Country Name

The United Republic of Tanzania

Area & Location

945,087 sq km. (886,037 land; 59,050 water; incl. the islands of Zanzibar – Unguja, Pemba, Mafia; and Ukerewe – in Lake Victoria); about 1/3rd of India’s size, and the largest country in East Africa; between Long. 29 and 41 degree E, and Lat. 1 and 12 degree S; borders (anti-clockwise) with  Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, D.R. of Congo, Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique, and the Indian Ocean to the east.

Physical Features

With a coastline of 1,424 kms, Tanzania ranges from tropical coastline to vast grasslands, high plateaus, deep lakes (Victoria, Tanganyika and Nyasa), and the snow-capped Kilimanjaro (5,895 m) – the highest peak in Africa.

Capital

Dar es Salaam (Abode of Peace), population. 2.5 m, about 750 km south of the Equator. The official capital is Dodoma, in central Tanzania, which has just the Parliament and 4 Ministries. (Other major towns: Arusha, Mwanza, Morogoro, Tanga, Tabora, Mtwara, Mbeya)

Population

38.3 m(2005); growth rate 1.8% (Source: World Development Indicators database, April 2007 )

Religions

Christians and Muslims about 40% each; tribals, animists, and pagans, small number of Hindus.

Racial Composition

Over 120 tribes, mostly Bantu; the major ones; Sukuma, Mssai, Chaga, Bondei, Makana, Luguru, Ngoni, Pare; other groups Indian, Arab, European

Languages

 Kiswahili in Roman script is the national language, and lingua franca: essentially a hybrid of Arabic and Bantu, with sprinkling of words from Gujarati and Hindi, English in wide use, also for official purposes.

Literacy

78% ( 2005 estimate)

Life Expectancy

46.3 years ( 2005) ; 46.8 years( 2000)   (HIV incidence 6.5%; informal estimates over 10%)

Brief History

The mainland, Tanganyika, dominated at various times by Portuguese and Arabs; became a German colony in 1885 following the ‘scramble for Africa’; after WW-I mandated to the British by the League of Nations, and later a UN Trust Territory; the first east African country to achieve independence, on 9.12.1961; Zanzibar – first ruled by the Portuguese, then since 1698 by Omani Arab Sultans, and after 1890 under British Protection; gained independence on 10.12.1963, but the Sultanate’s resumption soon terminated by a bloody revolutionary coup on 12.1.1964.  On 26.4.1964, Zanzibar united with Tanganyika to form the United Republic of Tanzania.

Political System & Government

A unitary republic based on multiparty (since 1995) parliamentary democracy; President, elected directly for maximum two 5-year terms, is the executive Head of State. National Assembly (Bunge) has up to 325 members, 75 special women's seats apportioned among the political parties based on their election results and 10 Presidential nominees; Main party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), in power since independence; Civic United Front (CUF) main opposition party among 15 others; Zanzibar has its own Constitution, President House of Representatives and Flag.

Head of State & Other Leaders

President H.E. Mr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete
Vice President H.E. Dr. Ali Mohammed Shein
Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Edward Ngoyai Lowassa
Foreign Minister H.E. Mr. Bernard Membe
Zanzibar President H.E. Mr. Amani Abeid Karume

National Day

26 April : Union Day
9 December:  Independence Day

Flag

Divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower hoist-side corner, the upper triangle green, and the lower blue.

International & Diplomatic Relations

Member of UN, Commonwealth, NAM, AU, SADC (Tanzania current Chairman), EAC (East African Community; Secretariat at Arusha in Tanzania), IOR-ARC, IBRD/IMF, WTO; 50 resident diplomatic missions; 5 Consulates in Zanzibar, incl. India.

Economy

Among world’s poorest countries; HDI ranking ( UNDP Human Development Report 2006) -162/177; mainly agrarian – 45% of GDP; limited industry, after long years of socialism adversely affecting the economy, liberalization introduced after mid-80s under IMF guidance; now one of the better performers in Africa; mining and tourism in particular growing fast.

Natural Resources

Good hydel potential, gold, diamonds, precious and semi precious stones, coal, nickel, cobalt and other minerals, and some natural gas.

Agriculture

Cloves, cashew nuts, cassava, coffee, cotton, corn, tea, sisal, pyrethrum, bananas, mangoes, oranges, vegetables, cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, etc.

Industry

Sugar, cigarettes, sisal twine, cement, textiles, wood products, pharmaceuticals, soap, flour, edible oils, steel, beverages, tea, packaging, foam mattresses, leather incl. shoes

Currency

Tanzanian Shilling (TSh)
Exchange rate : US$ 1 = TSh 1,180 ( December 2007)
Re 1 = TSh 29.90 ( December 2007)

Fiscal Year

1 July – 30 June

GDP

US $13.34 billion (2006), (Source: World Development Indicators database, April 2007 )
PPP: $26.85 billion (2005 est.)
Growth Rate : 6.2% (2006 estimate); 6.9 % in 2005
Per Capita : TSh 286,887, or US$ 256.4(2005)

Inflation (CPI)

4.8% (August 2006);  8.3% in September 2007.

Foreign Exchange Reserves

About US$ 2.26 billion (December 2006); 5.3 months imports

FDI

US$ 10.7 billion ( cumulative foreign investment during the period 1990 to 2005 (estimate of  Tanzania investment Centre); US$ 475 million in 2006

External Debt

US$ 8.3 billion (January 2007); US$ 4.94 billion ( September 2007)

36% population below poverty line (2002 est.)

Exports ( goods & services)

US$ 1,686.7 million (year ending Dec. 2006);  Annual increase of 0.6%

Imports (goods & services)

US$ 3,824.4 million (year ending Dec. 2006); Annual increase of 28.9%

Trade account deficit 

US$ 2,177.4 million  (year ending Dec 2006)

Major Exports

Gold, manufactured goods such as textiles, glass products, footwear, plastic items, fish and fish products, cotton, tobacco, coffee, vegetable and oil seeds, precious stones and other minerals, cashew nuts.

Major Imports

Consumer goods, machinery, oil, transport equipment, construction equipment, industrial raw material, food and food stuffs, pharmaceuticals.

Major Export Markets

Switzerland, South Africa, China, Germany, Kenya, Netherlands, Japan, India, UK (  ranking 2006)

Major Import Sources

South Africa, UAE, Bahrain,  China, Saudi Arabia, Japan,  India, Kenya, UK ( 2006 ranking)