2000 Edition

Background

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.

Area

land

886,037 sq km

note

includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar

total

945,087 sq km

water

59,050 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than twice the size of California

Climate

varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Coastline

1,424 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

6 00 S, 35 00 E

Geography - note

Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa

Irrigated land

1,500 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

3,402 km

Land use

arable land

3%

forests and woodland

38%

other

18% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

1%

permanent pastures

40%

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

the tsetse fly; flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 45% (male 7,970,453; female 7,883,442) 15-64 years: 52% (male 9,110,501; female 9,325,726) 65 years and over: 3% (male 463,889; female 552,115) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

40.17 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

12.88 deaths/1,000 population (2000 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

Infant mortality rate

80.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

53.23 years (2000 est.)

male

51.32 years

total population

52.26 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic

female

56.8% (1995 est.)

male

79.4%

total population

67.8%

Nationality

adjective

Tanzanian

noun

Tanzanian(s)

Net migration rate

-1.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

35,306,126

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 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

2.57% (2000 est.)

Religions

mainland - Christian 45%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 20%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

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: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.51 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

note

Ziwa Magharibi may have been renamed Kagera

Capital

Dar es Salaam

note

some government offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital; the National Assembly now meets there on regular basis

Constitution

25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Country name

conventional long form

United Republic of Tanzania

conventional short form

Tanzania

former

United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Data code

TZ

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Charles R. STITH

embassy

285 Toure Drive, Dar es Salaam (temporary location)

mailing address

P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam

telephone

(51) 666010 through 666015

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Mustafa Salim NYANG'ANYI

telephone

(202) 939-6125

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, are appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly

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

election results

percent of vote - Benjamin William MKAPA 61.8%, Augustine Lyatonga MREMA 27.8%, Ibrahim Haruna LIPUMBA 6.4%, John Momose CHEYO 4%

elections

president and vice president elected on the same ballot by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 29 October-19 November 1995 (next to be held 29 October 2000); prime minister appointed by the president

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; Dr. Salmin AMOUR was elected to that office on 22 October 1995

FAX

(202) 797-7408

(51) 666701

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

Government type

republic

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

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal; High Court, judges appointed by the president

Legal system

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

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 186, CUF 24, NCCR-Mageuzi 16, CHADEMA 3, UDP 3;

elections

last held 29 October-19 November 1995 (next to be held NA October 2000)

National holiday

Union Day, 26 April (1964)

Political parties and leaders

Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo or CHADEMA ; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM (Revolutionary Party) ; Civic United Front or CUF ; Democratic Party (unregistered) [Reverend MTIKLA]; National Convention for Construction and Reform or NCCR ; Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine Lyatonga MREMA]; Union for Multiparty Democracy or UMD ; United Democratic Party or UDP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Zanzibar House of Representatives

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CCM 26, CUF 24

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

Budget

expenditures

$1.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

revenues

$1 billion

Currency

1 Tanzanian shilling (TSh) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$7.7 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$963 million (1997)

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 90% 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 1991-99 has 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. Short-term economic progress also depends on curbing corruption.

Electricity - consumption

1.625 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

44 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

1.7 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

29.41%

hydro

70.59%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Tanzanian shillings (TSh) per US$1 - 798.90 (January 2000), 744.76 (1999), 664.67 (1998), 612.12 (1997), 579.98 (1996), 574.76 (1995)

Exports

$828 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee, manufactured goods, cotton, cashew nuts, minerals, tobacco, sisal (1996)

Exports - partners

India 9.8%, Germany 8.9%, Japan 7.8%, Malaysia 6.5%, Rwanda 5.2%, Netherlands 4.7% (1997)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $23.3 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

49%

industry

17%

services

34% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $550 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 30.2% (1993)

Imports

$1.44 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

South Africa 12.9%, Kenya 9.6%, UK 8.7%, Saudi Arabia 6.6%, Japan 4.9%, China 4.6% (1997)

Industrial production growth rate

8.4% (1999 est.)

Industries

primarily agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine), diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes, cement, textiles, wood products, fertilizer, salt

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.8% (1999 est.)

Labor force

13.495 million

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 10% (1995 est.)

Population below poverty line

51.1% (1991 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

7 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios

8.8 million (1997)

Telephone system

fair system operating below capacity and being modernized for better service; VSAT (very small aperature 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)

Telephones - main lines in use

127,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular

30,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations

3 (1999)

Televisions

103,000 (1997)

Airports

129 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

118 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 65 under 914 m: 35 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

3,704 km

total

88,200 km

unpaved

84,496 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

cargo 2, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off 1 (1999 est.)

total

7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,618 GRT/26,321 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil 982 km

Ports and harbors

Bukoba, Dar es Salaam, Kigoma, Kilwa Masoko, Lindi, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pangani, Tanga, Wete, Zanzibar

Railways

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

total

3,569 km (1995)

Waterways

Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, Lake Nyasa

Military branches

Tanzanian People's Defense Force or TPDF (includes Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary Police Field Force Unit, Militia

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$21 million (FY98/99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.2% (FY98/99)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 8,104,226 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 4,690,681 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

dispute with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)

Illicit drugs

growing role in transshipment of Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for European and US markets and of South Asian methaqualone bound for Southern Africa

THAILAND