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Tanzania
Country Profile
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
and Geographic coordinates: |
Eastern
Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique
Tanzania is located in Eastern Africa between longitude
290 and 410 East. Latitude 10 and 120 South.
Most Northerly point: Bukoba 10 South Latitude
Most Southerly point: Mtalika 120 South latitude
Most Westerly point: Kigoma 290 East of Greenwhich
Most easterly point: Mtwara 410 East of Greenwhich
6 00 S, 35 00 E |
Map
references: |
Africa
|
Area: |
total: 945,087 sq km land: 886,037 sq
km water: 59,050 sq km note: includes
the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar |
Area
- comparative: |
slightly
larger than twice the size of California |
Land
boundaries: |
total:
3,861 km
border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic
of the Congo 459 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: |
territorial
sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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
resources: |
hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones,
gold, natural gas, nickel |
Land
use: |
arable
land: 4.52%
permanent crops: 1.08%
other: 94.4% (2001) |
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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
|
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
others:
Mountain Summits: (metres above sea level)
Mount Kilimanjaro - 5,895 | Mount Meru - 4,566 | Mount
Rungwe - 2,960 | Uluguru Mountains - 2,648
Rubeho Mountains - 2,576 | Livingstone Mountains - 2,521
| Mbizi Mountain - 2,418
Mahari Mountain - 2,373 | Usambara Mountains - 2,300 |
Population: |
36,766,356
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 2005 est.) |
Age
structure: |
0-14
years: 44% (male 8,100,216/female 8,074,171)
15-64 years: 53.4% (male 9,665,957/female 9,963,772)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 418,080/female 544,160)
(2005 est.) |
Median
age: |
total: 17.62 years male: 17.36 years
female: 17.89 years (2005 est.) |
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: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years:
1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
|
Infant
mortality rate: |
total:
98.54 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 107.85 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 88.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
|
Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population: 45.24 years male: 44.56
years female: 45.94 years (2005 est.) |
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: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria, Rift Valley fever
and plague are high risks in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004) |
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), 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: 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 |
Literacy: |
: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.)
|
Country
name: |
conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania
conventional short form: Tanzania former:
United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar |
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: |
1 January - New Year
12 January - Zanzibar Revolution Day
25 March - Good Friday
28 March - Easter Monday
26 April - Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar)
29* April - Maulid
1 May - Labour Day
7 July - International Trade Fair
8 August - Farmers' Day
14 October - Mwalimu Nyerere Day and Climax of
“uhuru Torch Race”
3* & 4 * November - Idd - El Fitr
9 December - Indepedence Day
25 December - Christmas Day
26 December - Boxing Day |
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: |
waiting
for updates |
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: last held 29 October 2000 (next to be
held 30 October 2005)
election results: National Assembly - percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CCM 244, CUF 16, CHADEMA
4, TLP 3, UDP 2, Zanzibar representatives 5; Zanzibar House
of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - CCM 34, CUF 16 |
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] |
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: Ambassador Andrew Mhando DARAJA
chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125 FAX:
[1] (202) 797-7408 |
Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission: embassy: 140 Msese
Road, Kinondoni District, Dar es Salaam mailing
address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam telephone:
[255] (22) 2666-010 through 2666-015 FAX: [255]
(22) 2666-701, 2668-501 |
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
- 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:
43.2%
industry: 17.2%
services: 39.6% (2004 est.) |
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%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 30.1% (1993) |
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: $1.985 billion expenditures:
$2.074 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004
est.) |
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
- 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
10.2%, Netherlands 6.8%, Japan 6.1%, UK 5.3%, China 5.2%,
Kenya 4.8%, Germany 4.4% (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 8.8%, India 6.6%, Zambia 5.4%, UAE 5.4%,
US 4.8%, UK 4.8%, Kenya 4.3% (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) |
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 |
Telephones
- main lines in use: |
149,100
(2003) |
Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
891,200
(2003) |
Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: fair system operating below capacity and
being modernized for better service; VSAT (very small aperture
terminal) system under construction
domestic: trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave
radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable;
some links being made digital
international: country code - 255; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)
|
Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM
12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Television
broadcast stations: |
3
(1999) |
Internet
country code: |
.tz
|
Internet
hosts: |
5,534
(2003) |
Internet
users: |
250,000
(2003) |
Railways: |
total: 3,690 km narrow gauge: 969 km
1.067-m gauge; 2,721 km 1.000-m gauge (2004) |
Highways: |
total:
88,200 km
paved: 3,704 km
unpaved: 84,496 km (1999 est.) |
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: |
Bukoba,
Dar es Salaam, Kigoma, Kilwa Masoko, Lindi, Mtwara, Mwanza,
Pangani, Tanga, Wete, Zanzibar |
Merchant
marine: |
total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 25,481 GRT/31,011
DWT by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum
tanker 4 registered in other countries: 1 (2005)
|
Airports: |
123
(2004 est.) |
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 (2004 est.)
|
Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 112 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 60 under 914 m: 33 (2004
est.) |
Military
branches: |
Tanzanian
People's Defense Force (JWTZ): Army, Naval Wing, Air Defense
Command (includes Air Wing), National Service |
Military
manpower - military 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) |
Military
manpower - availability: |
males
age 18-49: 7,422,869 (2005 est.) |
Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males
age 18-49: 3,879,630 (2005 est.) |
Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$20.6
million (2004) |
Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
0.2%
(2004) |
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): 447,877 (Burundi) 153,155 (Democratic
Republic of the Congo) 3,036 (Somalia) (2004) |
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
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