Tanzania

United Republic of TanzaniaJamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania

republicIndependence 26 April 1964

Tanzania as the 2014 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 170 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, UTC+3
Position6 00 S, 35 00 E
Area947,300 sq km
LocationEastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique
Populationas each edition published it
49.64 million July 2014 est. · 25.97m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.8% 2014 est. · 2.56% in 1993
Median ageyears
17.4 years 2014 est. · 17.5 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
61.24 years 2014 est. · 44 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
4.95 children per woman 2014 est. · 7.1 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
43.74 deaths per 1,000 live births 2014 est. · 107 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,700 2013 est. · $260 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
7% 2013 est. · 4.5% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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 ended in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular opposition led to two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling party won despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities. The formation of a government of national unity between Zanzibar's two leading parties succeeded in minimizing electoral tension in 2010.

Geography

Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique

20 fields

Land useshare of 947,300 sq km

arable land 12.25%permanent crops 1.79%other 85.96% (2011)irrigated 1,843 sq km (2003)
Area
947,300sq km
country comparison to the world: 31land: 885,800 sq kmwater: 61,500 sq kmnote: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibarslightly larger than twice the size of California
Coastline
1,424km
territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Highest point
5,895m
Kilimanjaro · (highest point in Africa)lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Land boundaries
3,861km
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

Location

Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique

Geographic coordinates

6 00 S, 35 00 E

Climate

varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Terrain

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

Natural resources

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total:
5.18 cu km/yr (10%/0%/89%)
per capita:
144.7 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards

flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought

volcanism:
  • limited volcanic activity;
  • Ol Doinyo Lengai (elev. 2,962 m) has emitted lava in recent years;
  • other historically active volcanoes include Kieyo and Meru

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

  • Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa and one of only two mountains on the continent that has glaciers (the other is Mount Kenya);
  • 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 (Lake Malawi) in the southwest

People and Society

37 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2014 est.)

629,483
65 and over2.9%
833,910
745,214
55-643.5%
985,524
7,340,129
25-5429.5%
7,289,483
4,838,216
15-2419.5%
4,841,338
11,173,655
0-1444.6%
10,962,186
MaleFemaleDependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 92.4 % · youth dependency ratio: 86.1 % · elderly dependency ratio: 6.2 % · potential support ratio: 16.1 (2014 est.)
Population
49,639,138
country comparison to the world: 26growth rate: 2.8% (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 18
Note
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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2014 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2014 est.)

Birth
36.82Death
8.2Net migration
-0.57

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2014 est.)61.24
59.91 · 62.62Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)43.74
45.78 · 41.64Literacy (2010 est.)67.8%
75.5% · 60.8%
TotalMale · femaleMedian age years (2014 est.)17.4
17.1 · 17.7School life expectancy years (2012)9
9 · 9
MaleFemaleLife expectancy country comparison to the world: 190 · Infant mortality country comparison to the world: 49 · Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic
Urban population
26.7%of total population
(2011)rate of urbanization: 4.77% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)Major urban areas - population: DAR ES SALAAM (capital) 3.588 million (2011)
Improved drinking water
53.2%of population
improved: urban: 77.9% of populationrural: 44% of populationunimproved: urban: 22.1% of populationrural: 56% of populationtotal: 46.8% of population (2012 est.)
Improved sanitation
12.2%of population
improved: urban: 24.9% of populationrural: 7.5% of populationunimproved: urban: 75.1% of populationrural: 92.5% of populationtotal: 87.8% of population (2012 est.)
Maternal mortality rate
460deaths/100,000 live births
(2010)country comparison to the world: 23Mother's mean age at first birth: 19.6note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2010 est.)

