Country name conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania
conventional short form: Tanzania
former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar 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 Area total: 945,087 sq km
note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar
water: 59,050 sq km
land: 886,037 sq km Area - comparative slightly larger than twice the size of California Coastline 1,424 km 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 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; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory Geography - note 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 Population 35,922,454
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 2003 est.) Age structure 0-14 years: 44.3% (male 7,988,898; female 7,938,979)
15-64 years: 53.1% (male 9,429,959; female 9,634,102)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 405,803; female 524,713) (2003 est.) Median age total: 17.5 years
male: 17.2 years
female: 17.7 years (2002) 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: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 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 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; 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 Internet country code .tz Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic
total population: 78.2%
male: 85.9%
female: 70.7% (2003 est.) Government type republic National holiday Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964) Legal system based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction International organization participation ACP, AfDB, C, EADB, ECA, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Economy - overview Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for half 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 International Monetary Fund, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania"s out-of-date economic infrastructure and to alleviate poverty. Growth in 1991-2002 featured a pickup in industrial production and a substantial increase in output of minerals, led by gold. Oil and gas exploration and development played an important role in this growth. Recent banking reforms have helped increase private sector growth and investment. Continued donor support and solid macroeconomic policies should support continued real GDP growth of 5% in 2003. Exports - partners India 15.2%, Japan 12.4%, Netherlands 9.2%, UK 6.8%, Belgium 6.5%, Kenya 5.9%, Germany 4.8% (2002) Currency Tanzanian shilling (TZS) Currency code TZS Exchange rates Tanzanian shillings per US dollar - NA (2002), 876.41 (2001), 800.41 (2000), 744.76 (1999), 664.67 (1998) Airports 123 (2002) Airports - with paved runways total: 11
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002) Airports - with unpaved runways total: 112
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 60
under 914 m: 34 (2002) Disputes - international disputes with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant |
