Background of Tanzania

Swahili Phrases | Sign Our Guest Book | Emergency Services | Contact Us

Documentaries

Tourism in Tanzania

Medical & Health

Hotels & Accommodation

QUICK Links

Background

Shortly after independence, 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.

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique 
Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 35 00 E 
Map references: Africa 
Area: total:  945,087 sq km land:  886,037 sq km water:  59,050 sq km note:  includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar 
Area - comparative: slightly larger than twice the size of California 
Land boundaries: total:  3,402 km border countries:  Burundi 451 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km 
Coastline: 1,424 km 
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM 
Climate: varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands 
Terrain: plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south 
Elevation extremes: lowest point:  Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:  Kilimanjaro 5,895 m 
Natural resources: hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel 
Land use: arable land:  3% permanent crops:  1% permanent pastures:  40% forests and woodland:  38% other:  18% (1993 est.) 
Irrigated land: 1,500 sq km (1993 est.) 
Natural hazards: flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought 
Environment - current issues: soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture 
Environment - international agreements: party to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:  Nuclear Test Ban 
Geography - note: Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa

People

Population: 36,232,074

note:  estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)  
Age structure: 0-14 years:  44.76% (male 8,152,438; female 8,063,520)

15-64 years:  52.35% (male 9,387,737; female 9,581,518)

65 years and over:  2.89% (male 473,498; female 573,363) (2001 est.)  
Population growth rate: 2.61% (2001 est.)  
Birth rate: 39.65 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)  
Death rate: 12.95 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)  
Net migration rate: -0.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)  
Sex ratio: at birth:  1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:  1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years:  0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over:  0.83 male(s)/female

total population:  0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.)  
Infant mortality rate: 79.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)  
Life expectancy at birth: total population:  51.98 years

male:  51.04 years

female:  52.95 years (2001 est.)  
Total fertility rate: 5.42 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 8.09% (1999 est.)  
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.3 million (1999 est.)  
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 140,000 (1999 est.)  
Nationality: noun:  Tanzanian(s)

adjective:  Tanzanian  
Ethnic groups: 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  
Religions: mainland - Christian 45%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 20%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim  
Languages: 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  
Literacy: definition:  age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic

total population:  67.8%

male:  79.4%

female:  56.8% (1995 est.)

You are here > Home > Facts > Background

Culture