from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Tanzania
Introduction
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 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.
Geography
Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between
Kenya and Mozambique
Geographic 6 00 S, 35 00 E
coordinates:
Map Africa
references:
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 - slightly larger than twice the size of California
comparative:
Land total: 3,861 km
boundaries: 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 territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: 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 lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m
Natural hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds,
resources: gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel
Land use: arable land: 4.23%
permanent crops: 1.16%
other: 94.61% (2005)
Irrigated 1,840 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural flooding on the central plateau during the rainy
hazards: season; drought
Environment - soil degradation; deforestation; desertification;
current destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats;
issues: recent droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife
threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for
ivory
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
international Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
agreements: Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements
Geography - Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by
note: 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
People
Population: 37,445,392
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 2006
est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.7% (male 8,204,593/female 8,176,489)
15-64 years: 53.6% (male 9,906,446/female 10,178,066)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 422,674/female 557,124)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 17.7 years
male: 17.5 years
female: 18 years (2006 est.)
Population 1.83% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 37.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 16.39 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration -3.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
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: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 96.48 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 105.64 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 87.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 45.64 years
expectancy at male: 44.93 years
birth: female: 46.37 years (2006 est.)
Total 4.97 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 8.8% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 1.6 million (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - 160,000 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Major degree of risk: very high
infectious food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea,
diseases: hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria, Rift Valley fever and
plague are high risks in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2005)
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, 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: definition: 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.)
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 republic
type:
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;
the National Assembly now meets there on a regular
basis
Administrative 26 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa,
divisions: 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 Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)
holiday:
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 chief of state: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21
branch: December 2005); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN
(since 5 July 2001); note - the president is both chief
of state and head of government
head of government: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21
December 2005); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN
(since 5 July 2001); note - the president is both chief
of state and head of government
note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of
government for matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani
Abeid KARUME was reelected to that office on 30 October
2005
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among
the members of the National Assembly
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 14
December 2005(next to be held in December 2010); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Jakaya KIKWETE elected president;
percent of vote - Jakaya KIKWETE 80.3%, Ibrahim LIPUMBA
11.7%, Freeman MBOWE 5.9%
Legislative unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats - 232
branch: elected by popular vote, 37 allocated to women
nominated by the president, 5 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 14 December 2005 (next to be held
in December 2010)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote
by party - NA%; seats by party - CCM 206, CUF 19,
CHADEMA 5, other 2, women appointed by the president
37, Zanzibar representatives 5; Zanzibar House of
Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - CCM 30, CUF 19; 1 seat was nullified with a
rerun to take place soon
Judicial Permanent Commission of Enquiry (official ombudsman);
branch: 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 Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy
parties and and Development) or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI]; Chama Cha
leaders: Mapinduzi or CCM (Revolutionary Party) [Jakaya Mrisho
KIKWETE]; Civic United Front or CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA];
Democratic Party [Christopher MTIKLA] (unregistered);
Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine Lyatonga MREME];
United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G-6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
organization ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
participation: ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA,
NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNOCI, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Andrew Mhando DARAJA
representation chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
in the US: telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125
FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Michael L. RETZER
representation embassy: 140 Msese Road, Kinondoni District, Dar es
from the US: 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 divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from
description: the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist
side) is green and the lower triangle is blue
Economy
Economy - Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world.
overview: 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.
Long-term growth through 2005 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
more than 6% in 2005.
GDP $27.11 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $12.12 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 6.8% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $700 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 43.2%
composition by industry: 17.2%
sector: services: 39.6% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 19.22 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 80%
by occupation: industry and services: 20% (2002 est.)
Unemployment NA%
rate:
Population 36% (2002 est.)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 2.8%
income or highest 10%: 30.1% (1993)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 38.2 (1993)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 4.3% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 18.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $2.235 billion
expenditures: $2.669 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Public debt: 65.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made
products: 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, salt, soda ash;
cement, oil refining, shoes, apparel, wood products,
fertilizer
Industrial 8.4% (1999 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 3.152 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 18.9%
production by hydro: 81.1%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 2.959 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 28 million kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 22,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Oil - proved 0 bbl (1 January 2002)
reserves:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 22.65 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
proved
reserves:
Current $-558 million (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $1.581 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton
commodities:
Exports - China 10.2%, Canada 8.6%, India 7.3%, Netherlands 5.2%,
partners: Japan 4.5%, Kenya 4.4%, Germany 4.3% (2005)
Imports: $2.391 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment,
commodities: industrial raw materials, crude oil
Imports - South Africa 12.2%, China 9.6%, India 7%, UAE 6.1%,
partners: Kenya 5.2%, UK 4.1% (2005)
Reserves of $2.074 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $8.178 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $1.2 billion (2001)
recipient:
Currency Tanzanian shilling (TZS)
(code):
Currency code: TZS
Exchange Tanzanian shillings per US dollar - 1,128.93 (2005),
rates: 1,089.33 (2004), 1,038.42 (2003), 966.58 (2002), 876.41
(2001)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Communications
Telephones - 148,400 (2004)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 1.942 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: fair system operating below
system: capacity and being modernized for better service; very
small aperture terminal (VSAT) 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 AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 8.8 million (1997)
Television 3 (1999)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 103,000 (1997)
Internet .tz
country code:
Internet 8,609 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 6 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 333,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 124 (2006)
Airports - total: 11
with paved over 3,047 m: 2
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - total: 113
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 62
under 914 m: 33 (2006)
Pipelines: gas 254 km; oil 872 km (2006)
Railways: total: 3,690 km
narrow gauge: 969 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,721 km 1.000-m
gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 78,891 km
paved: 6,808 km
unpaved: 72,083 km (2003)
Waterways: Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa
principal avenues of commerce with neighboring
countries; rivers not navigable (2005)
Merchant total: 9 ships (1000 GRT or over) 24,801 GRT/31,507 DWT
marine: by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 4
registered in other countries: 2 (Honduras 1, Saint
Kitts and Nevis 1) (2006)
Ports and Dar es Salaam, Mtwara, Zanzibar City
terminals:
Military
Military Tanzanian People's Defense Force (JWTZ): Army, Naval
branches: Wing, Air Defense Command (includes air wing), National
Service
Military 15 years of age for voluntary military service; 18
service age years of age for compulsory military service upon
and graduation from secondary school; conscript service
obligation: obligation - two years (2004)
Manpower males age 18-49: 7,422,869 (2005 est.)
available for
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 3,879,630 (2005 est.)
for military
service:
Military $21.2 million (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 0.2% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - disputes with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa
international: (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain
dormant
Refugees and refugees (country of origin): 443,706 (Burundi) 153,474
internally (Democratic Republic of the Congo) 3,036 (Somalia)
displaced (2005)
persons:
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