Tanzania Population: 48,261,942
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| Background | |
| Shortly after achieving independence from Britain in the early 1960s, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule ended 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. The formation of a government of national unity between Zanzibar's two leading parties succeeded in minimizing electoral tension in 2010. |
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| Geography | |
| Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa and one of only two mountains on the continent that has glaciers (the other is Mount Kenya); 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 (Lake Malawi) in the southwest | |
| Location: | Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique |
| Geographic coordinates: | 6 00 S, 35 00 E |
| Area: | total: 947,300 sq km land: 885,800 sq km water: 61,500 sq km note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar Size comparison: 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 (highest point in Africa) |
| Natural resources: | hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel |
| Land use: | arable land: 4.23% permanent crops: 1.16% other: 94.61% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 1,840 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought volcanism: limited volcanic activity; Ol Doinyo Lengai (elev. 2,962 m) has emitted lava in recent years; other historically active volcanoes include Kieyo and Meru |
| Current Environment 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 |
| International Environment 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 |
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| People | |
| Population: | 48,261,942 (July 2013 est.) 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 44.8% (male 10,913,552/female 10,715,034) 15-24 years: 19.4% (male 4,689,483/female 4,694,663) 25-54 years: 29.3% (male 7,095,382/female 7,060,506) 55-64 years: 3.5% (male 721,769/female 959,008) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 610,252/female 802,293) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 18.7 years male: 18.5 years female: 19 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.85% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 37.7 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 8.6 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 46.5 deaths/1,000 live births male: 48.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 44.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 53.14 years male: 51.62 years female: 54.7 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 5.01 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 5.6% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 1.4 million (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 86,000 (2009 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Tanzanian(s) adjective: Tanzanian |
| Ethnic groups: | mainland - African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, African, mixed Arab and 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; it has become the lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of most people is one of the local languages |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic total population: 69.4% male: 77.5% female: 62.2% (2002 census) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania conventional short form: Tanzania local long form: Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania local short form: Tanzania former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: | name: Dar es Salaam geographic coordinates: 6 48 S, 39 17 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: legislative offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital, and the National Assembly now meets there on a regular basis; the Executive Branch with all ministries and diplomatic representation remains located in Dar es Salaam |
| Administrative divisions: | 30 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Geita, Iringa, Kagera, Kaskazini Pemba (Pemba North), Kaskazini Unguja (Zanzibar North), Katavi, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Kusini Pemba (Pemba South), Kusini Unguja (Zanzibar Central/South), Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Mjini Magharibi (Zanzibar Urban/West), Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Njombe, Pwani (Coast), Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Simiyu, Singida, Tabora, Tanga |
| Independence: | 26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent on 9 December 1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent on 10 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar on 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania on 29 October 1964 |
| National holiday: | Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964) |
| Constitution: | 25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984 |
| Legal system: | English common law; judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December 2005); Vice President Mohammed Gharib BILAL (since 6 November 2010); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December 2005); Vice President Mohammed Gharib BILAL (since 6 November 2010) note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for matters internal to Zanzibar; Ali Mohamed SHEIN elected to that office on 31 October 2010, sworn in 3 November 2010 cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot by popular vote for five-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held on 31 October 2010 (next to be held in 2015); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Jakaya KIKWETE elected president; percent of vote - Jakaya KIKWETE 61.2%, Willibrod SLAA 26.3%, Ibrahim LIPUMBA 8.1%, other 4.4% |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (357 seats; 239 members elected by popular vote, 102 allocated to women nominated by the president, 5 to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives; members serve five-year terms, up to 10 additional members appointed by the president, 1 seat reserved for the Attorney General); 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 with jurisdiction exclusive to Zanzibar (the Zanzibar House of Representatives has 50 seats; members elected by universal suffrage to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 31 October 2010 (next to be held in 2015) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CCM 259, CHADEMA 48, CUF 34, NCCR-M 4, other 7, Zanzibar representatives 5; Zanzibar House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CCM 28, CUF 22 |
| 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 [Willibrod SLAA]; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM (Revolutionary Party) [Jakaya Mrisho KIKWETE]; Civic United Front or CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]; Democratic Party [Christopher MTIKLA] (unregistered); National Convention for Construction and Reform - Mageuzi [Hashim RUNGWE]; Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Mutamwega MUGAHWYA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Fahma DOVUTWA] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Economic and Social Research Foundation or ESRF; Free Zanzibar; Tanzania Media Women's Association or TAMWA |
| International organization participation: | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, EAC, EADB, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Mwandaidi Sinare MAAJAR chancery: 1232 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125 FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Alfonso E. LENHARDT embassy: 686 Old Bagamoyo Road, Msasani, Dar es Salaam mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam telephone: [255] (22) 229-4000 FAX: [255] (22) 229-4970 or 4971 |
