Tanzania
United Republic of Tanzania
republicIndependence 26 April 1964
Tanzania as the 2002 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 114 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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.
Geography
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique
18 fieldsLand useshare of 945,087 sq km
Natural resources
hydropower, 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;
- wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note
Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; 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 in the southwest
People
18 fieldsNote
Per 1,000 population(2002 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 44.6% (male 8,338,764; female 8,247,789)
- 15-64 years:
- 52.5% (male 9,674,951; female 9,847,084)
- 65 years and over:
- 2.9% (male 483,760; female 595,591) (2002 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:
- 0.81 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Ethnic groups
- 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
Religions
mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim
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 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
Government
Republic; President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November 1995); President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November 1995)
18 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
National Assembly, 50 seats, elected 29 October 2000one dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- United Republic of Tanzania
- conventional short form:
- Tanzania
- former:
- United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar
Capital
- 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
Administrative divisions
25 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera, 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
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 William MKAPA (since 23 November 1995);
- Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001);
- note - the president is both chief of state and head of government;
- Prime Minister Frederick SUMAYE (since NA) does not function as the head of government
- head of government:
- President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November 1995);
- Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001);
- note - the president is both chief of state and head of government;
- Prime Minister Frederick SUMAYE (since NA) does not function as the 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
- 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%
- 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
Legislative branch
- 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)
- 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
- elections:
- last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2005)
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 or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI, chairman];
- Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM (Revolutionary Party) [Benjamin William MKAPA, chairman];
- Civic United Front or CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA, chaiman];
- Democratic Party (unregistered) [Reverend Christopher MTIKLA];
- National Convention for Construction and Reform or NCCR [James MBATIA, 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]
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Andrew Mhando DARAJA
- chancery:
- 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 797-7408
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 939-6125
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Robert V. ROYALL
- embassy:
- 140 Msese Road, Kinondoni District, Dar es 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 description
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.
33 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2000 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, which accounts for 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 is mainly limited to processing agricultural products and light consumer goods. The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's deteriorated economic infrastructure. Growth in 1991-2001 featured a pickup in industrial production and a substantial increase in output of minerals, led by gold.
Natural gas exploration in the Rufiji Delta looks promising and production could start by 2002. Recent banking reforms have helped increase private sector growth and investment. Continued donor support and solid macroeconomic policies should support steady real GDP growth of 5% in 2002 and 2003.
Industries
primarily agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine), diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes, cement, textiles, wood products, fertilizer, salt
Agriculture - products
coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves (Zanzibar), corn, wheat, cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats
Imports - commodities
consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial raw materials, crude oil
Exchange rates
Tanzanian shillings per US dollar - 924.70 (January 2002), 876.41 (2001), 800.41 (2000), 744.76 (1999), 664.67 (1998), 612.12 (1997)
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone system
- 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)
Transportation
9 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
Railways
- total:
- 3,569 km
- 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 (2001)
Waterways
note: Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa are principal avenues of commerce between Tanzania and its neighbors on those lakes
Ports and harbors
Bukoba, Dar es Salaam, Kigoma, Kilwa Masoko, Lindi, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pangani, Tanga, Wete, Zanzibar
Merchant marine
- total:
- 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,987 GRT/27,121 DWT
- ships by type:
- cargo 2, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.)
Military
Tanzanian People's Defense Force (including Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary Police Field Force Unit (including Police Marine Unit and Police Air Wing), territorial militia
5 fieldsMilitary branches
Tanzanian People's Defense Force (including Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary Police Field Force Unit (including Police Marine Unit and Police Air Wing), territorial militia
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
Tanzania and Malawi maintain a largely dormant dispute over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and current location of historical boundary in the meandering Songwe River
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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Tanzania.” The World Factbook 2002. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/tanzania/2002.