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

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;

it has become the lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of most people is one of the local languages

Religions

mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years:
1.02 male(s)/female
15-24 years:
1 male(s)/female
25-54 years:
1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years:
0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.76 male(s)/female
total population:
0.99 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.95 children born/woman (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Health expenditures

7.3% of GDP (2011) country comparison to the world: 78

Physicians density

0.01 physicians/1,000 population (2006)

Hospital bed density

0.7 beds/1,000 population (2010)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

5.1% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

1,472,400 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

HIV/AIDS - deaths

80,000 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk:
very high
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases:
malaria, dengue fever, and Rift Valley fever
water contact diseases:
schistosomiasis and leptospirosis
animal contact disease:
rabies (2013)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

5% (2008) country comparison to the world: 156

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

16.2% (2010) country comparison to the world: 44

Education expenditures

6.2% of GDP (2010) country comparison to the world: 37

Child labor - children ages 5-14

total number:
2,815,085
percentage:
21 %

note: data represents children ages 5-17 and does not in (2006 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 7.1% (2011) country comparison to the world: 129

Government

Republic; President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December 2005); President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December 2005)

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

61.2%
Jakaya KIKWETE 61.2%Willibrod SLAA 26.3%Ibrahim LIPUMBA 8.1%other 4.4%election last held on 31 October 2010 (next to be held in 2015)

National Assembly, 50 seats, elected 31 October 2010one dot, one seat

CCM 28CUF 22

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

Capital

name:
  • Dar es Salaam;
  • note - legislative offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital, and the National Assembly now meets there on a regular basis;
  • the executive branch with all ministries and diplomatic representation remains in Dar es Salaam
geographic coordinates:
6 48 S, 39 17 E
time difference:
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

30 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Geita, Iringa, Kagera, Kaskazini Pemba (Pemba North), Kaskazini Unguja (Zanzibar North), Katavi, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Kusini Pemba (Pemba South), Kusini Unguja (Zanzibar Central/South), Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Mjini Magharibi (Zanzibar Urban/West), Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Njombe, Pwani (Coast), Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Simiyu, Singida, Tabora, Tanga

Independence

  • 26 April 1964;
  • Tanganyika became independent on 9 December 1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship);
  • Zanzibar became independent on 10 December 1963 (from UK);
  • Tanganyika united with Zanzibar on 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar;
  • renamed United Republic of Tanzania on 29 October 1964

National holiday

Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)

Constitution

  • several previous;
  • latest adopted 25 April 1977;
  • amended many times, last in 2012;
  • note - in 2012, the Tanzania Constitutional Review Commission was formed, and in June 2013, completed the first draft of a new constitution (2013)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
  • President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December 2005);
  • Vice President Mohammed Gharib BILAL (since 6 November 2010);
  • note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government:
President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December 2005); Vice President Mohammed Gharib BILAL (since 6 November 2010)

note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for matters internal to Zanzibar; Ali Mohamed SHEIN elected to that office on 31 October 2010, sworn in 3 November 2010

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
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 on 31 October 2010 (next to be held in 2015);
  • prime minister appointed by the president
election results:
Jakaya KIKWETE elected president; percent of vote - Jakaya KIKWETE 61.2%, Willibrod SLAA 26.3%, Ibrahim LIPUMBA 8.1%, other 4.4%

Legislative branch

  • unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (357 seats; 239 members elected by popular vote, 102 allocated to women nominated by the president, 5 to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives; members serve five-year terms, up to 10 additional members appointed by the president, 1 seat reserved for the Attorney General);
  • 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 with jurisdiction exclusive to Zanzibar (the Zanzibar House of Representatives has 50 seats; members elected by universal suffrage to serve five-year terms)
elections:
last held on 31 October 2010 (next to be held in 2015)
election results:
  • National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
  • seats by party - CCM 259, CHADEMA 48, CUF 34, NCCR-M 4, other 7, Zanzibar representatives 5;
  • Zanzibar House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA;
  • seats by party - CCM 28, CUF 22

Judicial branch

highest court(s):
  • Court of Appeal of the United Republic of Tanzania (consists of the chief justice and 14 justices);
  • High Court of the United Republic for Mainland Tanzania (consists of the principal judge and 30 judges organized into commercial, land, and labor courts);
  • High Court of Zanzibar (consists of the chief justice and NA judges)
judge selection and term of office:
  • Court of Appeal and High Court justices appointed by the national president after consultation with the Judicial Service Commission for Tanzania, a judicial body of high level judges and 2 members appointed by the national president;
  • Court of Appeal and High Court judges appointed until mandatory retirement at age 60 but can extended;
  • High Court of Zanzibar judges appointed by the national president after consultation with the Judicial Commission of Zanzibar;
  • judge tenure NA
subordinate courts:
  • Resident Magistrates Courts;
  • Kadhi courts (for Islamic family matters);
  • district and primary courts