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| Economy | |
| Tanzania is one of the world's poorest economies in terms of per capita income, however, it has achieved high overall growth rates based on gold production and tourism. Tanzania has largely completed its transition to a liberalized market economy, though the government retains a presence in sectors such as telecommunications, banking, energy, and mining. The economy depends on agriculture, which accounts for more than one-quarter of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs about 80% of the work force. The World Bank, the IMF, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's aging economic infrastructure, including rail and port infrastructure that are important trade links for inland countries. Recent banking reforms have helped increase private-sector growth and investment, and the government has increased spending on agriculture to 7% of its budget. The financial sector in Tanzania has expandewd in recent years and foreign-owned banks account for abut 48% of the banking industry's total assets. Competition among foreign commercial banks has resulted in significant improvements in the efficiency and quality of financial services, though interest rates are still relatively high, reflecting high fraud risk. All land in Tanzania is owned by the government, which can lease land for up to 99 years. Proposed reforms to allow for land ownership, particularly foreign land ownership, remain unpopular. Continued donor assistance and solid macroeconomic policies supported a positive growth rate, despite the world recession. In 2008, Tanzania received the world's largest Millennium Challenge Compact grant, worth $698 million, and in December 2012 the Millennium Challenge Corporation selected Tanzania for a second Compact. Dar es Salaam used fiscal stimulus and loosened monetary policy to ease the impact of the global recession. GDP growth in 2009-12 was a respectable 6% per year due to high gold prices and increased production. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $73.5 billion (2012 est.) $69.01 billion (2011 est.) $64.83 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $27.98 billion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 6.5% (2012 est.) 6.4% (2011 est.) 7% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,700 (2012 est.) $1,600 (2011 est.) $1,600 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 27.1% industry: 24.1% services: 48.7% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 24.77 million (2012 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%: 29.6% (2007) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 37.6 (2007) 34.6 (2000) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15.3% (2012 est.) 12.7% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 26.5% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $6.075 billion expenditures: $7.67 billion (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 34.4% of GDP (2012 est.) 37.6% of GDP (2011 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); mining (diamonds, gold, and iron), salt, soda ash; cement, oil refining, shoes, apparel, wood products, fertilizer |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 7% (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 4.489 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 3.589 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2008 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 780 million cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 780 million cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 6.513 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$3.946 billion (2012 est.) -$3.872 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $5.031 billion (2012 est.) $4.843 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton |
| Exports - partners: | China 14.3%, Japan 7.8%, India 7.8%, Germany 6.7%, UAE 4.5% (2011) |
| Imports: | $9.724 billion (2012 est.) $9.635 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial raw materials, crude oil |
| Imports - partners: | India 18.8%, China 17.4%, South Africa 6%, Kenya 5.9%, UAE 4.7% (2011) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $3.787 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $3.726 billion (31 December 2011 est.) note: excludes gold |
| Debt - external: | $11.18 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $10.33 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $NA |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $NA |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $1.539 billion (31 December 2011) $1.264 billion (31 December 2010) $1.293 billion (31 December 2008) |
| Exchange rates: | Tanzanian shillings (TZS) per US dollar - 1,586.9 (2012 est.) 1,572.1 (2011 est.) 1,409.3 (2010 est.) 1,320.3 (2009) 1,178.1 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | 1 July - 30 June |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 161,100 (2011) country comparison to the world: 132 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 25.666 million (2011) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: telecommunications services are marginal; system operating below capacity and being modernized for better service; small aperture terminal (VSAT) system under construction domestic: fixed-line telephone network inadequate with less than 1 connection per 100 persons; mobile-cellular service, aided by multiple providers, is increasing rapidly and in 2011 exceeded a subscriber base of 50 telephones per 100 persons; trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being made digital international: country code - 255; landing point for the EASSy fiber-optic submarine cable system linking East Africa with Europe and North America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .tz |
| Internet hosts: | 26,074 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 678,000 (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 106 (2012) country comparison to the world: 52 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 11 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 95 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 58 under 914 m: 18 (2012) |
| Pipelines: | gas 254 km; oil 888 km; refined products 8 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 3,689 km narrow gauge: 969 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,720 km 1.000-m gauge (2008) |
| Roadways: | total: 91,049 km paved: 6,578 km unpaved: 84,471 km (2007) |
| Waterways: | (Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) are the principal avenues of commerce with neighboring countries; the rivers are not navigable) (2011) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 94 by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 66, carrier 4, chemical tanker 1, container 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 10, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3 foreign-owned: 42 (Japan 1, Romania 1, Saudi Arabia 1, Syria 23, Turkey 13, UAE 3) registered in other countries: 3 (Panama 2, UK 1) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Tanzania People's Defense Force (Jeshi la Wananchi la Tanzania, JWTZ): Army, Naval Wing (includes Coast Guard), Air Defense Command (includes Air Wing), National Service (2007) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 9,985,445 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 5,860,339 females age 16-49: 5,882,279 (2010 est.) |
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