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Tanzania
Intro Official Name: United Republic of Tanzania Government Type: Republic Former Name: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar Capital: Dar es Salaam (pop: 769,455) (1978) Size: 364,900 sq miles or about twice the size of California Internet Service Providers: 7 (1999) Home to most of the Serengeti plains, Tanzania offers some of Africa's largest wildlife populations. Bordered by three Great Lakes, it also boasts the legendary Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain. But Tanzania's natural splendor is the one high point in its state of affairs. The country ranks as one of the poorest in the world, with more than half the population -- nearly all agricultural workers -- living in poverty. Though hope for a turnaround was widespread after ruling socialists were voted out of office in the mid-1980s, living conditions have not radically improved. Violent clashes over ethnicity and political issues are not uncommon. In 1998, the U.S. embassy in Dar es Salaam was the target of a terrorist bombing. At the same time, the economy must cope with thousands of refugees who refuse to return to Rwanda -- a tricky situation for a country that already contains over 120 different ethnic groups. Originally settled by northern Bantu-speaking peoples who brought with them the secrets of iron smelting, the area that is now Tanzania eventually became home to fierce Maasai warrior tribes from Kenya and Ethiopia who managed to keep outsiders at bay until the 18th century. Trade, however, flourished between native Africans and Arabs, Indians and Portuguese on the Swahili coast. Starting in the late 19th century, Tanzania, then known as Tanganyika, was a German protectorate for nearly 40 years, before being handed over to the British just after World War I. In 1964, Tanganyika and the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba merged to form the nation of Tanzania. People Population: 35,306,126 Life Expectancy: 52 years HIV/AIDS Rate Of Infection: 8.09% (1999) Infant Mortality Rate: 80.97 deaths/1,000 live births Fertility Rate: 5.51 children born/woman Ethnic Groups: Mainland Tanzania -- Native African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab) Zanzibar -- Arab, native African, mixed Arab and native African Religions: Mainland Tanzania -- Christian 45%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 20% Zanzibar -- more than 99% Muslim Languages: Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguju (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages Literacy Rate: 67.8% (1995 est.) Cell Phones: 30,000 (1999) Telephones: 127,000 (1998) Radios: 8.8 million (1997) Televisions: 103,000 (1997) Economy Gross Domestic Product: $23.3 billion (1999 est.) GDP per capita: $550 (1999 est.) GDP Growth Rate: 4% (1999 est.) Inflation: 8.8% (1999 est.) Unemployment: 50% (1998 est.) Exports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.) Major Exports: Coffee, manufactured goods, cotton, cashew nuts, minerals, tobacco, sisal (1996) Economic Aid Recipient: $963 million (1997) External Debt: $7.7 billion (1999 est.) Currency: Tanzanian shilling Environment Physical Description: Tanzania is graced with a long shore line that offers many ports as well as access to Lake Victoria. It is a land of varied geography, with plains, wetlands, coastal forest and high mountains. The highest peak in Africa is Tanzania's Mt. Kilimanjaro at 19,340 ft Tanzania also features the best-known of Africa's Great Lakes: to the north, Lake Victoria; to the south, Lake Nyasa; and to the west, Laka Tanganyika. Tanzania is bordered to the east by the Indian Ocean; to the north by Uganda and Kenya; to the west by Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Burundi; and to the south by Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi. Climate: Tropical along coast; temperate in highlands Irrigated Land: 579 sq km (1993 est.) Land Use: Arable Land: 3% Permanent Crops: 1% Permanent Pastures: 40% Forests and Woodland: 38% Other: 18% (1993 est.) Natural Resources: Hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel Natural Hazards: Tsetse fly; flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought Eco-alerts: Seasonal rainy and dry seasons lead to flooding and periods of extreme drought. The result is soil erosion and degradation, and water shortages. Water pollution endangers lake ecosystems and overfishing threatens both the lakes and the coral reef areas around off-shore island. Areas where tsetse fly occur have helped to preserve some natural environments since humans are reluctant to go into those areas. (Statistics Sources: CIA World Factbook 2000, UNAIDS, Encyclopedia Britannica) |