Political parties and leaders

  • Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy and Development) or CHADEMA [Willibrod SLAA]
  • Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM (Revolutionary Party) [Jakaya Mrisho KIKWETE]
  • Civic United Front or CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]
  • Democratic Party or DP [Christopher MTIKLA] (unregistered)
  • National Convention for Construction and Reform - Mageuzi or NCCR-M [Hashim RUNGWE]
  • Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Mutamwega MUGAHWYA]
  • United Democratic Party or UDP [Fahma DOVUTWA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

  • Economic and Social Research Foundation or ESRF
  • Free Zanzibar
  • Tanzania Media Women's Association or TAMWA

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, EAC, EADB, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Liberata Rutageruka MULAMULA (since 17 July 2013)
chancery:
1232 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone:
[1] (202) 939-6125
FAX:
[1] (202) 797-7408

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Mark Bradley CHILDRESS (since 7 April 2014)
embassy:
686 Old Bagamoyo Road, Msasani, Dar es Salaam
mailing address:
P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam
telephone:
[255] (22) 229-4000
FAX:
[255] (22) 229-4970 or 4971

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;
  • the banner combines colors found on the flags of Tanganyika and Zanzibar;
  • green represents the natural vegetation of the country, gold its rich mineral deposits, black the native Swahili people, and blue the country's many lakes and rivers, as well as the Indian Ocean

National symbol(s)

Uhuru (Freedom) torch

National anthem

name: "Mungu ibariki Afrika" (God Bless Africa)

Economy

Tanzania is one of the world's poorest economies in terms of per capita income, however, it has achieved high overall growth rates based on gold production and tourism.

41 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$79.29billion
(2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 83$74.12 billion (2012 est.) · $69.31 billion (2011 est.)note: data are in 2013 US dollarsofficial exchange rate: $31.94 billion (2013 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,700
(2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 200$1,600 (2012 est.) · $1,600 (2011 est.)note: data are in 2013 US dollars
Real growth rate
7%
(2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 226.9% (2012 est.) · 6.4% (2011 est.)industrial production growth: 7.4% (2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 30
Inflation, consumer prices
7.8%
(2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 19516% (2012 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin(2013 est.)

agriculture 27.6%industry 25%services 47.4% (2013 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

11.1%
China
21.3%
15.2%
India
16.3%
South Africa
6.4%
6.2%
Japan
Kenya
6%
5.1%
Germany
4.8%
UAE
5%
Exports $5.92 billion (2013 est.)Imports $11.16 billion (2013 est.)(2012)

By end use% of GDP

Household consumption
60.3%Government consumption
17.2%Fixed capital
40.2%Inventories
0.6%Exports
30.1%Imports
-48.5%
(2013 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$7.117 billionExpenditures
$8.917 billion (2013 est.)

Economy - overview

Tanzania is one of the world's poorest economies in terms of per capita income, however, it has achieved high overall growth rates based on gold production and tourism. Tanzania has largely completed its transition to a liberalized market economy, though the government retains a presence in sectors such as telecommunications, banking, energy, and mining.

The economy depends on agriculture, which accounts for more than one-quarter of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs about 80% of the work force. The World Bank, the IMF, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's aging economic infrastructure, including rail and port infrastructure that are important trade links for inland countries.

Recent banking reforms have helped increase private-sector growth and investment, and the government has increased spending on agriculture to 7% of its budget. The financial sector in Tanzania has expanded in recent years and foreign-owned banks account for about 48% of the banking industry's total assets.

Competition among foreign commercial banks has resulted in significant improvements in the efficiency and quality of financial services, though interest rates are still relatively high, reflecting high fraud risk. All land in Tanzania is owned by the government, which can lease land for up to 99 years.

