Tanzania
United Republic of Tanzania
Capital: Dar es Salaam
History
Shortly after achieving independence from Britain in the early 1960s, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule ended in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular opposition have led to two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling party won despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities. The formation of a government of national unity between Zanzibar's two leading parties succeeded in minimizing electoral tension in 2010.
Geography
Metric Units
|
Total Area
|
947,300
sq km
|
| Land Boundaries |
3,861
km
|
| Border Countries |
Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km |
| Coastline |
1,424
km
|
| Terrain |
plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south |
| Minimum Elevation |
0
m
|
| Maximum Elevation |
5,895
m
|
| Climate |
varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands |
| Natural Resources |
hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel |
| Arable Land |
12.25% |
| Permanent Crops |
1.79% |
Economy
Budget & Debt
Trade
| Exports |
$5.03 billion |
| Export Items |
gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton |
| Export Partners |
China 14.3%, Japan 7.8%, India 7.8%, Germany 6.7%, UAE 4.5% (2011) |
| Imports |
$9.72 billion |
| Import Items |
consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial raw materials, crude oil |
| Import Partners |
India 18.8%, China 17.4%, South Africa 6%, Kenya 5.9%, UAE 4.7% (2011) |
People
| Population |
48,261,942 |
| Population Growth |
2.82% |
| 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 |
mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim |
| Life Expectancy |
60.76 years |
| Infant Mortality |
0.99 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Maternal Mortality |
4.7 deaths/100,000 live births |
Energy
