World Facts Index
Shortly after achieving independence from Britain in the early 1960s,
Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party
rule came to an end in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the
country since the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular
opposition have led to two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling
party won despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities.
Geography of Tanzania
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Location:
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Eastern Africa, bordering
the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique |
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Coordinates:
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6 00 S, 35 00 E |
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Area:
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total: 945,087 sq km
note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar
water: 59,050 sq km
land: 886,037 sq km |
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Area comparative:
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slightly larger than twice
the size of California |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 3,861 km
border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the
Congo 459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217
km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km |
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Coastline:
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1,424 km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive economic zone:
200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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varies from tropical along
coast to temperate in highlands |
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Terrain:
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plains along coast; central
plateau; highlands in north, south |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Indian
Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m |
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Natural resources:
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hydropower, tin,
phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas,
nickel |
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Natural hazards:
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flooding on the central
plateau during the rainy season; drought |
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Environment current issues:
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soil degradation;
deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens
marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife
threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory |
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Geography - note:
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Kilimanjaro is highest
point in Africa; bordered by three of the largest lakes on the
continent: Lake Victoria (the world's second-largest freshwater lake) in
the north, Lake Tanganyika (the world's second deepest) in the west, and
Lake Nyasa in the southwest
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Population of Tanzania
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Population:
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40,213,160 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 43.7% (male 8,204,593/female 8,176,489)
15-64 years: 53.6% (male 9,906,446/female 10,178,066)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 422,674/female 557,124) |
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Median age:
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17.7 years |
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Growth rate:
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1.83% |
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Infant mortality:
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96.48 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 45.64 years
male: 44.93 years
female: 46.37 years |
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Fertility rate:
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4.97 children born/woman |
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Nationality:
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noun: Tanzanian(s)
adjective: Tanzanian |
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Ethnic groups:
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mainland - native African 99% (of which 95%
are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European,
and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, native African, mixed Arab and native African |
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Religions:
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mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%,
indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim |
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Languages:
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Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguju
(name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce,
administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local
languages
note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people living in
Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili is Bantu in structure and origin,
its vocabulary draws on a variety of sources, including Arabic and English, and it has
become the lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of most people
is one of the local languages |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read
and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic
total population: 78.2%
male: 85.9%
female: 70.7%
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Government
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Country name:
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conventional long form: United
Republic of Tanzania
former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Dar es Salaam; note - legislative offices
have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital; the
National Assembly now meets there on regular basis |
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Administrative divisions:
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26 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera,
Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pemba North,
Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida, Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar
Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar Urban/West |
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Independence:
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26 April 1964; Tanganyika became
independent 9 December 1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became
independent 19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to
form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania
29 October 1964 |
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National holiday:
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Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26
April (1964) |
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Constitution:
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25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984 |
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Legal system:
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based on English common law; judicial
review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since
21 December 2005); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001);
note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December 2005); Vice
President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001)
note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for matters internal
to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was reelected to that office on 30 October 2005
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the
National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot by popular
vote for five-year terms (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed
by the president. |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats - 232
elected by popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the president, 5 to members of
the Zanzibar House of Representatives; members serve five-year terms); note - in addition
to enacting laws that apply to the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly enacts
laws that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own House of Representatives to
make laws especially for Zanzibar (the Zanzibar House of Representatives has 50 seats,
directly elected by universal suffrage to serve five-year terms) |
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Judicial branch:
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Permanent Commission of Enquiry (official ombudsman);
Court of Appeal (consists of a chief justice and four judges); High Court (consists of a
Jaji Kiongozi and 29 judges appointed by the president; holds regular sessions in all
regions); District Courts; Primary Courts (limited jurisdiction and appeals can be made to
the higher courts) |
Economy
Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy depends
heavily on agriculture, which accounts for more than 40% of GDP, provides 85%
of exports, and employs 80% of the work force. Topography and climatic
conditions, however, limit cultivated crops to only 4% of the land area.
Industry traditionally featured the processing of agricultural products and
light consumer goods. The World Bank, the IMF, and bilateral donors have
provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's out-of-date economic infrastructure
and to alleviate poverty. Long-term growth through 2005 featured a pickup in
industrial production and a substantial increase in output of minerals led by
gold. Recent banking reforms have helped increase private-sector growth and
investment. Continued donor assistance and solid macroeconomic policies
supported real GDP growth of nearly 7% in 2007.
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GDP:
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$51.07 billion (2007 est.) |
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GDP growth rate:
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7.3% |
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GDP per capita:
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$1,300 |
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GDP composition by sector:
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agriculture: 43.2%
industry: 17.2%
services: 39.6% |
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Inflation rate:
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4.3% |
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Labor force:
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19.22 million |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% |
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Budget:
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revenues: $2.235 billion
expenditures: $2.669 billion |
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Electricity production by source:
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fossil fuel: 18.9%
hydro: 81.1%
other: 0% |
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Industries:
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agricultural processing (sugar, beer,
cigarettes, sisal twine), diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes, cement, textiles,
wood products, fertilizer, salt |
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Agriculture:
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coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum
(insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat, cassava
(tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats |
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Exports:
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gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures,
cotton |
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Export partners:
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China 10.2%, India 8.8%, Canada 8.1%, Netherlands 5.2%,
Kenya 4.6%, Japan 4.5%, UK 4.2%, Germany 4% |
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Imports:
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consumer goods, machinery and
transportation equipment, industrial raw materials, crude oil |
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Import partners:
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South Africa 12.9%, China 9.7%, India 6.5%, UAE 5.6%,
Kenya 5.5%, UK 4.1%, Zambia 4.1%, Bahrain 4% |
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Currency:
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Tanzanian shilling (TZS) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |