Tanzania is officially known as the United Republic of Tanzania (Swahili: Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), Tanzania is located in East Africa. It is bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. To the east, it borders the Indian Ocean.
Name Origin: The name Tanzania is derived from the combination of Tanganyika, the large mainland territory, and Zanzibar, the offshore archipelago. These two former British colonies united in 1964, forming the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, which was later renamed the United Republic of Tanzania.
Area: Tanzania covers a total area of 945,087 square kilometers (sq km), with 886,037 sq km of land and 59,050 sq km of water. This includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar.
Coastline: Tanzania has a coastline that stretches for 1,424 kilometers along the Indian Ocean.
Climate: Tanzania experiences hot weather throughout the year. The coastal areas are humid, while the central plateau is dry. Heavy rains occur from March to June, making unsealed road travel difficult. The hot, dry weather in January and February attracts many tourists. The best time to visit the Serengeti is from January to March for the calving season of grazers and the presence of lions, or to witness the wildebeest migration, which occurs at the onset of the dry season and again with the first rains, usually in early June and mid-November. Zanzibar enjoys a warm climate year-round, with coastal resorts tempered by sea breezes.
Natural Resources: Tanzania is rich in natural resources, including hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, and nickel.
Population: As of 2023, Tanzania has an estimated population of approximately 67 million people.
Languages: Tanzania is home to more than 126 ethnic groups, each with its own language. Swahili is the de facto official national language, used for inter-ethnic communication and official matters. English, once used for colonial administration, is still used in higher courts and education but has diminished in everyday use. Swahili is the language of the social and political spheres, as well as primary and adult education, while English is used in secondary education, universities, technology, and higher courts.
Ethnic Groups: The African population consists of more than 120 ethnic groups, with the largest being the Sukuma, Haya, Nyakyusa, Nyamwezi, and Chagga, each having over one million members. Other significant communities include the Hehe and many others.
Natural Hazards: Tanzania faces natural hazards such as tsetse flies and flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season.
Environmental Issues: Tanzania’s environmental challenges include deforestation, soil erosion, desertification, and loss of biodiversity. Rapid population growth and agricultural expansion have put pressure on the country’s natural resources, leading to environmental degradation. The country is a party to various international agreements on biodiversity, climate change, desertification, endangered species, hazardous wastes, the law of the sea, marine life conservation, nuclear test bans, and ozone layer protection.