Tanzania

Background

Tanzania is home to some of the most renowned national parks and significant paleoanthropological locations in Africa, with its rich cultural heritage showcasing the various ethnolinguistic groups residing within its borders. The country's extensive history of involvement in trade networks across the Indian Ocean and the interior of Africa facilitated the emergence of Swahili as a lingua franca throughout much of eastern Africa and the spread of Islam in the region. Following 1498, several autonomous coastal and island trading centers in present-day Tanzania fell under Portuguese authority as they began to dominate both the coastline and Indian Ocean commerce. By the year 1700, the Sultanate of Oman emerged as the leading power in the area after expelling the Portuguese, who were also contending with a wave of local rebellions. Over the subsequent century, Zanzibar—an archipelago off Tanzania's coast—evolved into a crucial center for Indian Ocean commerce, with Arab and Indian merchants establishing and reinforcing trade links with mainland Tanzanian communities that contributed to the intensification of the slave trade. Zanzibar briefly served as the capital of the Sultanate of Oman until it was divided into the distinct Omani and Zanzibar Sultanates in 1856. From the mid-1800s onward, European explorers, traders, and Christian missionaries increased their presence in the area. The Germans ultimately asserted control over mainland Tanzania, known as Tanganyika, while the British took charge of Zanzibar. Following the German defeat in World War I, Tanganyika came under British administration.

Tanganyika achieved independence from Great Britain in 1961, with Zanzibar following suit in 1963 as a constitutional monarchy. In Tanganyika, the charismatic and idealistic socialist Julius NYERERE established a one-party political framework that centralized authority and promoted national self-sufficiency and rural development. In 1964, a popular revolt resulted in the overthrow of the Sultan in Zanzibar, leading to the deaths or expulsion of numerous Arabs and Indians who had held power over the islands for over two centuries. Later that same year, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to create the United Republic of Tanzania, although Zanzibar retained significant autonomy. The two ruling parties amalgamated to form the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party in 1977, which has since triumphed in every presidential election. Tanzania conducted its initial multi-party elections in 1995, yet CCM candidates have continued to dominate the political landscape. The ruling party has claimed victory in four contentious elections since 1995, despite reports from international observers citing electoral irregularities. In 2001, 35 individuals lost their lives in Zanzibar when soldiers opened fire on demonstrators. John MAGUFULI won the presidential elections in 2015 and 2020, with the CCM securing over two-thirds of the Parliamentary seats in both elections. MAGUFULI passed away in 2021 while still in office and was succeeded by his vice president, Samia Suluhu HASSAN.

Area

Climate

ranges from tropical along the coastline to temperate in the elevated regions

Terrain

coastal plains; central plateau; highlands in the northern and southern areas

Land use

Location

Located in Eastern Africa, adjacent to the Indian Ocean, positioned between Kenya and Mozambique

Coastline

1,424 km

Elevation

Irrigated land

1,840 sq km (2012)

Map references

Africa

Land boundaries

Maritime claims

Natural hazards

central plateau experiences flooding during the rainy season; drought conditions

volcanism: minimal volcanic activity; Ol Doinyo Lengai (2,962 m) has recently produced lava flows; historically active volcanoes include Kieyo and Meru

Geography - note

Kilimanjaro stands as Africa's tallest peak and is among the only three mountain ranges on the continent that feature glaciers (the others being Mount Kenya in Kenya and the Ruwenzori Mountains along the Uganda-Democratic Republic of the Congo border); Tanzania is flanked by three of the continent's largest lakes: Lake Victoria (the second-largest freshwater lake in the world) situated in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the second-deepest lake globally) in the west, and Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) in the southwest

Natural resources

hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones (notably tanzanite, which is exclusive to Tanzania), gold, natural gas, nickel

Area - comparative

more than six times the area of Georgia; slightly more than double the size of California

