Tanzania
United Republic of Tanzania
republicIndependence 26 April 1964
Tanzania as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 90 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between | Kenya and Mozambique
15 fieldsLand useshare of 945,090 sq km
International disputes
- boundary dispute with Malawi in Lake Nyasa;
- Tanzania-Zaire-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it has been informally reported that the indefinite section of the Zaire-Zambia boundary has been settled
Terrain
- plains along coast;
- central plateau;
- highlands in north, south
- lowest point:
- Indian Ocean 0 m
- highest point:
- Kilimanjaro 5,895 m
Natural resources
hydropower potential, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel
Environment
- current issues:
- soil degradation;
- deforestation;
- desertification;
- destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats;
- recent droughts affected marginal agriculture
- natural hazards:
- the tsetse fly and lack of water limit agriculture; flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season
- international agreements:
- party to - Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling;
- signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
People
17 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1996 est.)
Male · female(1996 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 45% (male 6,536,911; female 6,576,752)
- 15-64 years:
- 52% (male 7,360,370; female 7,739,500)
- 65 years and over:
- 3% (male 396,128; female 448,809) (July 1996 est.)
Net migration rate
-10.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.) note: the total number of Rwandan and Burundian refugees in Tanzania is about 750,000
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 0.99 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.95 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.88 male(s)/female
- all ages:
- 0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Ethnic divisions
mainland: native African (95% Bantu, consisting of well over 100 tribes) 99%, Asian, European, and Arab 1%
Zanzibar
Arab, mixed Arab and native African, native African
Zanzibar
Muslim more than 99%
Languages
Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguju (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 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
Government
Republic; President Benjamin MKARA (since 22 November 1995) was elected for a five-year term by popular vote; Prime Minister Fredrick SUMAYE (since 27 November 1995) was appointed by the president
21 fieldsName of country
- conventional long form:
- United Republic of Tanzania
- conventional short form:
- Tanzania
- former:
- United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar
Capital
Dar es Salaam note: some government offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital by the end of the 1990s
Administrative divisions
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
- 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
Legal system
- based on English common law;
- judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation;
- has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Benjamin MKARA (since 22 November 1995) was elected for a five-year term by popular vote;
- election last held 29 October-19 November 1995 (next to be held 29 October 2000);
- results - Benjamin MKARA 62%, MREMA 28%, LIPUMBA 6%, CHEYO 4%;
- Vice President Omar Ali JUMA (since 22 November 1995);
- President of Zanzibar Salmin AMOUR (since 27 October 1995);
- election last held 22 October 1995 (next to be held 22 October 2000);
- results - Salmin AMOUR 50.2%, HAMAD 49.8%
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Fredrick SUMAYE (since 27 November 1995) was appointed by the president
- cabinet:
- Cabinet was appointed by the president from the members of the National Assembly
National Assembly (Bunge)
- elections last held 29 October-19 November 1995 (next to be held 29 October 2000);
- results - percent of total vote by party NA;
- seats - (274 total, 232 elected) CCM 186, opposition parties 46;
- of the 42 seats which are not elected some are filled by presidential appointment and others are designated by law for specific officials
Political parties and leaders
- Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM or Revolutionary Party), Ali Hassan MWINYI;
- Civic United Front (CUF), Seif Sharif HAMAD;
- National Convention for Construction and Reform (NCCR), Lyatonga (Augustine) MREMA;
- Union for Multiparty Democracy (UMD), Abdullah FUNDIKIRA;
- Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), Edwin I. M. MTEI, chairman;
- Democratic Party (unregistered), Reverend MTIKLA;
- United Democratic Party (UDP), John CHEYO
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Mustafa Salim NYANG'ANYI
- chancery:
- 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 939-6125
US diplomatic representation
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador J. Brady ANDERSON
- embassy:
- 36 Laibon Road (off Bagamoyo Road), Dar es Salaam
- mailing address:
- P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam
- telephone:
- [255] (51) 66010 through 66015
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.
21 fieldsGDP composition by sector(1995 est.)
Installed generating capacity, 440,000 kW
Economic overview
Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, which accounts for 58% of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 90% of the work force. Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated crops to only 5% of the land area.
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, the International Monetary Fund, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's deteriorated economic infrastructure. Growth in 1991-94 has 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.
Industries
primarily agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine), diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes, cement, textiles, wood products, fertilizer
Agriculture
coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashews, tobacco, cloves (Zanzibar), corn, wheat, cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats
Illicit drugs
growing role in transshipment of Southwest Asian heroin destined for European and US markets
Exports
$462 million (f.o.b., 1994)
- commodities:
- coffee, cotton, tobacco, tea, cashew nuts, sisal
- partners:
- Germany, UK, Japan, Netherlands, Kenya, Hong Kong, US
Imports
$1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
- commodities:
- manufactured goods, machinery and transportation equipment, cotton piece goods, crude oil, foodstuffs
- partners:
- Germany, UK, US, Japan, Italy, Denmark
Exchange rates
Tanzanian shillings (TSh) per US$1 - 558.18 (December 1995), 574.76 (1995), 509.63 (1994), 405.27 (1993), 297.71 (1992), 219.16 (1991)
Transportation
7 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 111 in all
Networkskm
Railways
- total:
- 3,569 km (1995)
- narrow gauge:
- 2,600 km 1.000-m gauge;
- 969 km 1.067-m gauge note:: the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gauge track between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri M'poshi in Zambia is not a part of Tanzania Railways Corporation;
- 969 km are in Tanzania and 891 km are in Zambia;
- because of the difference in gauge, this system does not connect to Tanzania Railways
Highways
- total:
- 55,600 km
- paved:
- 20,572 km (including 50 km of expressways)
- unpaved:
- 35,028 km (1992 est.)
Merchant marine
- total:
- 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 30,371 GRT/41,269 DWT
- ships by type:
- cargo 3, oil tanker 2, passenger-cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1995 est.)
Communications
Tanzanian People's Defense Force (TPDF; includes Army, | Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary Police Field Force Unit, Militia
9 fieldsTelephone system
fair system operating below capacity
- domestic:
- open wire, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter
- international:
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Branches
Tanzanian People's Defense Force (TPDF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary Police Field Force Unit, Militia
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Tanzania.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/tanzania/1996.