Statistical information Tanzania 1998

Tanzania in the World
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocation: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 35 00 E
Map reference:
AfricaAreaTotal: 945,090 km²
Land: 886,040 km²
Water: 59,050 km²
Note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar
Comparative: slightly larger than twice the size of California
Land boundariesTotal: 3,402 km
Border countries: (7) Burundi 451 km;
, Kenya 769 km;
, Malawi 475 km;
, Mozambique 756 km;
, Rwanda 217 km;
, Uganda 396 km;
, Zambia 338 kmCoastline: 1,424 km
Maritime claimsExclusive 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
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m
Natural resources: hydropower potential, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel
Land useArable land: 3%
Permanent crops: 1%
Permanent pastures: 40%
Forests and woodland: 38%
Other: 18% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,500 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: the tsetse fly; flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season
GeographyNote: Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa
top of pagePopulation: 30,608,769 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 2.14% (1998 est.)
NationalityNoun: 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)
Note: Zanzibar_ Arab, native African, mixed Arab and native African
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 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
Religions: mainland_Christian 45%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Note: Zanzibar_more than 99% Muslim
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 45% (male 6,804,194; female 6,844,815)
15-64 years: 53% (male 7,835,705; female 8,236,949)
65 years and over: 2% (male 408,827; female 478,279) (July 1998 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 2.14% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 40.75 births/1000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 16.71 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.61 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt 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: 0.85 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 96.94 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 46.37 years
Male: 44.22 years
Female: 48.59 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.49 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: 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.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania
Conventional short form: Tanzania
Former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar
Government type: republic
Capital: Dar es Salaam
Note: some government offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital by the end of the 1990s; the National Assembly now meets there on regular basis
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
Note: although some recent maps have referred to Ziwa Magharibi as Kagera, the US Board on Geographic Names has not approved the change
Dependent areasIndependence: 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
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 participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November 1995); Vice President Omar Ali JUMA (since 23 November 1995); note the president is both chief of state and head of government: ead of
Government: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November 1995); Vice President Omar Ali JUMA (since 23 November 1995); note_the president is both chief of state and head of government
Note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for matters internal to Zanzibar; Dr. Salmin AMOUR was elected to that office on 22 October 1995 in a popular election
Cabinet: Cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, are 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; election last held 29 October-19 November 1995 (next to be held NA October 2000); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: percent of vote_Benjamin William MKAPA 62%, MREMA 28%, LIPUMBA 6%, CHEYO 4%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats_232 directly elected by universal adult suffrage, 37 allocated to women nominated by the president, five 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)
Elections: last held 29 October-19 November 1995 (next to be held NA October 2000)
Election results: National Assembly:percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_CCM 186, CUF 24, NCCR-Mageuzi 16, CHADEMA 3, UDP 3; Zanzibar House of Representatives:percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_CCM 26, CUF 24
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal; High Court, judges appointed by the president
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MONUA, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Mustafa Salim NYANG'ANYI
In the us chancery: 2,139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 939-6,125
In the us fax: [1] (202) 797-7,408
From the us chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires John LANGE
From the us embassy: 36 Laibon Road (off Bagamoyo Road), Dar es Salaam
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 9,123, Dar es Salaam
From the us telephone: [255] (51) 666,010 through 666,015
From the us fax: [255] (51) 666,701
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 symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, which accounts for 57% of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 90% of the work force. Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated crops to only 4% of the land area. Industry accounts for 17% 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 1991-97 has featured a pickup in industrial production and a substantial increase in output of minerals, led by gold. Natural gas exploration in the Rufiji Delta looks promising and production could start by 2002. Recent banking reforms have helped increase private sector growth and investment.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 4.3% (1997 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $700 (1997 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 57%
Industry: 17%
Services: 26% (1995 est.)
Agriculture products: coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashews, tobacco, cloves (Zanzibar), corn, wheat, cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats
Industries: primarily agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine), diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes, cement, textiles, wood products, fertilizer, salt
Industrial production growth rate: 0.4% (1995 est.)
Labor forceTotal: 13.495 million
By occupation agriculture: 90%
By occupation industry and commerce: 10% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $959 million
Expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $214 million (FY96/97 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 July_30 June
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: total value:$760 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Commodoties: coffee, manufactured goods, cotton, cashew nuts, minerals, tobacco, sisal (1995)
Partners: EU, Japan, India, US (1995)
Imports: total value:$1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1996)
Commodoties: consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, crude oil
Partners: EU, Kenya, Japan, China, India (1995)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $7.9 billion (1997 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Tanzanian shillings (TSh) per US$1_631.61 (January 1998), 612.12 (1997), 579.98 (1996), 574.76 (1995), 509.63 (1994), 405.27 (1993)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 439,000 kW (1995)
Production: 895 million kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 31 kWh (1995)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 137,000 (1989 est.)
Telephone system: fair system operating below capacity
Domestic: open wire, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter
International: satellite earth stations_2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $69 million (FY94/95)
Percent of gdp: NA%
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 123 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 11
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 112
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 17
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 60
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 35 (1997 est.)
HeliportsPipelines: crude oil 982 km
RailwaysTotal: 3,569 km (1995)
Narrow gauge: 2,600 km 1.000-m gauge; 969 km 1.067-m gauge
Note: the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gauge track between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia (of which 969 km are in Tanzania and 891 km are in Zambia) is not a part of Tanzania Railways Corporation; because of the difference in gauge, this system does not connect to Tanzania Railways
RoadwaysWaterways: Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, Lake Nyasa
Merchant marineTotal: 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 (1997 est.)
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: dispute with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi; Democratic Republic of the Congo-Tanzania-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it has been informally reported that the indefinite section of the Democratic Republic of the Congo-Zambia boundary has been settled
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: growing role in transshipment of Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for European and US markets and of South Asian methaqualone bound for Southern Africa