June 8, 2010Bureau of African Affairs
Background Note: Tanzania
Official Name:
United Republic of Tanzania
PROFILE
Geography
Area:
Mainland--945,000 sq. km. (378,000 sq. mi.); slightly smaller than New Mexico and Texas combined.
Zanzibar--1,658 sq. km. (640 sq. mi.).
Cities:
Capital--Dar es Salaam (executive), Dodoma (legislative),
Major metropolises--Arusha, Mwanza, Mbeya, Mtwara, Stonetown in Zanzibar.
Terrain: Varied.
Climate: Varies from tropical to arid to temperate.
People
Nationality:
Noun and adjective--Tanzanian(s); Zanzibari(s).
Population:
Mainland--41.8 million (2010 est.).
Zanzibar--1.2 million (est.).
Religions: Muslim 35.0%, Christian 63.0%, other (traditional, Sikh, Hindu, Baha'i) 2.0%.
Language:
Official--Kiswahili and English;
national--Kiswahili.
Education:
Attendance--73.2% mainland (primary), 71.4% Zanzibar.
Literacy--females 67.0% mainland, 76.8% Zanzibar; males 79.9% mainland, 86.0% Zanzibar.
Health:
Infant mortality rate--68/1,000.
Life expectancy--52.4 years (2010 est.).
Work force:
Agriculture--80.0%;
industry, commerce, government--20.0%.
Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: Tanganyika 1961, Zanzibar 1963. Union formed in April 1964.
Constitution: 1982.
Branches:
Executive--president (chief of state and commander in chief), vice president, and prime minister.
Legislative--unicameral National Assembly (for the Union), House of Representatives (for Zanzibar only).
Judicial--Mainland: Court of Appeals, High Courts, Resident Magistrate Courts, district courts, and primary courts; Zanzibar: High Court, people's district courts, kadhis court (Islamic courts).
Political parties: 1. Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), 2. The Civic United Front (CUF), 3. Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), 4. Union for Multiparty Democracy (UMD), 5. National Convention for Construction and Reform (NCCR-Mageuzi), 6. National League for Democracy (NLD), 7. National Reconstruction for Alliance (NRA), 8. Tanzania Democratic Alliance Party (TADEA), 9. Tanzania Labour Party (TLP), 10. United Democratic Party (UDP), 11. Demokrasia Makini (MAKINI), 12. United Peoples' Democratic Party (UPDP), 13. Chama cha Haki na Ustawi (CHAUSTA), 14. The Forum for Restoration of Democracy (FORD), 15. Democratic Party (DP), 16. Progressive Party of Tanzania (PPT-Maendeleo), 17. Jahazi Asilia.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
Administrative subdivisions: 26 regions (21 on mainland, 3 on Zanzibar, 2 on Pemba).
Economy
GDP (2009 est.): $22.4 billion.
Average growth rate (2009 est.): 4.9%.
Per capita income (2008): $440.
Natural resources: Hydroelectric potential, coal, iron, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel, diamonds, crude oil potential, forest products, wildlife, fisheries.
Agriculture (2009 est.): 26.6% of GDP.
Products--coffee, cotton, tea, tobacco, cloves, sisal, cashew nuts, maize, livestock, sugar cane, paddy, wheat, pyrethrum.
Industry/manufacturing (2009 est.): 22.6% of GDP.
Types--textiles, agro-processing, light manufacturing, construction, steel, aluminum, paints, cement, cooking oil, beer, mineral water and soft drinks.
Trade (2009 est.):
Exports--$2.74 billion (merchandise exports): coffee, cotton, tea, sisal, cashew nuts, tobacco, cut flowers, seaweed, cloves, fish and fish products, minerals (diamonds, gold, and gemstones), manufactured goods, horticultural products; services (tourism services, communication, construction, insurance, financial, computer, information, government, royalties, personal and other businesses).
Major markets--U.K., Germany, India, Japan, Italy, China, Bahrain, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, Pakistan, Indonesia.
Primary imports--petroleum, consumer goods, machinery and transport equipment, used clothing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals.
Major suppliers--U.K., Germany, Japan, India, Italy, U.S., United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa, Kenya.
Source:US Department of State
Tanzania