Map of Tanzania | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

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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.


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Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 945,090 km²
Land: 886,040 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than twice the size of California
Comparative note: Includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar

Land boundaries: Total 3,402 km, 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
Extremes highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: 5%
Permanent crops: 1%
Permanent pastures: 40%
Forests and woodland: 47%
Other: 7%

Irrigated land: 1,530 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Tanzanian(s)
Adjective: Tanzanian

Ethnic groups: Mainland:native African 99% (consisting of well over 100 tribes), Asian, European, and Arab 1% Zanzibar:NA

Languages: Swahili (official; widely understood and generally used for communication between ethnic groups and is used in primary education), English (official; primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education)
Note: First language of most people is one of the local languages

Religions
Mainland: Christian 45%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Zanzibar: Muslim 99% plus

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years:
15-64 years:
65 years and over:

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate: -10.36 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.)
Note: The total number of Rwandan and Burundian refugees in Tanzania is about 750,000

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture
Current issues Natural hazards: the tsetse fly and lack of water limit agriculture; flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season
International agreements: party to_Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified_Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
International agreements note: Mount Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
All ages:

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 42.34 years (1996 est.), 42.53 years (1995 est.)
Male: 40.95 years (1996 est.), 40.88 years (1995 est.)
Female: 43.78 years (1996 est.), 44.22 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over that can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic (1995 est.)
Total population: 67.8%
Male: 79.4%
Female: 56.8%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania
Conventional short form: Tanzania
Former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Government type: Republic

Capital: Dodoma
Note: Some government offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital by the end of the 1990s

Administrative divisions: 25 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida, Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar Urban/West, Ziwa Magharibi

Dependent areas

Independence: 26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from UN trusteeship under British administration; Zanzibar became independent 19 December 1963 (from U.K.; Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964

National holiday: Union Day, 26 April (1964)

Constitution: 25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Legal system: Based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Benjamin MKARA (since 22 November 1995) was elected for a five-year term by popular vote; election last held 29 October-19 November 1995 (next to be held 29 October 2000); results_Benjamin MKARA 62%, MREMA 28%, LIPUMBA 6%, CHEYO 4%; Vice President Omar Ali JUMA (since 22 November 1995); President of Zanzibar Salmin AMOUR (since 27 October 1995); election last held 22 October 1995 (next to be held 22 October 2000); results_Salmin AMOUR 50.2%, HAMAD 49.8%
5 november 1985 22 november 1995: President Ali Hassan MWINYI
Head of government: Prime Minister Fredrick SUMAYE (since 27 November 1995) was appointed by the president
Cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president from the National Assembly

Legislative branch: Unicameral National Assembly (Bunge):Elections last held 29 October-19 November 1995 (next to be held 29 October 2000; results_percent of total vote by party NA; seats_(274 total, 232 elected) CCM 186, opposition parties 46; of the 42 seats which are not elected some are filled by presidential appointment and others are designated by law for specific officials

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: Divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is blue

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, which accounts for 58% of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 90% of the work force. Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated crops to only 5% of the land area. Industry accounts for 8% of GDP and is mainly limited to processing agricultural products and light consumer goods. The economic recovery program announced in mid-1986 has generated notable increases in agricultural production and financial support for the program by bilateral donors. The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's deteriorated economic infrastructure. Growth in 1991-94 has 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: Accounts for about 58% of GDP; cash crops_coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashews, tobacco, cloves (Zanzibar; food crops_corn, wheat, cassava, bananas, fruits, vegetables; small numbers of cattle, sheep, and goats; not self-sufficient in food grain production

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 9.3% (1990; accounts for 8% of GDP

Labor force: 13.495 million
By occupation Agriculture: 90%
By occupation Industry and commerce: 10% (1986 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $495 million
Expenditures: $631 million, including capital expenditures of $118 million (1990 est.)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July_30 June

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: total value. $462 million (f.o.b., 1994)
Commodities:
Partners:

Imports: total value:$1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
Commodities:
Partners:

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $6.7 billion (1993)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Tanzanian shillings (TSh) per US$1_558.18 (December 1995), 574.76 (1995), 509.63 (1994), 405.27 (1993), 297.71 (1992), 219.16 (1991), 195.06 (1990)


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 880 million kWh

Electricity consumption
Per capita: 30 kWh (1993)

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system: 137,000 telephones (1989 est.); fair system operating below capacity
Local: NA
Intercity: open wire, microwave radio relay, troposcatter
International: 2 satellite earth stations_1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $69 million, NA of GDP (FY94/95)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 111
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 15
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 57 (1995 est.)
With paved runways under 914 m: 28

Airports with paved runways
Over 3047 m: 2
2438 to 3047 m: 2
15-24 to 2437 m: 15
914 to 1523 m: 57 (1995 est.)
Under 914 m: 28

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines: Crude oil 982 km

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, Lake Nyasa

Merchant marine
Total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 30,371 GRT/41,269 DWT
Ships by type: cargo 3, oil tanker 2, passenger-cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1995 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: Growing role in transshipment of Southwest Asian heroin destined for European and U.S. markets