Tanzania, East Africa
Tanzania is larger than Texas and Oklahoma put together and is located in Eastern Africa, just below the country of Kenya. The Indian Ocean is on the east and Lake Tanganyika and Lake Victoria are on the west. It boasts Mt. Kilimanjaro in the north as the tallest mountain in Africa. Tanzania is one of the most stable countries in Africa and over 43 million people within its borders.
The heart language of a people is important in any ministry and although Tanzania has more than 130 tribes, during its independence in the 1960s, President Nyerere unified the country with one language, Swahili.
The religions of mainland Tanzania are Muslim (35%), indigenous beliefs (35%) and Christian (30%), but most of these Christians are only ritualistic, not Bible believing. With HIV/AIDS, malaria, and a host of other deadly diseases, it is no wonder that the life expectancy is 52 years of age.
The heart language of a people is important in any ministry and although Tanzania has more than 130 tribes, during its independence in the 1960s, President Nyerere unified the country with one language, Swahili.
The religions of mainland Tanzania are Muslim (35%), indigenous beliefs (35%) and Christian (30%), but most of these Christians are only ritualistic, not Bible believing. With HIV/AIDS, malaria, and a host of other deadly diseases, it is no wonder that the life expectancy is 52 years of age.
Tanzania Basic Facts
Tanzania is a popular East African destination for visitors, it has many natural
attractions including Zanzibar, Mount Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. Tanzania is a large country and its infrastructure isn't great so it takes time to get around. Tanzanians have a very friendly reputation and other than petty theft, violent crime is quite rare. Location: Tanzania is located in East Africa bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique, see map in top right. Area: 945,087 sq km, a little more than twice the size of California. Capital City: Dodoma (but the commercial capital and largest city is Dar es Salaam). Population: Around 43 million people live in Tanzania (2011). (42% of the people are between ages 0-14) Life Expectancy: 53 years old Language: Kiswahili or Swahili (official), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar) and many local languages. Literacy: 69.4% of people at age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic Religion: Mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, and indigenous beliefs 35%. Zanzibar, more than 99% Muslim Currency: Tanzanian Shilling. (see side image) Economy: Tanzania is in the bottom ten percent of the world's economies in terms of per capita income. The economy depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for more than 40% of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 80% of the work force. Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated crops to only 4% of the land area. Natural Resources: Hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel Climate: Tanzania lies just south of the equator and on the whole enjoys a tropical climate. There are two rainy seasons, generally the heaviest rains (called Masika) usually fall from mid-March to May and a shorter period of rain (called mvuli) from November to mid-January. The dry season, with cooler temperatures, lasts from May to October. When to Go: The best time to go is January - February and July - October Sports: Soccer is the biggest. Basketball, Netball, Rugbee, Tennis and squash are a few others, although not many nationals play these sports as much as soccer is played. Portable Electronics: Almost every adult has a cell phone and FM radio. Tanzania's Main Attractions: • Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater -- Part of the "northern circuit" of parks, these two wildlife parks/reserves are the jewels in the crown and arguably offer the best safari experience in Africa. • Mount Kilimanjaro -- Africa's highest mountain draws hikers from all over the world. It takes about a week to climb and no technical expertise is necessary to summit Uhuru Peak. (19,340 feet) (see side image) • Zanzibar -- Gorgeous beaches, romantic islands as well as a fascinating capital built by Arab slave-traders and spice merchants called Stonetown, make Zanzibar a unique destination. *Note: Much of this information is from www.cia.gov |
Eastern Africa
500 Tsh = about 30 cents
Mt. Kilimanjaro is the largest free standing mountain in the world
Green: Land -
Yellow: Mineral wealth -
Black: The people -
Blue: Surrounding water
A Private school in Arusha, Tanzania
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