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TANZANIA
OFFICIAL NAME
United Republic of Tanzania
CAPITAL CITY
Dodoma, population 85,000 (legislative) Dar es Salaam (de facto), population 1.1 million
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:
945,090 sq km
land area:
886,040 sq km
comparative area:
slightly larger than twice the size of California
note:
includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar
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
International disputes:
boundary dispute with Malawi in Lake Nyasa; Tanzania-Zaire-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it has been informally reported that the indefinite section of the Zaire-Zambia boundary has been settled
Climate:
varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands
Terrain:
plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Kilimanjaro 5,895 m
Natural resources:
hydropower potential, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel
Land use:
arable land:
5%
permanent crops:
1%
meadows and pastures:
40%
forest and woodland:
47%
other:
7%
Irrigated land:
1,530 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture
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, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
Geographic note:
Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa
People
Population:
29,058,470 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
45% (male 6,536,911; female 6,576,752)
15-64 years:
52% (male 7,360,370; female 7,739,500)
65 years and over:
3% (male 396,128; female 448,809) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.15% (1996 est.)
Birth rate:
41.31 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate:
19.47 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate:
-10.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
note:
the total number of Rwandan and Burundian refugees in Tanzania is about 750,000
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:
0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
105.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
42.34 years
male:
40.95 years
female:
43.78 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.67 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Tanzanian(s)
adjective:
Tanzanian
Ethnic divisions:
mainland:
native African (95% Bantu, consisting of well over 100 tribes) 99%, Asian, European, and Arab 1%
Zanzibar:
Arab, mixed Arab and native African, native African
Religions:
mainland:
Christian 45%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Zanzibar:
Muslim more than 99%
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
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic (1995 est.)
total population:
67.8%
male:
79.4%
female:
56.8%
Government
Name of country:
conventional long form:
United Republic of Tanzania
conventional short form:
Tanzania
former:
United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar
Data code:
TZ
Type of government:
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
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
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, 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:
President Benjamin MKAPA (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 MKAPA 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%
head of government:
Prime Minister Fredrick SUMAYE (since 27 November 1995) was appointed by the president
cabinet:
Cabinet was appointed by the president from the members of 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:
Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM or Revolutionary Party), Ali Hassan MWINYI; Civic United Front (CUF), Seif Sharif HAMAD; National Convention for Construction and Reform (NCCR), Lyatonga (Augustine) MREMA; Union for Multiparty Democracy (UMD), Abdullah FUNDIKIRA; Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), Edwin I. M. MTEI, chairman; Democratic Party (unregistered), Reverend MTIKLA; United Democratic Party (UDP), John CHEYO
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 in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Mustafa Salim NYANG'ANYI
chancery:
2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 939-6125
FAX:
[1] (202) 797-7408
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador J. Brady ANDERSON
embassy:
36 Laibon Road (off Bagamoyo Road), Dar es Salaam
mailing address:
P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam
telephone:
[255] (51) 66010 through 66015
FAX:
[255] (51) 66701
Economy
Economic 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.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $23.1 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate:
2.7% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita:
$800 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture:
58%
industry:
8%
services:
34% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
25% (1994 est.)
Labor force:
13.495 million
by occupation:
agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 10% (1986 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues:
$495 million
expenditures:
$631 million, including capital expenditures of $118 million (1990 est.)
Industries:
primarily agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine), diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes, cement, textiles, wood products, fertilizer
Industrial production growth rate:
9.3% (1990)
Electricity:
capacity:
440,000 kW
production:
880 million kWh
consumption per capita:
30 kWh (1993)
Agriculture:
coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashews, tobacco, cloves (Zanzibar), corn, wheat, cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats
Illicit drugs:
growing role in transshipment of Southwest Asian heroin destined for European and US markets
Exports:
$462 million (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities:
coffee, cotton, tobacco, tea, cashew nuts, sisal
partners:
Germany, UK, Japan, Netherlands, Kenya, Hong Kong, US
Imports:
$1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery and transportation equipment, cotton piece goods, crude oil, foodstuffs
partners:
Germany, UK, US, Japan, Italy, Denmark
External debt:
$6.7 billion (1993)
Economic aid:
recipient:
ODA, $NA
Currency:
1 Tanzanian shilling (TSh) = 100 cents
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)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Transportation
Railways:
total:
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 M'poshi in Zambia is not a part of Tanzania Railways Corporation; 969 km are in Tanzania and 891 km are in Zambia; because of the difference in gauge, this system does not connect to Tanzania Railways
Highways:
total:
55,600 km
paved:
20,572 km (including 50 km of expressways)
unpaved:
35,028 km (1992 est.)
Waterways:
Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, Lake Nyasa
Pipelines:
crude oil 982 km
Ports:
Bukoba, Dar es Salaam, Kigoma, Lindi, Mkoani, Mtwara, Musoma, Mwanza, Tanga, Wete, Zanzibar
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.)
Airports:
total:
111
with paved runways over 3 047 m:
2
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m:
2
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m:
6
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m:
1
with paved runways under 914 m:
28
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m:
15
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m:
57 (1995 est.)
Communications
Telephones:
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)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 12, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios:
640,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (1987 est.)
Televisions:
45,000 (1992 est.)
Defense
Branches:
Tanzanian People's Defense Force (TPDF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary Police Field Force Unit, Militia
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49:
6,499,244
males fit for military service:
3,765,193 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $69 million, NA% of GDP (FY94/95)
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