Tanzania

republic

Tanzania as the 1991 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 68 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalDar es Salaam

Area945,090 km2

Populationas each edition published it

26.87 million July 1991 · 25.97m in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.56% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 17.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 44 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

7 children per woman 1991 · 7.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

105 deaths per 1,000 live births 1991 · 107 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $260 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 4.5% in 1993

Geography

10 fields

Total area

945,090km2

land area: 886,040 km2; includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and ZanzibarComparative area: slightly larger than twice the size of California

Land boundaries

3,402km total

Burundi 451 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Coastline

1,424 km Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm

Disputes

boundary dispute with Malawi in Lake Nyasa;
Tanzania-Zaire-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it is reported that the indefinite section of the Zaire-Zambia boundary has been settled

Climate

varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Terrain

plains along coast;
central plateau;
highlands in north, south

Natural resources

hydropower potential, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel

Land use

arable land 5%;
permanent crops 1%;
meadows and pastures 40%;
forest and woodland 47%;
other 7%;
includes irrigated NEGL%

Environment

lack of water and tsetse fly limit agriculture;
recent droughts affected marginal agriculture;
Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa

People

13 fields

Population

26,869,175

(July 1991), growth rate 3.4% (1991)

Per 1,000 population(1991)

Birth

50Death

Labor force

732,200wage earners

90% agriculture, 10% industry and commerce (1986 est.)

Literacy

46%

(male 62%, female 31%) age 15 and over can read and write (1978)

Nationality

noun--Tanzanian(s); adjective--Tanzanian

Ethnic divisions

mainland--native African consisting of well over 100 tribes 99%;
Asian, European, and Arab 1% mainland--Christian 33%, Muslim 33%, indigenous beliefs 33%;
Zanzibar--almost all Muslim

Language

Swahili and English (official);
English primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education;
Swahili widely understood and generally used for communication between ethnic groups;
first language of most people is one of the local languages;
primary education is generally in Swahili

Government

Republic

17 fields

National Assembly, 168 seats, elected 28 October 1990one dot, one seat

(241 total, 168 elected) CCM 168

Capital

Dar es Salaam; some government offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital in the 1990s

25 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida, Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar Urban/West, Ziwa Magharibi

Independence

Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from UN trusteeship under British administration);
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

Constitution

15 March 1984 (Zanzibar has its own Constitution but remains subject to provisions of the union Constitution)

Legal system

based on English common law;
judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday

Union Day, 26 April (1964)

Executive branch

president, first vice president and prime minister of the union, second vice president and president of Zanzibar, Cabinet

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (Bunge)

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal, High Court Chief of State--President Ali Hassan MWINYI (since 5 November 1985);
First Vice President John MALECELA (since 9 November 1990);
Second Vice President Salmin AMOUR (since 9 November 1990);
Head of Government--Prime Minister John MALECELA (since 9 November 1990)

Political parties and leaders

only party--Chama Cha MAPINDUZI (CCM or Revolutionary Party), Ali Hassan MWINYI, party chairman

Suffrage

universal at age 18 President--last held 28 October 1990 (next to be held October 1995);
results--Ali Hassan MWINYI was elected without opposition;
National Assembly--last held 28 October 1990 (next to be held October 1995);
results--CCM is the only party;
seats--(241 total, 168 elected) CCM 168

Communists

no Communist party; a few Communist sympathizers

Member of

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, FLS, G-6, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, SADCC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador-designate Charles Musama NYIRABU;
Chancery at 2139 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 939-6125;
US--Ambassador Edmund DE JARNETTE;
Embassy at 36 Laibon Road (off Bagamoyo Road), Dar es Salaam (mailing address is P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam);
telephone [255] (51) 37501 through 37504

Flag

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

Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$5.92billion

per capita $240; real growth rate 4.3% (FY89 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

31.2

(1989)

External debt

$5.8billion

(December 1990 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$495 millionExpenditures

$631 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $118 million (FY90)

Overview

Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, which accounts for about 47% of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 90% of the work force. Industry accounts for 8% of GDP and is mainly limited to processing agricultural products and light consumer goods.

The economic recovery program announced in mid-1986 has generated notable increases in agricultural production and financial support for the program by bilateral donors. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have increased the availability of imports and provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's deteriorated economic infrastructure.

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$380 million (f.o.b., 1989);
commodities--coffee, cotton, sisal, tea, cashew nuts, meat, tobacco, diamonds, coconut products, pyrethrum, cloves (Zanzibar);
partners--FRG, UK, Japan, Netherlands, Kenya, Hong Kong, US

Imports

$1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1989);
commodities--manufactured goods, machinery and transportation equipment, cotton piece goods, crude oil, foodstuffs;
partners--FRG, UK, US, Japan, Italy, Denmark

Industrial production

growth rate 4.2% (1988); accounts for 8% of GDP

Electricity

401,000 kW capacity; 895 million kWh produced, 35 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

primarily agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine), diamond mine, oil refinery, shoes, cement, textiles, wood products, fertilizer

Agriculture

accounts for over 40% of GDP;
topography and climatic conditions limit cultivated crops to only 5% of land area;
cash crops--coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashews, tobacco, cloves (Zanzibar);
food crops--corn, wheat, cassava, bananas, fruits, and vegetables;
small numbers of cattle, sheep, and goats;
not self-sufficient in food grain production

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $400 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $9.2 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $44 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $614 million

Currency

Tanzanian shilling (plural--shillings); 1 Tanzanian shilling (TSh) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Tanzanian shillings (TSh) per US$1--196.60 (January 1991), 195.06 (1990), 143.377 (1989), 99.292 (1988), 64.260 (1987), 32.698 (1986), 17.472 (1985)

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June

Communications

9 fields

Merchant marine, 7 ships by typeone square, one ship

passenger-cargo 2cargo 3roll-on/roll-off cargo 1petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,784 GRT/25,860 DWT

Airports, 105 total, 93 usable

permanent-surface runways

12runways over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

3runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Railroads

3,555Pipelines

982

Railroads: ; 960 km 1.067-meter gauge; 2,595 km 1.000-meter gauge, 6.4 km double track, 962 km Tazara Railroad 1.067-meter gauge; 115 km 1.000-meter gauge planned by end of decade

Railroads

3,555 km total;
960 km 1.067-meter gauge;
2,595 km 1.000-meter gauge, 6.4 km double track, 962 km Tazara Railroad 1.067-meter gauge;
115 km 1.000-meter gauge planned by end of decade