PURELY TANZANIA

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About Tanzania

 Do you know the location or size of Tanzania? Do you know how many different tribes live in Tanzania? What is tanzanite? Did you know that time runs differently in Swahili terms? What is Swahili?

The above questions and any many more are answered in Facts & Figures (source: The World Factbook) or Tourist Information sections, where we have provided information to familiarise you with Tanzania and to make your decision to visit easier.

Stunning natural beauty and amazing wildlife of Tanzania can be seen in many National Parks and Reserves. For more information on which park or reserve to visit, have a look in our Parks & Reserves section, under Safaris.

Information referring to tourists is displayed within our Tourist Information section.

Area: 947.300 sq km (mainland Tanganyika 885.800 sq km, Zanzibar Archipelago with Mafia 2.500 sq km, water (lakes) 59.000 sq km).

Location: Eastern Africa, just south of Equator; (Longitude between 29 degrees and 41 degrees East of Greenwich, Latitude 1 degrees and 12 degrees South of Equator). Kenya sits astride the Equator, which borders with Tanzania. Tanzania also shares borders with Uganda; Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Rwanda in the west; Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique in the south and Indian Ocean to the east.

Altitude: Central plateau: from around 1200 m above sea level (metric converter).

  • Highest point: Mt. Kilimanjaro (5895 m).
  • Lowest point: Lake Tanganyika (358 m below sea level).


Landscape:

  • Central mainland consists of a central plateau covered with huge expanse of savannah and sparse woodland;
  • Throughout the interior runs the Great Rift Valley which has created many fascinating topographical features such as the Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Tanganyika.
  • Mountain ranges are grouped on the north-eastern section (the Eastern Arc), and a central and southern section (the Southern Arc).
  • Coastal area: 1400 km long, blossoming and palm-fringed with islands of Zanzibar (Unguja Island), Pemba and Mafia;
  • Largest river: Rufiji.
  • Major lakes: Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Nyasa (Malawi).


Climate:

  • Tropical, with average temperature in coastal area from 26–31 degrees Celsius with hot days cooled by see breezes (metric converter) and in central plateau from 20-27 degrees Celsius with hot days and cool nights.
  • There are two rainy seasons: longer (masika) from mid March to May, and short (vuli) in November. The hottest months are from October to February.


Population:

  • 2018: 55 million people with 51% of women and 44% under age 15. National growth rate 2.7%; 2014: 49 million people with 51% of women and 44% under age 15. National growth rate 2.8%; 2004: 36 million people with 51% of women and 46% under age 15. National growth rate 1.72%.
  • 2018: Life expectancy at birth is 63.1 years (male 61.6 years, female 64.6 years); 2014: Life expectancy at birth is 61.24 years (male 59.91 years, female 62.62 years); 2004: Life expectancy at birth 44.5 years (male 43.3 years, female 45.8 years).
  • There are more than 130 tribes; larger include Sukuma, Nyamwezi, Makonde, Haya, Chagga; smaller ones include Maasai, Haadzabe. There is also an important Asian and Arabic population.


Capital: Dodoma (administrative capital).

Other Major Cities: Dar es Salaam (business capital; population 6 million – 2018 est.), Mwanza, Arusha, Mbeya, Bukoba etc.

Language: Official languages are Swahili and English; tribes also speak their own languages.

Literacy: 78% of total population aged 15 years and over can read and write Swahili (Kiswahili), English or Arabic.

Religion:

  • Christian: 60%
  • Muslim: 35%
  • Hindus, Sikhs, indigenous beliefs etc.; Zanzibar: 99% Muslim.


Currency: Tanzanian Shilling (TZS), which is divided into 100 cents. Paper notes: 10.000, 5.000, 2.000, 1.000; Coins: 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1.

Government: Multiparty Democracy with CCM (Chama Cha Mapinduzi; Party of the Revolution) as a current Ruling Party.

Head of State:

  • President (elected in 2015): Dr John Pombe Joseph Magufuli


National Flag: Black for the People, Green for the Land, Blue for the Adjoining Sea and Golden for the Mineral wealth.

Time Zone: GMT + 3 hours with no daylight saving.

International Dialing Code:

  • County Telephone Code: +255
  • International Exit Code: 000


Internet Domain: .tz

Electricity and Plugs: 230 V, 50 cycles, AC; in general the plugs are British three-square-pin and two-round-pin. Adapters are available.

National Resources:

  • Minerals: gold, diamonds, tanzanite and other gemstones, nickel, iron, coal, natural gas, spring water, soda ash, salt;
  • Wildlife and Tourism: 12 National Parks, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, 13 Game Reserves, 38 Game Controlled Areas, about 120 National Cultural Heritage Sites.
  • Forestry and Beekeeping: non-reserved forest-land (1,903.8 sq km), forest/woodlands with national parks etc. (200 sq km), and gazetted forest reserves (1,251.7 sq km).
  • Fisheries: in three large lakes (Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Nyasa), Indian Ocean coastline, rivers and wetlands the potential yield of fish is estimated to be 730.000 tons annually (present catch is 350.000 tons annually).


GDP: 3200 US$ per capita (2017); 1900 US$ per capita (2014); 270 US$ per capita (2004).

Major Exports: Agriculture: coffee, tea, cotton, cashew, sisal, cloves. Minerals: gold, diamonds, tanzanite and other gemstones, nickel, iron, coal.

Distances: Tanzania is a large country (twice the size of California; 3-times the size of Italy) and distances between cities or national parks can be lengthy.