Proposed reforms to allow for land ownership, particularly foreign land ownership, remain unpopular. Continued donor assistance and solid macroeconomic policies supported a positive growth rate, despite the world recession. In 2008, Tanzania received the world's largest Millennium Challenge Compact grant, worth $698 million, and in December 2012 the Millennium Challenge Corporation selected Tanzania for a second Compact.

Dar es Salaam used fiscal stimulus and loosened monetary policy to ease the impact of the global recession. GDP growth in 2009-13 was a respectable 6-7% per year due to high gold prices and increased production.

Gross national saving

25.7% of GDP (2013 est.) · 25.2% of GDP (2012 est.) · 17.4% of GDP (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Agriculture - products

coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat, cassava (manioc, tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries

  • agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine);
  • mining (diamonds, gold, and iron), salt, soda ash;
  • cement, oil refining, shoes, apparel, wood products, fertilizer

Labor force

25.59 million (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:
80%
industry and services:
20% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
2.8%
highest 10%:
29.6% (2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

37.6 (2007) · 34.6 (2000) country comparison to the world: 77

Taxes and other revenues

22.3% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5.6% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Public debt

42.7% of GDP (2013 est.) · 41.7% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Central bank discount rate

8.25% (31 December 2010 est.) · 3.7% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Commercial bank prime lending rate

13.6% (31 December 2013 est.) · 15.46% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Stock of narrow money

$4.594 billion (31 December 2013 est.) · $4.16 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Stock of broad money

$7.702 billion (31 December 2013 est.) · $6.824 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Stock of domestic credit

$7.326 billion (31 December 2013 est.) · $7.061 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Market value of publicly traded shares

$1.803 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $1.539 billion (31 December 2011) · $1.264 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Current account balance

-$4.857 billion (2013 est.) · -$4.195 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Exports

$5.92 billion (2013 est.) · $5.912 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Exports - commodities

gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton

Imports

$11.16 billion (2013 est.) · $10.32 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

Imports - commodities

consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial raw materials, crude oil

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$4.343 billion (31 December 2013 est.) · $4.053 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 note: excludes gold

Debt - external

$13.82 billion (31 December 2013 est.) · $11.82 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Exchange rates

Tanzanian shillings (TZS) per US dollar - 1,609.2 (2013 est.) · 1,583 (2012 est.) · 1,409.3 (2010 est.) · 1,320.3 (2009) · 1,178.1 (2008)

Energy

23 fields

Installed generating capacity, 841,000 kW(2010 est.)

Fossil fuels 33.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)Hydroelectric plants 66.8% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)Nuclear fuels 0% · Other renewable sources 0%
Electricity production
4.302 billion (2010 est.)Electricity consumption
3.403 billion (2010 est.)Electricity imports
50 million (2010 est.)Refined petroleum imports
30,750 (2010 est.)Refined petroleum consumption
43,310 (2011 est.)

Crude oil - production

10 bbl/day (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl country comparison to the world: 199

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

Natural gas - production

860 million cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Natural gas - consumption

780 million cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Natural gas - proved reserves

6.513 billion cu m (1 January 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Communications

7 fields
Mobile cellular
27.22 million
(2012)
Internet users
26,074
(2012)
Fixed lines
161,100
(2011) · country code .tz

Telephone system

general assessment:
  • telecommunications services are marginal;
  • system operating below capacity and being modernized for better service;
  • small aperture terminal (VSAT) system under construction
domestic:
  • fixed-line telephone network inadequate with less than 1 connection per 100 persons;
  • mobile-cellular service, aided by multiple providers, is increasing rapidly and in 2011 exceeded a subscriber base of 50 telephones per 100 persons;
  • trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable;
  • some links being made digital
international:
  • country code - 255;
  • landing point for the EASSy fiber-optic submarine cable system linking East Africa with Europe and North America;
  • satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean) (2010)

Broadcast media

  • a state-owned TV station and multiple privately owned TV stations;
  • state-owned national radio station supplemented by more than 40 privately owned radio stations;
  • transmissions of several international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet users