Geographic coordinates

6 00 S, 35 00 E

Population distribution

the largest and most populous nation in East Africa; the distribution of the population is highly uneven, with larger clusters found in the northern region and along the eastern coastline, as illustrated in this population distribution map

Major lakes (area sq km)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Major rivers (by length in km)

Nile (shared with Rwanda [s], Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt [m]) - 6,650 km

note: [s] following a country name indicates the river's source; [m] following a country name indicates the river's mouth

Literacy

Languages

Religions

Christian 63.1%, Muslim 34.1%, folk religion 1.1%, Buddhist <1%, Hindu <1%, Jewish <1%, other <1%, unspecified 1.6% (2020 estimate)

Sex ratio

Birth rate

33.45 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

4.96 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Median age

Population

Nationality

Tobacco use

Urbanization

Age structure

Ethnic groups

mainland - African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu from over 130 tribes), other 1% (including Asian, European, and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, African, and mixed Arab-African

Child marriage

Dependency ratios

Physician density

0.13 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Health expenditure

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.6 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.45 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

Education expenditure

Infant mortality rate

Population growth rate

2.85% (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

2.19 (2025 est.)

Population distribution

the largest and most populous nation in East Africa; the distribution of the population is highly uneven, with significant clusters found in the northern region and along the eastern coastline, as illustrated in this population distribution map

Life expectancy at birth

Maternal mortality ratio

276 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Sanitation facility access

Alcohol consumption per capita

Major urban areas - population

262,000 in Dodoma (legislative capital) (2018), 7.776 million in DAR ES SALAAM (administrative capital), 1.311 million in Mwanza, 800,000 in Zanzibar (2023)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.4% (2016)

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.9 years (2022 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

59.2% (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

11.4% (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Climate

ranges from tropical in coastal areas to temperate in mountainous regions

Geoparks

Land use

Urbanization

Methane emissions

Waste and recycling

Environmental issues

water contamination; inadequate handling of liquid waste; indoor air pollution caused by the combustion of wood or charcoal for cooking and heating purposes; deterioration of soil; loss of forest cover; desertification; damage to coral reefs; illegal poaching and wildlife trafficking, particularly of ivory; decline in biodiversity; management of solid waste

Total water withdrawal

Carbon dioxide emissions

Particulate matter emissions

14.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

96.27 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

International environmental agreements

Flag

description: a diagonal division by a black band with yellow edges, extending from the lower left corner to the upper right corner; the upper triangle (left side) is green, while the lower triangle is blue

meaning: the colors are derived from the flags of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; green symbolizes natural vegetation, gold represents abundant mineral resources, black signifies the Swahili people, and blue denotes lakes, rivers, and the Indian Ocean.

Capital

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

Constitution

Country name

Independence

26 April 1964 (Tanganyika merged with Zanzibar to create the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar); 29 October 1964 (renamed the United Republic of Tanzania); significant prior dates include 9 December 1961 (Tanganyika gained independence from UK-administered UN trusteeship) and 10 December 1963 (Zanzibar gained independence from the UK).

Legal system

based on English common law; judicial review of legislative actions is confined to issues of interpretation.

Government type

presidential republic.

Judicial branch

Executive branch

National holiday

Union Day (marking the union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964).

National color(s)

green, yellow, blue, black

National heritage

Political parties

Alliance for Change and Transparency (Wazalendo) or ACT-Wazalendo
Civic United Front (Chama Cha Wananchi) or CUF
Party of Democracy and Development (Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo) or CHADEMA
Revolutionary Party of Tanzania (Chama Cha Mapinduzi) or CCM

Legislative branch

National anthem(s)

National symbol(s)

Uhuru (freedom) torch, giraffe

Administrative divisions

31 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Geita, Iringa, Kagera, Kaskazini Pemba (Pemba North), Kaskazini Unguja (Zanzibar North), Katavi, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Kusini Pemba (Pemba South), Kusini Unguja (Zanzibar Central/South), Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Mjini Magharibi (Zanzibar Urban/West), Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Njombe, Pwani (Coast), Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Simiyu, Singida, Songwe, Tabora, Tanga.

