
 • City 124.6 km2 (48.1 sq mi)
Elevation 706 m (2,316 ft)
Population (2014)
 • City 778,500
 • Density 6,200/km2 (16,000/sq mi)
 • Metro 1 051 200
Time zone Tajikistan Time (UTC+5)
 • Summer (DST) Tajikistan Time (UTC+5)
Website www.dushanbe.tj

Dushanbe (Tajik: Душанбе, Duşanbe) — is the capital and largest city of Tajikistan. Dushanbe means Monday in the Tajik language. It was so named because it grew from a village that originally had a popular market on Mondays (as Dushanbe means Monday in Persian language). Until 1929, the city was known in Russian as Dyushambe (Russian: Дюшамбе, Djušambe), and from 1929 to 1961 as Stalinabad (Tajik: Сталинобод, Stalinobod). As of 2014, Dushanbe had a population of 778,500.

Situated at the confluence of two rivers, Varzob and Kofarnihon, Dushanbe is the capital of Tajikistan. Although archaeological remnants dating to the 5th century BC have been discovered in the area, there is little to suggest that Dushanbe was more than a small village until the early 20th century.

The first written mention of the village of Dushanbe occurred in 1676. It was at the crossroads, where a large bazaar occurred on Mondays, hence the name Dushanbe-Bazar (Tajik: Душанбе Бозор, Dushanbe Bozor) from Dushanbe, which means Monday in the Persian language. In the village, there were more than 500 households and a population of about 8,000 people.

By 1826, the town was called Dushanbe Qurghan (Tajik: Душанбе Қурғон, Dushanbe Qurghon, with the suffix qurƣon from Turkic qurğan, meaning "fortress") Russified as Dyushambe (Дюшамбе). The first map showing Dyushambe was drafted in 1875. At that time, the town was a fortress on a steep bank on the left bank of the Varzob River with 10,000 residents.


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