In this post, I’ve shared some of the interesting facts about Tanzania.
Tanzania is an East African country located in the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda is to the north, Kenya is to the northeast, Mozambique and Malawi are to the south, the Comoro Islands and the Indian Ocean are to the east, and Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are to the west.
When Germany founded German East Africa in the late 19th century when they ruled mainland Tanzania. After World War I, British control took over. The mainland was governed as Tanganyika, while the Zanzibar Island was administered by a separate colonial jurisdiction. The two countries merged in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania, following their independence in 1961 and 1963, respectively.
Facts About Tanzania
- Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa, covering an area of 362340 square miles.
2. Dodoma City is Tanzania’s national and administrative capital, whereas Dar es Salaam is the country’s commercial capital.
3. The official languages are Swahili and English. The national language, on the other hand, is a blend of many Bantu dialects and Arabic that emerged around the East African coast and on the island of Zanzibar. Swahili is the country’s lingua franca, and almost all Tanzanians speak it. Since the country’s independence, the government and other national organizations have encouraged the use of Swahili in literature and local drama.
4. Tanzania is home to the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro.
5. Christianity is the largest religion in Tanzania, however there is a sizable Muslim and Animist minorities .
6. Tanzania is the most linguistically diverse country in East Africa, with over 100 different languages. The country does not have a de jure official language, yet Swahili is the national language used in legislative debates, lower courts, and as a basic school medium of teaching. English is used in foreign trade, diplomacy, higher courts, and as a secondary and higher education language of teaching.
7. Dar es Salam, is Tanzania’s largest city, with the highest population density. Dar es Salam is home to almost 4.3 million residents.
8. Tanzania was a one-party state until the Constitution amendment in 1992 to allow multiple political parties. Tanzania’s first multi-party elections were held in 1995, the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party won 186 of the 232 elected seats in the National Assembly, and Benjamin Mkapa was elected president.
9. Tanzania has a relatively pleasant climate all year, however there are considerable geographical differences. The tropical coast is hot and humid, with strong and consistent rainfall, particularly during the rainy season. The central plateau is dry and cooler. The rainy season is divided into two parts: “Masika”, the biggest rains normally fall from mid-March to May, and “Vuli”, a shorter period of rain falls from November to mid-January. The dry season with cooler temperatures lasts from May until October.
10. Tanzania’s economy is a lower-middle-income economy that is mostly dependent upon agriculture.
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More facts bout Tanzania
11. Road transport is the most frequently utilized mode of transportation in Tanzania, handling more than 90% of people and 75% of freight traffic. Railway transport is the second most significant means of transportation after road transport and is crucial for long-distance freight along Tanzania’s key transport routes.
Tanzania now has a road network of 86,472 kilometers, of which 12,786 kilometers are trunk highways, 21,105 kilometers are regional roads, and the rest 52,581 kilometers are district, urban, and feeder roads.
12. Tanzania has a total of 3,676 kilometers of railway lines that are operated by two railway systems: Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) and Tanzania – Zambia Railways (TAZARA).
13. Tanzania’s main exports are agricultural products, the most significant of which are tobacco, coffee, cotton, cashew nuts, tea, and cloves. Gold and manufactured goods are among the other exports.
14. Tanzania has a plethora of tourism attractions. Approximately 38% of Tanzania’s land area is set aside for conservation in protected areas. There are 17 national parks, 29 game reserves, 40 protected areas (including the Ngorongoro Conservation Area), and maritime parks. Tanzania is also home to Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak.
15. Lake Tanganyika is the world’s second-oldest freshwater lake, the second-largest by volume, and the second-deepest, all following Lake Baikal in Siberia. It is also the world’s longest freshwater lake. The lake is shared by four countries: Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burundi, and Zambia, with Tanzania having the largest portion (46 %).
16. Football is the most popular sport across Tanzania. Young Africans F.C. and Simba S.C. are the most popular professional football clubs in Dar es Salaam. Tanzania Football Federation is the country’s governing body for football.
17. Tanzania is home to a thriving film industry known as “Bongo Movie.” The music industry is referred to as “Bongo Flava.” The most popular musical style among Tanzanian youngsters.
18. Tanzania’s military forces are known as the Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF). They were established in September 1964.
19. The Tanzania People’s Defence Force was assigned a specific mission: to protect Tanzania and everything Tanzanian, particularly the people and their political beliefs. Tanzanian citizens can volunteer for military duty at the age of 15, and must serve in the military at the age of 18 after graduating from secondary school. since 2004, the conscript service commitment has been two years.
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