Tanzania

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Tanzania's Information


Capital	Dodoma
Languages	Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguja (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages
Ethnic Groups	Mainland - African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, African, mixed Arab and African
Religion	Christian 61.4%, Muslim 35.2%, folk religion 1.8%, other 0.2%, unaffiliated 1.4%
Government	Presidential republic
Independance	26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent on 9 December 1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent on 10 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar on 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania on 29 October 1964
Area	947,300.00 km²
Water Area	61,500.00 km²
Land Area	885,800.00 km²
Population	52,482,726.00
Location	Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique
No. Bordering Countries	8
Bordering Countries	Burundi 589 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 479 km, Kenya 775 km, Malawi 512 km, Mozambique 840 km, Rwanda 222 km, Uganda 391 km, Zambia 353 km
GDP(PPP)	$151,000,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$3,100.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are India, China, and Japan.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, and cotton.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are China, India, and South Africa.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include consumer goods, machinery, and industrial raw materials.
Climate	Tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid
Terrain	Plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south

Where is Tanzania?

Located in Eastern Africa, Tanzania has a 4,161.00 km border with Burundi (589 km), Democratic Republic of the Congo (479 km), Kenya (775 km), Malawi (512 km), Mozambique (840 km), Rwanda (222 km), Uganda (391 km) and Zambia (353 km). It has a 1,424.00 km coastline. Malawi contends that the entire lake up to the Tanzanian shoreline is within its territory.

Tanzania has two functioning national capitals: Dodoma and Dar es Salaam. Although Dodoma is the official capital, it currently only houses the legislative branch of government. Dar es Salaam, on the other hand, is considered the seat of government. Dar es Salaam served as the capital of Tanzania from 1891 to 1974, when it was decided to move government activity to Dodoma. The transition is ongoing. Dodoma has a population size of around 410,956, while Dar es Salaam is home to around 4,364,541 individuals. This population makes Dar es Salaam the largest city in Tanzania and in Eastern Africa. It is also considered the 9th fastest growing city in the world.

Geography

Tanzania has a mean elevation of 1,018 m above sea level.

It has a tropical climate with a southwest monsoon from May to September and a northeast monsoon from November to mid-March. The terrain consists of plains along the coast and highlands in the north and south.

Population

Tanzania has a population of 52,482,726 making it the 26th largest in the world.

Kiswahili (Swahili) and English are both official languages. The majority of the population identifies their ethnic origin as African. The majority of the country identifies either with Islam or with Christianity.

The official language of Tanzania is Swahili, which belongs to the Bantu subgroup of the Niger-Congo language family. This language can be written by using one of two alphabets: Latin or Arabic. The Latin alphabet is the same alphabet that is used by the English language. The Arabic alphabet is different in that it is written from right to left in a cursive-like script. Swahili is used by the government, public schools, and major media channels. Of the 52.483 million individuals living in Tanzania, around 47 million speak Swahili. English is also a major language here, first introduced by colonial powers. It is spoken and understood by approximately 4 million people. English and Swahili are considered the languages of business in the country. One of the most widely spoken native languages here is Sukuma, which is spoken by approximately 7.3 million individuals throughout the Geita, Mwanza, and Shinyanga regions. Tanzania is considered a multilingual country and is home to a number of minority languages.

Government

Tanzania is an independent country. It gained its independence in 1961, from United Kingdom-administered United Nations trusteeship. Its constitution was last ratified in 1977.

The government of Tanzania is carried out as a democratic republic, which means that the citizens of the country elect individuals to represent their interests in government. The President of Tanzania serves as both Head of State and Head of Government. The person in this position chooses the Prime Minister to head the legislative branch and chooses the Cabinet members from the National Assembly. The National Assembly is a unicameral legislative body with 324 representatives. The representatives of the National Assembly are elected or appointed to serve a 5-year term. Likewise, the citizens of Tanzania elect the President to serve a 5-year term. This position is limited to two terms. Of the 324 National Assembly members, 232 are elected by the population, 5 are chosen by the House of Representatives of Zanzibar, and 10 are appointed by the President. The legislative body convenes at the Parliament House in the city of Dodoma, which has been the official capital of the country since 1974. The presidential residence, however, is located in Dar es Salaam (the former capital).

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Tanzania's GDP is $151,000,000,000.00 (USD) with $3,100.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 75th largest economy and its citizens the 184th richest in the world. The currency of Tanzania is the Shilling (TZS).

Its major export partners are India, China, and Japan. Its main exports are gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, and cotton. Its major import partners are China, India, and South Africa. Its major imports include consumer goods, machinery, and industrial raw materials.

Flag

The flag of Tanzania was officially adopted on June 30, 1964, when mainland Tanganyika and the island of Zanzibar joined together as one independent country. This flag has four colors: green, blue, black, and golden yellow. A black band runs diagonally through the center and is bordered by golden yellow stripes. This design is based on the two flags used by Tanganyika and Zanzibar when they joined together. Its width to length proportion is 2 to 3. Each of the colors on the current flag of Tanzania has a special representation. Throughout history, this country has been under various colonial powers and as a result, it has flown several flag variations. Mainland Tanzania gained its independence from the UK in 1961, when it established a green flag with a horizontal black band bordered by golden yellow stripes running through the center.