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Guide to Tanzania

Introduction

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.

Geography

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 35 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total
Area - comparative: slightly larger than twice the size of California
Land boundaries: total
Coastline: 1,424 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea
Climate: varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands
Terrain: plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south
Elevation extremes: lowest point
Natural resources: hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel
Land use: arable land
Irrigated land: 1,550 sq km (1998 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; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory
Environment - international agreements: party to
Geography - note: Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three of the largest lakes on the continent

People

Population: 36,766,356 note
Age structure: 0-14 years
Median age: total
Population growth rate: 1.83% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 38.16 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 16.71 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth
Infant mortality rate: total
Life expectancy at birth: total population
Total fertility rate: 5.06 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 8.8% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.6 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 160,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk
Nationality: noun
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), Kiunguja (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages note
Literacy: definition

Government

Country name: conventional long form
Government type: republic
Capital: 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
Administrative divisions: 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
Independence: 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 (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats - 232 elected by popular vote, 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
Judicial branch: 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)
Political parties and leaders: Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy and Development) or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI]; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM (Revolutionary Party) [Benjamin William MKAPA]; Civic United Front or CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]; Democratic Party (unregistered) [Christopher MTIKLA]; Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine Lyatonga MREME]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
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

Economy

Economy - overview: Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for almost 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. Recent banking reforms have helped increase private sector growth and investment. Continued donor assistance and solid macroeconomic policies supported real GDP growth of nearly 6% in 2004.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $23.71 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.8% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $700 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture
Labor force: 19 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA
Population below poverty line: 36% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 38.2 (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.4% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): 16.2% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget: revenues
Public debt: 5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products: coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat, cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats
Industries: agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine), diamond, gold and iron mining, soda ash, oil refining, shoes, cement, apparel, wood products, fertilizer, salt
Industrial production growth rate: 8.4% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 2.727 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel
Electricity - consumption: 2.566 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 30 million kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 17,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA
Oil - imports: NA
Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 11.33 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance: $-327.4 million (2004 est.)
Exports: $1.248 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton
Exports - partners: India 9.1%, Spain 8.3%, Netherlands 6.4%, Japan 5.8%, UK 5%, China 4.8%, Kenya 4.7% (2004)
Imports: $1.972 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial raw materials, crude oil
Imports - partners: South Africa 13.1%, China 8.1%, India 6.6%, Kenya 5.6%, UAE 5.5%, US 4.9%, UK 4.8%, Bahrain 4.1% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.175 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external: $7.321 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $1.2 billion (2001)
Currency (code): Tanzanian shilling (TZS)
Currency code: TZS
Exchange rates: Tanzanian shillings per US dollar - 1,089.33 (2004), 1,038.42 (2003), 966.58 (2002), 876.41 (2001), 800.41 (2000)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 149,100 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 891,200 (2003)
Telephone system: general assessment
Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios: 8.8 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (1999)
Televisions: 103,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .tz
Internet hosts: 5,534 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)
Internet users: 250,000 (2003)

Transportation

Railways: total
Highways: total
Waterways: Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa principal avenues of commerce with neighboring countries; rivers not navigable (2004)
Pipelines: gas 29 km; oil 866 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: Dar es Salaam, Mtwara, Zanzibar City
Merchant marine: total
Airports: 123 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total
Airports - with unpaved runways: total

Military

Military branches: Tanzanian People's Defense Force (JWTZ)
Military service age and obligation: 15 years of age for voluntary military service; 18 years of age for compulsory military service upon graduation from secondary school; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $20.6 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.2% (2004)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: disputes with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin)
Illicit drugs: growing role in transshipment of southwest and southeast Asian heroin and south American cocaine destined for south African, European, and US markets and of south Asian methaqualone bound for southern Africa; money laundering remains a problem
Last updated: 20 October, 2005


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