The national currency of Tajikistan, the somoni, lost 10.7 percent of its value against the dollar in a year to December 31, 2016. 

The official buying rate (the buying rate is the rate at which money dealers  buys foreign currency) of the somoni against the dollar fell from 7.1101:1 on January 1, 2016 to 7.8768:1 on December 31, 2016. 

It should be noted that Tajikistan saw the sharp currency devaluation in January.  In January 2016, the somoni fell 10.4 percent against the dollar.

In February 2016, the somoni lost only 0.3 percent of its value against the dollar. 

During the remaining ten months of last year, the exchange rate of the somoni against the dollar has not changed.

Specialists from Tajik central bank have attributed the somoni devaluation to sanctions imposed by Western countries on Russia, which is the main trading partner of Tajikistan.

As far as the national currencies of other Central Asia’s are concerned, the Uzbek national currency, the som, lost 15 percent of its value against the dollar last year – from 2,809:1 on January 1, 2016 to 3,231:1 on December 31, 2016.      

Meanwhile, the Kyrgyz and Kazakh national currencies last year became stronger compared to the dollars.

The official buying rate of the Kyrgyz som against the dollar rose 8.7 percent in a year to December 31, 2016 - from 75.8969:1 on January 1, 2016 to 69.2301:1 on December 31, 2016. 

The official buying rate of the Kazakh national currency, the tenge, against the dollar rose 1.3 percent in a year to December 31, 2016 – from 340.01:1 on January 1, 2016 to 333.29:1 on December 31, 2016.     

The official buying rate of the Turkmen national currency, the manat, against the dollar has not changed during the last year.  It was 3.5:1.

The official buying rate of the Russian national currency, the ruble, against the dollar reportedly rose 16.8 percent in a year to December 31, 2016 – from 72.9299:1 on January 1, 2016 to 60.6569:1 on December 31, 2016.