Dar es Salaam is a rapidly growing city, from the new infrastructural projects to its people, literally. With an annual population increase of over three percent each year, it's the third fastest growing city in Africa-and one of the fastest in the world! It also has a large expatriate community.
Though no longer the country's capital, Dar es Salaam is the largest city in Tanzania and remains the political and economic hub. There has been great investment in education here, with an extensive programme to provide free primary schooling, efforts that were lauded by international bodies when enrolment rates reached over 90 percent. The city is also home to the largest and oldest public university in Tanzania, the University of Dar es Salaam, which recently celebrated its 50-year anniversary and has seen a sharp increase in the number of registered students. There's also the Institute of Technology (DIT), one of the leading institutions providing technical training in the region. There's also plans to revamp the neglected railway transport network. Millions has also been spent over the past five years to improve the cities roads, making travelling a lot more efficient.
Situated close to the equator, the city enjoys tropical conditions for most of the year. Though Dar es Salaam has its own magnificent beaches (including many exclusive resorts), the island of Zanzibar is also just a short ferry ride away.