General Facts

Official name: United Republic of Tanzania

Capital: Dodoma

National Anthem: God bless Africa

National Motto: Freedom and Unity

National holiday: Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1961)

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

Total area: 945.000 km² (slightly more then 2 times California)

Coastline: 1,424 km

Population: 37,6 millions (july 2007)

Ethnic groups: 99% Africans (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), 1% Asian, European and Arab; Zanzibar- Arab, African, mixed Arab and African

Population growth rate: 2% in a year 2007

Life expectancy at birth: 50.7 years

Official languages: swahili, English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education)

Literacy: 69,4% of total population

Religion: 40% christians, 35% muslims, 20% indigenous beliefs

Largest city: Dar es Salaam (also economical, cultural, political center of the country)

Government type: republic

Independence: 26 April 1961

Economy: Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for almost half of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 80% of the work force.

GDB per capita: 800$ (2006)

GDB by sector: 43,2% agriculture, 18% industry, 39% services (2006)

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

Industry: agricultural processing; diamond, gold, and iron mining, salt, cement, oil refining, shoes, wood products, fertilizer, tourism

Agriculture products: coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat, cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Export: gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton

Export partners: China 8.8%, India 8.8%, Netherlands 6.2%, Japan 5.3%, Germany 4.2% (2006)

Import: consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial raw materials

Import partners: South Africa 9.8%, China 9.4%, Kenya 7.8%, India 6.8%, UAE 5.9%, Zambia 5.7% (2006)

Natural hazards: flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought

Highest peak: Kilimanjaro (5895 m)

Climate: from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Currency: Tanzanian shilling (TZS)

Exchange rate: 1$ = 1160 Tsh, 1€ = 1680 Tsh

Time zone: GMT plus 3 hours