Location: Tanzania is the largest of the East African countries. Tanzania was formed as a result of the union of two countries, Tanganyika and Zanzibar, on April 26, 1964. It is bordered to the north by Kenya and Uganda, to the west by Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, to the south by Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia, and to the east by the Indian Ocean.
Geographic Features: Tanzania has the highest mountain in Africa, Mountain Kilimanjaro, and it is known for its abundance of national parks and game reserves such as Msangesi, the Ngorongoro crater, and Serengti Gombe. Part of Lake Victoria (Africa's largest lake) is found in Tanzania and it also has Africa's deepest lake, Lake Tanganyika.
Climate: Tropical, with high temperatures and humidity on the coast and islands.
Natural Resources: Tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel
Languages: Swahili and English are the official languages.
Ethnic Groups: Bantu groups, Nilotics, San, Khoikhoi, Nyakyusa, Hadza, Europeans, Asians, and Arabs
Religion: Mainly Islam and traditional religions, followed by Christianity.
Economy: Tanzania depends mainly on agriculture. Crops include coffee, cotton, tea, tobacco, sisal, cashew nuts, maize, wheat, sugarcane, pyrethrum and others. Other sources of income include fishing, forestry, and mining. Manufacturing industries include textiles, food processing, cement, and cigarettes. Tourism is also a source of income because of the abundance of a variety of wildlife and geographic features.
Politics: Tanzania is one of the most politically stable countries in Africa since independence. Elections are carried out every five years and each president has a two-term limit. The current president is H.E Jakaya Mriso Kikwete.
History: The Arabs were the first to rule Tanganyika in 700 and they were followed by the Portuguese between the 15th and 17th centuries. The Portuguese were in turn overthrown by the Arabs and in 1885 Tanzania became a German colony together with Burundi and Rwanda. After World War I Tanganyika became a British colony.
Though this page has been carefully researched, the author does not claim expertise on the Tanzania.
Please send questions, comments, and corrections to emuseum@mnsu.edu and include the URL of this page.
Sources
Advameg
2007 Culture of Tanzania. Electronic document, http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Tanzania.html, accessed May 2009.
CIA World Factbook
2009 Tanzania. Electronic document, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tz.html, accessed May 2009.
interKnowledge Corp.
2005 Tanzania Culture. Electronic document, http://www.geographia.com/tanzania/, accessed May 2009.
Maps of World
2009 Tanzania Culture. Electronic document, http://www.mapsofworld.com/tanzania/culture/, accessed May 2009.
The United Republic of Tanzania
National Website. Electronic document, http://www.tanzania.go.tz/, accessed May 2009.
U.S. Department of State
2009 Background Note: Tanzania. Electronic document, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2843.htm, accessed May 2009.
Written by Esther Nalubwama, 2009.