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Tanzania
Physical. The United Republic of Tanzania is located in eastern Africa on
the Indian Ocean between Mozambique and Kenya and includes the island of
Zanzibar. The capital, Dar es Salaam, is located along the eastern coast on the
Indian Ocean. Tanzania covers an area roughly twice the size of California. The
terrain includes coastal plains, a central plateau, and highlands in the north
and south. It is home to Mt. Kilimanjaro (the highest point in Africa), Lake
Victoria (the second largest lake in the world), and the Great Rift Valley. The
climate varies from tropical along the coast to temperate in the highlands.
Natural resources include hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds,
gemstones, gold, natural gas, and nickel.
People. More than 37.1 million people live in Tanzania. Kiswahili or
Swahili (Kiunguju in Zanzibar) and English are the official languages; Arabic
and numerous other local languages are spoken as well. The population is
overwhelmingly native African (99%), most of whom are Bantu (95%). Religious
practices on the mainland include: Christian (30%), Muslim (35%), and indigenous
beliefs (35%).
Government. The nation gained its independence on April 26, 1964. Its
constitution went into effect on April 25, 1977, and underwent major revisions
in 1984. Tanzania’s president and vice president are elected by popular vote for
five-year terms. The move to multiparty politics has been complicated by the
omnipresent ruling party of current President Benjamin Mkapa from the Chama Cha
Mapinduzi party (CCM). Although other parties have been allowed to register, CCM
maintains its dominance through near media monopoly but also a network of
community and workplace cells to monitor all social activity outside of
religion.
Economy: Tanzania’s primarily agrarian economy is constrained by
geography and environmental factors such as low and erratic rainfall, soil
erosion and deforestation. Only 8 percent of Tanzania’s land is under
cultivation, although about 80% of its population are employed in agriculture.
The principal cash crops of coffee, cotton, sisal and tobacco have been affected
by instability in world market demand and rising costs of imported fuel,
fertilizers, and equipment.
An infrastructure that is deteriorating due to internal and external causes also
affects the country’s economy. Communications and transport have been neglected,
for example. Tanzania has 127,000 landline telephones, 115,000 Internet users,
and 2.8 televisions per 1000 people. Its 134,000 motor vehicles travel 52,800
miles of highway. The southern third of the country is especially isolated, even
from inferior transport services.
Areas of Concern. Soil degradation, deforestation, desertification,
droughts, and destruction of coral reefs are the nation’s primary environmental
concerns. HIV/AIDS, with 1.3 million cases in Tanzania, represents a serious
health concern. With 1 physician per 20,511 people, life expectancy is 51 years
for men and 53 for women. Outside donations have helped fund much of the
progress made in human services. For decades, Tanzania has been either at or
near the top of the list of African nations in per capita receipt of
international aid.
Tanzania statistics
Geography
Area: 363,950 square miles
Capital: Dar es Salaam (pop 2,347,000)
Environmental concerns: Soil degradation, deforestation, desertification,
destruction oral reefs and marine environment
Geographical features: plains along the coast; central plateau; highlands in the
north and south
Climate: tropical to temperate
People
37,188,000 people; 99 percent African; 68 % live in rural areas
Annual growth rate: 2.6 percent
Major languages are Kishwahili, Chagga, Gogo, Ha, Haya, Luo, Maasai, English,
others
Religions: Christian (30%), Muslim (35%), indigenous beliefs (35%)
Health and social issues
Life expectancy: Men, 51 years; women, 53 years
Infant mortality: 77.8 deaths per 1000 live births
51% of the population live in poverty
1 physician per 20,511 people
HIV/AIDS rate in adults: 8.09%
68% of adults are literate
Compulsory education 7 – 14 years
Communication and transportation
127,000 land-line telephones
2.8 televisions per 1000 people
250,000 Internet users (2003)
52,800 miles of highway
2,141 miles of railroad
125 airfields
134,000 motor vehicles
Government
Tanzania is a republic that became independent on December 9, 1961
Benjamin Mkapa is the head of state and government
6+ political parties
Universal suffrage at 18
Military
Military expenditures are 0.2% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Current disputes: boundary disputes with Malawi, and some civil strife.
Economy
Currency: shillings
Per capita GDP: $610
GDP: $22.1 billion
GDP growth rate: 5%
Inflation rate: 5%
Labor force: 80% agricultural; 20% services and industry
Resources and industry
Natural resources: hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, diamonds, gemstones,
gold, natural gas, nickel
Agriculture: Coffee, sisal, tia, cotton, pyrenthurm, cashews, tobacco, cloves,
wheat, fruit, vegetables, livestock
Industry: agricultural processing, mining, oil refining, shoes, cement,
textiles, wood products, fertilizer, salt
Exports: $827 million
Imports: $1.55 billion
Suggested web sites
www.tanzania.go.tz
www.tanzanianews.com
sas.upenn.edu
www.tanzania_online.gov.uk
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