Capital: Dar es Salaam
Currency: Tanzanian Shilling (TZS)
Borders: Burundi 451 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km,
Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km
Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa with a landmass of
886,037 sq km and a total water area of 59,050 sq km. Neighbouring
countries include Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda
and Zambia. Tanzania has a coastline measuring 3,402 km, facing the
Indian Ocean. Also considered very much a part of Tanzania are the
offshore islands of Pemba and Zanzibar. Beautiful coconut tree-lined
beaches prevail here and along the coastal mainland. Inland, much of
Tanzania is mountainous plateau and indeed, Africa's most famous
mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro can be found here. This mountain is also
Africa's highest, measuring 5,895m. The Rubeho Mountain range in the
east of Tanzania also boasts high elevations. Water sources are well
represented in Tanzania and include the great lakes of Malawi in the
south, Lake Tanganyika in the west and the grand Lake Victoria in
the north. The only major river within Tanzania is the Rufiji which
runs roughly from the centre of the country, eastwards toward the
coast. A large area of Tanzania is taken up by bush, grassland and
savannah, supporting large quantities of wildlife and game. The
Serengeti and Ugalla National parks are home to an incredibly
diverse amount of wildlife including lions, zebras, gazelles,
crocodiles, giraffes, chimpanzees and hippos.
The capital of Tanzania is Dar es Salaam and is
situated halfway down the coastal strip. Dodoma, located in a more
central position inland is destined to be the new national capital
and many administrative offices are already on the move. Previously
occupied by the Germans and the British, Tanzania finally gained
independence in 1961. The national unit of currency is the Tanzanian
Shilling and the official language is Swahili. The literacy rate is
71%. Tanzania is one of the poorest countries and relies largely on
agriculture and tourism. 80% of the population depend on agriculture
for their livelihood, producing coffee, tea, cotton, cashew nuts,
tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat, bananas, fruits and vegetables.
Industries include diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes,
cement, textiles, fertilizer and salt.
Due to variations in terrain, Tanzania has a varied climate. Along
the coast it is hot and tropical with a rainy season from March to
May. In the highlands the climate is temperate with cooler year
round temperatures. The average temperature in Dodoma is 27°C. In
Dar es Salaam the average is 31°C. In the heart of the savannah,
temperatures are generally hotter. |