Diplomatic representation in the US

Diplomatic representation from the US

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, EAC, EADB, EITI, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

International law organization participation

has not issued a declaration of ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction.

Budget

Exports

Imports

Industries

agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine); mining (diamonds, gold, and iron); salt, soda ash; cement, oil refining, footwear, clothing, wood products, fertilizers

Labor force

32.983 million (2024 est.)

Public debt

Remittances

Exchange rates

Debt - external

Economic overview

an emerging lower middle-income economy in East Africa; abundant natural resources and a burgeoning tourism sector; robust recovery from the pandemic in hospitality, electricity, mining, and transportation sectors; decreasing poverty levels; stable inflation rates; disruptions in the economic and labor markets due to gender-based violence

Unemployment rate

Exports - partners

India 15%, UAE 14%, Uganda 12%, South Africa 10%, China 6% (2023)

Imports - partners

China 32%, India 13%, UAE 9%, Saudi Arabia 5%, Japan 4% (2023)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP growth rate

Agricultural products

maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, bananas, milk, sugarcane, rice, vegetables, beans, sunflower seeds (2023)

Exports - commodities

gold, refined petroleum, dried legumes, refined copper, coal (2023)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, plastics, garments, fertilizers, wheat (2023)

Current account balance

Taxes and other revenues

11.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$78.78 billion (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use

Population below poverty line

26.4% (2018 est.)

Average household expenditures

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Industrial production growth rate

5.2% (2024 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Coal

Petroleum

Electricity

Natural gas

Electricity access

Energy consumption per capita

Electricity generation sources

Internet users

Broadcast media

approximately 45 television channels, including 13 national channels that offer free-to-air broadcasts; 196 radio stations, primarily functioning at the district level, along with 5 independent national radio stations and 1 state-run national station; international programming is extensively accessible via satellite television; 3 principal satellite TV providers (2020)

Internet country code

.tz

Telephones - fixed lines

Telephones - mobile cellular

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Ports

Airports

206 (2025)

Railways

Merchant marine

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

5H

Military - note

The primary issues faced by the Tanzania Defense Forces (TPDF) include maritime piracy and smuggling, border security, terrorism, wildlife poaching, and the repercussions of instability in adjacent nations, especially Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The TPDF engages in multinational training exercises, participates in regional peacekeeping missions, and maintains relationships with various foreign military forces, such as those from China, India, and the United States. It has deployed personnel to the United Nations' Force Intervention Brigade in the DRC and was involved in the previous Southern African Development Community intervention force in Mozambique, which aided the Mozambican military in its fight against Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) affiliates. Although the regional force withdrew in 2024, the TPDF continues to have troops stationed in Mozambique under a distinct bilateral security agreement. Since 2020, the TPDF has strengthened its border with Mozambique in response to multiple cross-border assaults by ISIS militants (2025).

Military deployments

520 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); over 1,000 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO and Southern African Development Community regional force); 125 Lebanon (UNIFIL); roughly 300 Mozambique (under bilateral agreement to assist in combating an insurgency) (2025).

Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Tanzania People's Defense Forces (TPDF or Jeshi la Wananchi la Tanzania, JWTZ): Land Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force, Nation Building Army (Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa, JKT), Reserve Forces.

Ministry of Home Affairs: Tanzania Police Force (Jeshi la Polisi Tanzania) (2025).

Military service age and obligation

Typically, individuals aged 18-25 are eligible for voluntary military service, although this can extend up to 35 years for those with higher education or medical expertise; there is no conscription (2026).

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

The TPDF's arsenal primarily consists of weaponry from British, Chinese, and Russian/Soviet origins (2025).

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 25,000 active Defense Forces (2025)

Terrorist group(s)

al-Shabaab; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

Refugees and internally displaced persons