678,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 111

Transportation

10 fields

Merchant marine, 94 ships by typeone square, one ship

bulk carrier 6cargo 66carrier 4chemical tanker 1container 1passenger/cargo 2petroleum tanker 10refrigerated cargo 1roll on/roll off 3foreign-owned: 42 (Japan 1, Romania 1, Saudi Arabia 1, Syria 23, Turkey 13, UAE 3) · registered in other countries: 3 (Panama 2, UK 1) (2010)

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

over 3,047 m
2
2 (2013)

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

over 3,047 m
1under 914 m
33

Networkskm

Roadways
86,472Railways
3,689
Roadways: paved: 7,092 km · unpaved: 79,380 km (2010) · Railways: narrow gauge: 969 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,720 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Airports

166 (2013) country comparison to the world: 34

Pipelines

gas 311 km; oil 891 km; refined products 8 km (2013)

Railways

total:
3,689 km

country comparison to the world: 47

narrow gauge:
969 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,720 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways

total:
86,472 km

country comparison to the world: 53

paved:
7,092 km
unpaved:
79,380 km (2010)

Waterways

(Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) are the principal avenues of commerce with neighboring countries; the rivers are not navigable) (2011)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar

Transportation - note

  • the International Maritime Bureau reports that shipping in territorial and offshore waters in the Indian Ocean remain at risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships, especially as Somali-based pirates extend their activities south;
  • numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway;
  • crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen

Military

Tanzania People's Defense Force (Jeshi la Wananchi la Tanzania, JWTZ): Army, Naval Wing (includes Coast Guard), Air Defense Command (includes Air Wing), National Service (2007)

6 fields
Military expenditures
1.13%of GDP
(2012)country comparison to the world: 901.12% of GDP (2011) · 1.13% of GDP (2010)

Military branches

Tanzania People's Defense Force (Jeshi la Wananchi la Tanzania, JWTZ): Army, Naval Wing (includes Coast Guard), Air Defense Command (includes Air Wing), National Service (2007)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 9,985,445 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49:
5,860,339
females age 16-49:
5,882,279 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male:
512,294
female:
514,164 (2010 est.)

Transnational Issues

4 fields

Disputes - international

  • dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River;
  • Malawi contends that the entire lake up to the Tanzanian shoreline is its territory, while Tanzania claims the border is in the center of the lake;
  • the conflict was reignited in 2012 when Malawi awarded a license to a British company for oil exploration in the lake

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 64,569 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); 35,183 (Burundi) (2013)

Trafficking in persons

current situation:
  • Tanzania is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking;
  • the exploitation of young girls in domestic servitude continues to be Tanzania's largest human trafficking problem;
  • Tanzanian boys are subject to forced labor mainly on farms but also in mines, in the commercial service sector, in the sex trade, and possibly on small fishing boats;
  • internal trafficking is more prevalent than transnational trafficking and is usually facilitated by friends, family members, or intermediaries offering education or legitimate job opportunities;
  • trafficking victims from Burundi, Kenya, Bangladesh, Nepal, Yemen, and India are to work in Tanzania's agricultural, mining, and domestic service sectors or may be sex trafficked
tier rating:
  • Tier 2 Watch List - Tanzania does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking;
  • however, it is making significant efforts to do so;
  • law enforcement made modest anti-trafficking efforts but imposed punishments on offenders that were inadequate for the seriousness of the crimes committed;
  • key victim protection provisions of the 2008 anti-trafficking act remain unimplemented;
  • the government continues to refer child trafficking victims to NGOs for care but has no procedure for the referral of adult victims;
  • the national anti-trafficking action plan has not been implemented;
  • no public awareness campaigns about the dangers of trafficking are conducted (2013)

Illicit drugs

  • targeted by traffickers moving hashish, Afghan heroin, and South American cocaine transported down the East African coastline, through airports, or overland through Central Africa;
  • Zanzibar likely used by traffickers for drug smuggling;
  • traffickers in the past have recruited Tanzanian couriers to move drugs through Iran into East Asia

Cite this entry

Central Intelligence Agency. “Tanzania.” The World Factbook 2014. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/tanzania/2014.