Tanzania:
a Profile
INTRODUCTION:
Tanzania
has often
attracted
attention
abroad as
an exemplary
African
nation.
In part,
this can
be attributed
to the gentle
leadership
and charisma
of President
Julius Nyerere.
Tanzania's
social and
political
transformations
have been
both dynamic
and gentle.
Unlike the
largely
rhetorical
radicalism
of other
emerging
countries,
Tanzania's
policies
for change
have been
put into
practice.
Since independence,
significant
progress
has been
made in
social services,
though problems
in the country's
economic
development
have kept
Tanzania's
political
and economical
goals from
full realization.
Tanzania's
political
environment
is more
stable than
in many
African
nations.
Only Zanzibar,
which has
a distinct
history
and culture,
has seen
serious
political
conflicts.
FORMAL
NAME:
The United
Republic
of Tanzania
(short name,
Tanzania).
CAPITAL:
Dodoma (administrative
capital);
Dar es Salaam
(the commercial
capital).
INDEPENDENCE:
Tanganyika,
Dec. 9,
1961; Zanzibar,
Dec. 10,
1963; United
Republic
of Tanzania,
April 27,
1964.
AREA:
Area: 362340
square miles.
It is the
largest
East African
country.
POPULATION:
Population
for the
years, 1977,
1985, 1990,
1993, 1994,
and 1995,
are 16.9,
21.73, 25.63,
28.02, 28.85,
30.34 million
respectively.
LANGUAGE:
Swahili
and English
are the
official
languages.
Bantu, Nilo-Hamitic
and Khoisan
languages
and Arabic
are also
spoken.
GOVERNMENT:
Head of
State: Benjamin
William
Mkapa (President
since 1995).
Head of
Government:
Frederick
Sumaye,
Prime Minister.
Vice-president:
Omer Ali
Juma.
CONSTITUTION:
April 25,
1977; revised
in October,
1984.
POLITICS:
In 1992,
a one-party
system was
changed
to a multi-party
system.
FOREIGN
RELATIONS:
politically
nonaligned;
heavily
dependent
on Scandinavian
and Chinese
aid, IMF,
World Bank,
and donors.
ADMINISTRATIVE
DIVISIONS:
the
country
comprises
25 regions,
twenty on
the mainland
and 5 on
Zanzibar
and Pemba.
Most regions
contain
about four
or five
districts.
RELIGIONS:
Christianity,
Islam, Hinduism,
and traditional
beliefs.
GEOGRAPHY:
Bordered
by Uganda
and Kenya
to the north;
Zambia,
Mozambique
and Malawi
to the south;
Rwanda,
Burundi
and Zaire
to the west;
and the
Indian Ocean
to the east.
The mainland
has several
distinct
geographical
divisions:
the Coastal
Plains,
whose width
varies from
16 to 64km
and whose
vegetation
is luxuriant
and tropical;
the Masai
steppe:
the north
side 213-1067m
, 698-3500ft
above sea
level; the
high plateau,
located
in the south
towards
Zambia,
and Lake
Nyasa.
Savanna
and bush
cover almost
50% of Tanzania's
land; the
remaining
land is
semi-desert,
with the
exception
of the coastal
plains.
More than
53,000 sq.
km are covered
by inland
water, mostly
lakes (see
LAKES) formed
in the Rift
Valley.
Zanzibar
and Pemba
are islands
about 45km
off the
coast to
the northeast
of the mainland.
CLIMATE:
Tropical
and coastal
areas are
hot and
humid, with
the rainy
season lasting
from March
to May;
the Central
Plateau
is dry and
arid; the
northwestern
highlands
are cool
and moderate
with rainy
seasons
from November
to December
and February
to May.
NATURAL
RESOURCES:
Hydropower
potentials,
tin, phosphates,
iron ore,
coal diamonds,
gemstones,
gold, natural
gas, and
nickel.
MAJOR
CITIES:
Dar es Salaam,
Dodoma,
Tanga, Zanzibar,
Mwanza,
and Arusha.
ECONOMY:
The economy
of Tanzania
is based
on agriculture,
which accounts
for 60%
of its GDP
and more
than 80%
of employment
and export
earnings.
Most Tanzanians
are farmers
living in
rural villages.
Forests
cover about
50% of the
country.
Wood and
charcoal
supply more
than 90%
of its energy.
Livestock:
ca 13 m
cattle,
5 m sheep,
and 280,000
pigs. Hydroelectric
potential:
830 million
kw. Hydropower
provides
more than
70% of electrical
power. Mining
and industrial
sectors
are relatively
small, contributing
15% of the
nation's
GDP. Major
Industries:
agricultural
products
(sugar,
beer, cigarettes,
sisal, oil
refining,
shoes, cement,
textiles,
wood products,
fertilizers
are also
important
products).
Important
minerals:
diamond,
gold, tin
and coal.
Principle
exports:
coffee,
cotton,
cashew nuts,
tobacco,
tea, diamonds.
