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Tanzania

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Geography

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique

Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 35 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total : 945,090 sq km
land: 886,040 sq km
water: 59,050 sq km
note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar

Area - comparative: slightly larger than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:
total : 3,402 km
border countries: Burundi 451 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Coastline: 1,424 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Terrain: plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point : Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

Natural resources: hydropower potential, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel

Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops : 1%
permanent pastures: 40%
forests and woodland: 38%
other: 18% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,500 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: the tsetse fly; flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season

Environment - current issues: soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Desertification

Geography - note: Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa

People

Population: 29,460,753 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 6,597,703; female 6,638,333)
15-64 years: 52% (male 7,496,133; female 7,868,581)
65 years and over: 3% (male 399,747; female 460,256) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.6% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 40.92 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 19.84 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -5.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth : 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 104.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 41.71 years
male: 40.34 years
female: 43.13 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.58 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun : Tanzanian(s)
adjective: Tanzanian

Ethnic groups: mainland - native African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab)
note: Zanzibar - Arab, native African, mixed Arab and native African

Religions: mainland - Christian 45%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 20%
note: 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
note : Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of Bantu people living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety of sources, including Arabic and English, and it has become the lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of most people is one of the local languages

Literacy:
definition : age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic
total population: 67.8%
male: 79.4%
female: 56.8% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form : United Republic of Tanzania
conventional short form: Tanzania
former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Data code: TZ

Government type: republic

National capital: Dar es Salaam
note: some government offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital by the end of the 1990s

Administrative divisions: 25 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida, Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar Urban/West, Ziwa Magharibi

Independence: 26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent 19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964

National holiday: Union Day, 26 April (1964)

Constitution: 25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 22 November 1995); Vice President Omar Ali JUMA (since 22 November 1995); note the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 22 November 1995); Vice President Omar Ali JUMA (since 22 November 1995); note the president is both chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, are appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 29 October-19 November 1995 (next to be held NA October 2000); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: percent of vote - Benjamin William MKAPA 62%, MREMA 28%, LIPUMBA 6%, CHEYO 4%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats, 232 directly elected; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 29 October-19 November 1995 (next to be held NA October 2000)
election results : percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CCM 186, opposition parties 46; note - of the 42 seats which are not elected, some are filled by presidential appointment and others are designated by law for specific officials

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal; High Court

Political parties and leaders: Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM (Revolutionary Party) [Benjamin William MKAPA]; Civic United Front or CUF [Seif Sharif HAMAD]; National Convention for Construction and Reform or NCCR [Lyatonga (Augustine) MREMA]; Union for Multiparty Democracy or UMD [Abdullah FUNDIKIRA]; Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo or CHADEMA [Edwin I. M. MTEI, chairman]; Democratic Party (unregistered) [Reverend MTIKLA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mustafa Salim NYANG'ANYI
chancery : 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125
FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador J. Brady ANDERSON
embassy: 36 Laibon Road (off Bagamoyo Road), Dar es Salaam
mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam
telephone: [255] (51) 66010 through 66015
FAX : [255] (51) 66701

Flag description: divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is blue

Economy

Economy - overview: Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, which accounts for 57% of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 90% of the work force. Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated crops to only 4% of the land area. Industry accounts for 17% of GDP and is mainly limited to processing agricultural products and light consumer goods. The economic recovery program announced in mid-1986 has generated notable increases in agricultural production and financial support for the program by bilateral donors. The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's deteriorated economic infrastructure. Growth in 1991-96 has featured a pickup in industrial production and a substantial increase in output of minerals, led by gold. Recent banking reforms have helped increase private sector growth and investment.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $18.9 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $650 (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 57%
industry: 17%
services: 26% (1994 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 30% (1995 est.)

Labor force:
total: 13.495 million
by occupation: agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 10% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues : $495 million
expenditures: $631 million, including capital expenditures of $118 million (1990 est.)

Industries: primarily agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine), diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes, cement, textiles, wood products, fertilizer

Industrial production growth rate: 7.7% (1994)

Electricity - capacity: 440,000 kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 1.91 billion kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 60 kWh (1994 est.)

Agriculture - products: coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashews, tobacco, cloves (Zanzibar), corn, wheat, cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Exports:
total value: $679 million (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: coffee, cotton, cashew nuts, cloves, tobacco, sisal
partners: India, Germany, Belgium, UK, Japan, Netherlands, Kenya, Hong Kong, US

Imports:
total value: $1.69 billion (c.i.f., 1995)
commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and transportation equipment, cotton piece goods, crude oil, foodstuffs
partners : UK, Germany, Italy, Japan, US, Kenya, China

Debt - external: $7.4 billion (1994 est.)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 Tanzanian shilling (TSh) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Tanzanian shillings (TSh) per US$1 - 597.27 (January 1997), 579.98 (1996), 574.76 (1995), 509.63 (1994), 405.27 (1993), 297.71 (1992)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Communications

Telephones: 137,000 (1989 est.)

Telephone system: fair system operating below capacity
domestic: open wire, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 4, shortwave 0

Radios: 640,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (1995 est.)

Televisions: 45,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total : 3,569 km (1995)
narrow gauge: 2,600 km 1.000-m gauge; 969 km 1.067-m gauge
note: the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gauge track between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia (of which 969 km are in Tanzania and 891 km are in Zambia) is not a part of Tanzania Railways Corporation; because of the difference in gauge, this system does not connect to Tanzania Railways

Highways:
total: 88,000 km
paved: 3,696 km
unpaved : 84,304 km (1994 est.)

Waterways: Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, Lake Nyasa

Pipelines: crude oil 982 km

Ports and harbors: Bukoba, Dar es Salaam, Kigoma, Lindi, Mkoani, Mtwara, Musoma, Mwanza, Tanga, Wete, Zanzibar

Merchant marine:
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 30,371 GRT/41,269 DWT
ships by type: cargo 3, oil tanker 2, passenger-cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1996 est.)

Airports: 110 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 39
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m : 6
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 28 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 71
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m : 56 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Tanzanian People's Defense Force or TPDF (includes Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary Police Field Force Unit, Militia

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 6,630,336 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: 3,842,624 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $69 million (FY94/95)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: dispute with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi); Democratic Republic of the Congo-Tanzania-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it has been informally reported that the indefinite section of the Democratic Republic of the Congo-Zambia boundary has been settled

Illicit drugs: growing role in transshipment of Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for European and US markets and of South Asian methaqualone bound for Southern Africa

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