Tanzania

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.

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

• soil degradation;
• deforestation;
• desertification;
• destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats;
• recent droughts affected marginal agriculture

• 36,232,074 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 2001 est.)

• 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

• 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 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

• 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

• 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

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

chief of state:

• President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November 1995);
• Vice President Omar Ali JUMA (since 23 November 1995);
• note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November 1995);
• Vice President Omar Ali JUMA (since 23 November 1995);
• 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 elected to that office on 29 October 2000 cabinet: Cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, are 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;
• election last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2005);
• prime minister appointed by the president election results: Benjamin William MKAPA reelected president;
• percent of vote - Benjamin William MKAPA 71.7%, Ibrahim Haruna LIPUMBA 16.3%, Augustine Lyatonga MREME 7.8%, John Momose CHEYO 4.2%

• 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 NA 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

• 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)

• Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI, chairman];
• Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM (Revolutionary Party) [Benjamin William MKAPA, chairman];
• Civic United Front or CUF [Seif Sharif HAMAD, secretary-general];
• Democratic Party (unregistered) [Reverend Christopher MTIKLA, leader];
• National Convention for Construction and Reform or NCCR [Kassim MAGUTU, secretary-general];
• Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine Lyatonga MREMA, chairman];
• Union for Multiparty Democracy or UMD [leader NA];
• United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO, leader]

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: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

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 Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia (of which 969 km are in Tanzania and 891 km are in Zambia) is not a part of Tanzania Railways Corporation;
• because of the difference in gauge, this system does not connect to Tanzania Railways

• dispute with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi);
• a resurvey of the latitudinal boundary with Uganda in 2000 revealed a 300-meter discrepancy that both sides are currently adjudicating