Main imports:
food, fuels,
machinery
and equipment.
External
Debt: 6.7
billion
dollars
(1993 estimates).
TRANSPORTATION:
Railways:
total railway
lines about
3,569 (1995).
Highways:
total 55,600
kilometers;
paved roads,
20, 572
kilometers;
unpaved
roads, 35,028
kilometers
(1992 estimates).
COMMUNICATIONS:
Domestic
telephone
system:
open wire,
microwave
radio, relay,
trapospheric
scatter;
137,000
(1989);
International
telephone
system:
satellite
earth station,
2 Intelsat
(1 Indian
Ocean &
1 Atlantic
Ocean).
Number
of telephones:
137,000
(1989).
Radio broadcast
stations:
AM 12, FM4.
Number of
radios:
640,000
(1992).
Television
stations:
2 (1987).
Number of
Televisions:
45,000.
PORTS:
Three major
ports on
the Indian
Ocean: Dar
es Salaam,
Tanga, and
Mtwara;
several
inland ports
on Lake
Victoria
and Lake
Tanganyika.
EDUCATION:
Primary
education
is free;
secondary
students
pay fees.
50% of children
attend primary
and 4% secondary
school.
Adult literacy
high (90%).
Leading
educational
institutions:
University
of Dar es
Salaam,
Open University
of Tanzania,
Institute
of Kiswahili
Research,
Sokoine
University
of Agriculture,
College
of National
Education,
College
of Business
Education,
and Dar
es Salaam
Technical
College.
ENVIRONMENT:
Increasing
demand for
firewood
poses a
threat of
deforestation.
Protected
land constitutes
14% of total
land area.
TOURISM:
Tourism
has increased
tremendously
since 1990.
A valid
passport
is required
for entry.
Visas required
by all except
for: a)
nationals
of Antigua
& Barbuda,
Belize,
Brunei,
Cameroon,
Cape Verde,
Cyprus,
Grenada,
Indonesia,
Kenya, Kiribati,
Malawi,
Malaysia,
Mauritius,
Namibia,
Sao Tome,
Seychelles,
South Africa,
Swaziland,
Tonga, Uganda,
Vanuatu,
Zambia and
Zimbabwe;
b) holders
of Tanzanian
re-entry
pass).
MEMBERSHIP
OF INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS:
UN (11/1/64);
OAU (foundation
member 5/63);
ECA; ADB;
Southern
African
Development
Community;
Commonwealth;
ACP-EU Convention;
Non-Aligned
Movement;
Common Market
for Eastern
and Southern
Africa.
IMPORTANT
NATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS:
the National
Museum of
Tanzania
(Dar es
Salaam,
f. 1937,
ethnographic,
archaeological
and historical
collections
and other
materials
from Olduvai
and other
early Stone
Age sites);
Zanzibar
Government
Museum (Zanzibar,
items relating
to exploration
in East
Africa);
University
of Dar es
Salaam Library
(acts as
library
of legal
deposit);
National
Archives
(Dar es
Salaam);
Zanzibar
Government
Archives;
Africa Center
for Research
in Oral
Traditions
and African
Languages
(Zanzibar);
Tanzania
Publishing
House Ltd.
(Dar es
Salaam);
Seregeti
National
Park (covers
5,000 square
miles, has
about a
million
animals,
including
2,000 lions);
Lake Manyara
National
Park (covers
123 square
miles with
an 88-square
mile lake,
has herds
of buffalo,
baboons
and more
than 350
species
of birds);
Arusha National
Park (various
animals
including
buffalo,
rhinoceroses,
elephants,
giraffes,
and warthogs).
MILITARY:
Total armed
forces:
Active,
49,600;
Army: 45,000;
Navy: 1,000;
Air Force:
3,600; Para-Military:
14,000;
Reserves:
85,000.
MAJOR
WORKER ORGANIZATIONS:
Organization
of Tanzania
Trade Unions;
Union of
Tanzania
Workers
(Juwata);
Workers'
Department
of Chama
Cha Mapinduzi.
MAIN
NEWSPAPERS
AND MAGAZINES:
Daily
News, Uhuru,
Mzalendo,
Sunday News,
Mfanya Kazi,
Kipanga,
The Express,
Business
Times, The
East African,
The African
Review,
Elimu Haina
Mwisho,
Taamuli,
Mbioni,
Ukulima
wa Kisasa,
and Tanzania
Trade Current.
PUBLIC
HOLIDAYS:
January
1, January
12 (Zanzibar
Revolution
Day), Good
Friday,
Easter Monday,
April 26
(Union Day),
May 1 (International
Workers'
Day), July
7 (Saba
Day), Id
ul Fitr,
Id ul Adha
and Birth
of the Prophet,
December
9 (Independence
Day), December
25 [1]
[1]
Uwechue,
Ralph (ed.)
1996. Africa
Today,
Africa Books
Limited