About Tanzania
Tanzania is a large compact of Land in Eastern Africa lying between the great lakes namely Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyasa and Indian Ocean covering an area of 939,701square kilometers almost the size of France, Belgium and German combined or slightly over two times the size of Sweden (45,000square kilometers)
Tanzania has a population of 45 millions according to the census held in 2012
Tanzania Officially the United Republic of Tanzania bordered by Kenya and Uganda on the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo on the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique on the south. To the east it borders the Indian Ocean .The country is named after Tanganyika, its mainland part, and the Zanzibar islands off its east coast. Tanganyika united with Zanzibar in 1964, forming the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, which later the same year was, renamed the United Republic of Tanzania. In 1996 government offices were transferred from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma making it the country’s political capital and Dar es Salaam remains the principal commercial city. Being one of the largest tourism destinations in Africa, Tanzania features twenty two national parks, one conservation area authority (Ngorongoro crater) and one Marine park all with uncountable wildlife communities. Mount Kilimanjaro (1st peak in Africa and 1st highest free standing mountain on earth) and Mount Meru (2nd peak in the country and 4th in Africa) are located in Tanzania
PHYISCAL FEATURES
Tanzania is a country of striking difference geographically, historically and culturally. From the coast in the east to the shores of Lake Tanganyika in the west, the scenes are beyond description
The coastal plains give ways to the eastern plateaus followed by the eastern rift valley. Next are the central plateaus, southern highlands and finally the western rift valley. It is among these features that the country harbours the highest mountain in Africa – Kilimanjaro 5,895meters and mount Meru 4,572meters 4th peak in Africa
Tanzania has also several rivers and lakes. The rivers include the Great Ruaha, Malagarasi, Kagera, Ruvuma, Pangani, Ruvu and Wami. On the other hand the major lakes are Victoria, Tanganyika, Nyasa, Rukwa, Natron, Eyasi and Manyara.
The rolling Savannah grasslands, the Miombo woodlands and mountain forests and other features have become the center of attraction where visitors and in particular foreigners who are tired of the hustle and bustle in Europe and clad in the scantiest of attire take it easy among the local residents . With over 120 tribes scattered all over the country, the culture is rich and diverse.
CLIMATE
Although so near the equator, the effect of its tropical situation is greatly mitigated, over the greater part of it, by the cooling influence of altitude. While most of it is not so temperate as the greater part of Kenya, very little is as humidity hot as the central D.R.C
It is a land of tremendous variety and can not be called typical tropical. A large part of the country is subject to the influence of the monsoon winds, the north –east monsoon during the month of October / November to January/February and the south – east monsoon for the greater part of the rest of the year.
Climatically, Tanzania is divided into three zones termed North Coastal Belt, an area about 160kms wide extending from Dar es Salaam northwards to Kenyan border
The second is the Lake Area, an area within approximately 80kms of the shores of Lake Victoria and thirdly, the Interior Plateau which constitutes the remainder of the country and includes the coastal area south of Dar es Salaam
The temperatures vary between 15ºC in the southern highlands and Kilimanjaro regions to 30ºC in the east coast. Dar es Salaam and the coastal plains are hot but pleasant. The evenings are mostly cool, especially from May to October when climate is superb.
Intermittent rains are experienced from December to May. However, in many parts of the country, short rains occur in November and December and long rains from March to May.
INDEPENDENCE
Tanzania is a Union Public of Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
Zanzibar was declared a British Colony in 1890 while Tanganyika was a German Colony from 1891 to 1918 when it was occupied by Britain during the First World War. After the war Tanganyika was mandated to Britain by the League of Nations.
In 1946 it was placed under the United Nations Trusteeship Council. Tanganyika achieved its independence on December 9, 1961while Zanzibar became independent on December 10, 1963.
The United Republic became effective on April 26, 1964 and name of Tanzania was adopted on October 29, 1964. The country becomes a member of United Nations Organization of African Union (OAU) in 1963.
CAPITAL CITY
In 1996 government offices were transferred from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma making it the country’s political capital and Dar es Salaam remains the principal commercial city.
LANGUAGES
Though Tanzania has more than 120 different tribes, there is only common language spoken – Kiswahili which also spoken in neighboring countries e,g Kenya , Uganda , Somalia, D.R.C, Burundi, Rwanda , Zambia and Mozambique. This is official language in Tanzania and English is the most popular of the foreign languages and is also used officially in schools and as communication medium with the outside world
POLITICS
Until July 1992, Tanzania was a one party state led by Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). This political party was formed in 1977 after a political merger of the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) of the mainland and the Afro Shiraz Party (ASP) of Zanzibar which prevailed before and after independence of there two countries. Since 1992, Tanzania has adopted multi-party system to serve the interests of all people
MAIN PRODUCTS
Mineral Resources: Diamond, Gold, Tanzanite, Tin, Iron ore, Coal and Natural gas and Uranium
Agricultural Products:
Tanzania is mainly an agricultural country:- Food crops are maize, rice, sorghum, beans, bananas, cassava, potatoes, yams, millet and wheat, etc
The cash crops include Coffee, cloves, Tea, Sisal, Tobacco, Cotton, Cashew nuts, Pyrethrum, Coconuts and Sugar cane
MAIN EXPORT
Cotton, Sisal, Cloves, Tea, Cashew nuts, Coffee, Diamonds, Gold & Tanzanite
CURRENCY
Tanzania shilling (TZS)
REGIONS
Christians and Islamism are the major religions; however Hinduism is practiced by a few people who come from India and other Asians countries
CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATIONS
Visas may be obtained either from Tanzania embassy abroad or by writing directly to the Principal Immigration Officer, P.O Box 512, Dar es salaam Tanzania
In exceptional cases and against payment of a considerable fee in hard currency, visas may be obtained on arrival at the first point of entry into Tanzania
Vaccination against yellow fever is essential, how ever health officials also recommend having vaccination against typhoid and paratyphoid fevers
ACCESS TO TANZANIA
Tanzania can be reached by two main ways: by Air and seas
There are three International Airports namely Dar es salaam International Airport, Kilimanjaro International Airport and Zanzibar International Airport
Some of the reputable International and local airlines makes its routes to Tanzania include KLM, Ethiopian Airlines, Air Condor, Swiss Air, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air Tanzania, Kenya Airways, Precision Air, Rwanda Air etc
Harbors are at Dar es Salaam where bulks of goods for Eastern, central and southern African countries are handled. The others are Zanzibar, Tanga and Mtwara all along the coast