Tanzania

At a glance Land People Economy Achievements and challenges Links with Australia   Tanzania at a glance Did you know? The highest and lowest points in Africa are both found in Tanzania - Mt. Kilimanjaro (5,895 metres) is the highest point and the deepest part of Lake Tanganyika (-1,470 metres) is the lowest point. Region Africa Population 39,384,223 (2007 estimate) Land Geography: plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north and south Climate: varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands People Religion: Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%, Christian 30% Language: Swahili (official), English, Arabic and local languages Economy Economy: GDP per person (PPP): $800 (2006 estimate) GDP by sector: Agriculture 43.3%, Industry 17.7%, Service 39% Government Republic Land Physical geography The United Republic of Tanzania is situated just south of the equator on the east African coast. It borders the Indian Ocean and lies between Kenya and Mozambique. Tanzania covers a total area of 945,090 square kilometres, slightly less than the state of South Australia (983,482 square kilometres). It includes the 2850 square kilometres of the island territories of Zanzibar, Pemba and Matia. The Great Rift Valley runs through the centre of Tanzania and includes many lakes. Tanzania is bordered by three of the largest lakes on the African 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 south-west. The highest point in Africa, Mt. Kilimanjaro, is 5,895 metres tall. Climate There are three principal climatic zones in Tanzania: coastal, central plateau and the highlands. Along the coastal regions, the climate is hot (average temperature: 26.6°C) and humid with an average rainfall of 1000 millimetres. Temperatures, humidity and rainfall decrease moving inland with the increasing altitude. There is a semi-arid climate in the central plateau and a semi-temperate climate in the highlands, with snow falling on the higher peaks. In Dar es Salaam on the coast, temperatures range between 27.8°C in January and 23.3°C in July with an average annual rainfall of 1064 millimetres. In Dodoma on the central plateau, temperatures range between 23.9°C in January and 19.4°C in July with an average annual rainfall of 572 millimetres. Environment Ranging from coral reefs to montane forests, Tanzania's diverse habitats are home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. The savannahs of the north are home to large mammals, including lions, zebras, elephants and giraffes. Zanzibar is home to the unique Red Colobus monkey and the forests of the Pemba Islands are home to species of fruit bats (or 'flying foxes') unique to the Indian Ocean. In 2001, 33 of Tanzania's mammal species were in danger of extinction. Thirty bird species and 326 plant species were also listed as endangered. Fish populations and coral reefs are also threatened by the use of dynamite in fishing. The national parks and game reserves cover 16% of the country. Serengeti National Park (famous for its vast migratory herds of plains animals - notably wildebeest, zebra, eland and kudu), Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Kilimanjaro National Park and Selous Game Reserve are listed as World Heritage sites. People About one-third of the population of 39,384,223 live in cities, with the major ones being the capital Dar es Salaam (2,538,100), Mwanza (252,000), Tabora (214,000), Mbeya (194,000), Tanga (172,000) and Zanzibar (133,000). People Culture and Identity Most of the people of Tanzania are of Bantu origin, with some 120 ethnic groups on the mainland (none of which exceed 10% of the population). The biggest group is the Sukuma. Others include Nyamwezi, Masai, Haya Gogo, Chagga, Nyaliyusa and Hehe. There are Asian and European minorities. Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania. It has become the most commonly used language of central and eastern Africa. English is the official language of commerce, administration and higher education. Arabic is spoken widely in Zanzibar. Each of Tanzania's ethnic groups has a wide range of material cultural products, including clothes, textiles, farming equipment, hunting tools, baskets, mats, head rests, shields, art, carvings and sculpture. Health Just 62% of the population have access to safe drinking water and 47% to sanitation. Major health problems include poor nutrition and AIDS. Malaria, tuberculosis, dysentery and leprosy are common, with the risk of Rift Valley fever, plague and schistosomiasis (bilharzia) higher in some areas at certain times of the year. The estimated life expectancy at birth is 50.7 years. Infant mortality was 71 per 1,000 live births in 2004 (142 in 1960). At the end of 2003, 1.6 million people (or 8.8% of people aged 15 to 49) were HIV positive. Religion and beliefs On the mainland, 35% of the population are Muslim, 35% follow local animist beliefs and 30% are Christian. In Zanzibar, almost everyone is Muslim. Food and shelter The main staples are ugali (a porridge made from cornmeal), rice and potatoes. Chapattis (Indian flat bread) are also common. Main meals include soups, stews, and meat such as chicken, goat and lamb barbecued or cooked in coconut milk with home-grown curry and bananas. The main vegetables include beans, cabbage, cassava, peppers and sweet potatoes. Seafood is plentiful on the islands, along the coast and near rivers and lakes. Economy Wealth and poverty There is a large wealth gap in Tanzania, with the richest 10% of the population sharing 30.1% of the wealth while the poorest share only 2.8%. Some 35.7% of people live below the national poverty line. Education and work There are seven years of compulsory education, starting at age seven, although only 82% of children were enrolled in 2004/05. The pupil-teacher ratio for primary school is 58:1. The literacy rates are 86% for males and 71% for females. About 80% of the workforce work in agriculture on small farms while about 12% work in the informal sector in small, self-run businesses. Industries and products Coal and tin deposits are large in Tanzania but are not exploited greatly. Most mining and mineral processing is focussed on diamonds, gold, silver, copper, gypsum and salt. The principal food crops are fruits and vegetables, maize, sugarcane and rice. Nuts, coconut, cotton, wheat and barley, tea, coffee and tobacco make up a sizable portion of the country's agricultural commodities. Trade In 2006, Tanzania exported $1.798 billion worth of goods such as gold, coffee, cotton, tea, cashew nuts, sugar, coconuts, tobacco and sisal to China (9%), India (8.9%), Netherlands (6.3%), Japan (5.4%), UAE (4.3%) and Germany (4.3%). It imported $4.369 billion worth of consumer goods, machinery, transportation equipment, raw materials for industry and crude oil from South Africa (9.7%), China (9.3%), Kenya (7.8%), India (6.7%), UAE (5.9%) and Zambia (5.7%). Achievements and challenges Droughts and floods affect the entire country, whilst earthquakes and landslides along the rift valley are also of concern. Environmental problems include soil degradation and desertification from deforestation, destruction of coral reefs and the threat to wildlife from illegal hunting and the ivory trade. Recent banking reforms have helped increase private-sector growth and investment. In 2007, Tanzania was hosting more than a half-million refugees, more than any other African country, mainly from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Links with Australia In 2004-05, Tanzania imported Australian goods worth $A66 million and exported goods worth $A3 million to Australia. The 2001 Census recorded 1,770 Tanzania-born persons in Australia, with 580 living in New South Wales, 360 in Western Australia, 320 in Victoria and 260 in Queensland. Main sources: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/ http://www20.sbs.com.au/worldguide/ http://hdr.undp.org/ http://www.dfat.gov.au/

Tanzania's flag is 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

A colourful market in Tanzania

	The School of St. Jude, Tanzania
	Tanzania Guide
	Tanzania (Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)