Tanzania is an East African country. Located south of
the equator, in the so-called Great Lakes region, it
covers an area of 945 087 km2. Tanzania is
bathed by the Indian Ocean to the east and borders
Mozambique and Malawi to the south, Zambia to the
southwest, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and
Rwanda to the west, Uganda to the northwest, and Kenya
to the north. Tanzanian territory also includes the
islands Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia. Dar-es-Salaam is the
city where the seat of government is located, but it is
progressively being transferred to the city of Dodoma,
seat of the legislative apparatus. The main cities in
the country are Dar-es-Salaam, with 2 538 100
inhabitants (2004), Mwanza (400 300 inhab.), Zanzibar
(372 400 inhab.), Dodoma (168 500 inhab.) And Tanga (220
900 inhab.).).
It consists of a vast central plateau with an altitude
of 1200 meters and extending to the north, where Mount
Quilimanjaro is located, which at 5895 meters is the
highest point in all of Africa. In the territory of
Tanzania there are numerous lakes, very deep, whose
origin is linked to the tectonic characteristics of the
region. The most extensive is Lake Tanganyika, which is
also the deepest freshwater lake on the continent. Other
important lakes are Lake Malawi and Lake Victoria, which
also baths Uganda and Kenya.
Climate
The climate is humid tropical on the coast and tropical
modified by the altitude in the interior. The central
zone is characterized by long periods of drought that
make it difficult to cultivate the land.
Economy
The economy is based on a subsistence agriculture
system. Agriculture contributes the largest share of the
Gross Domestic Product. Devoid of industrial
infrastructure, with the exception of a diamond mine,
Tanzania's mineral resources are of poor quality and
there is no qualified labor. The United Kingdom, a
former colonizing power, did not invest in the country,
except for the cultivation of sisal in coastal
areas. Farmers grow corn, cotton and coffee and those
who are still part of nomadic tribes are dedicated to
pastoralism. The islands of Zanzibar and Pemba are
richer than the mainland. They have fertile soil,
produce copra and coconut fiber for export and are one
of the largest exporters of cloves. Tanzania's main
trading partners are the United Kingdom, Japan, India
and Germany.
Environmental indicator: the value of carbon dioxide
emissions has not been attributed.
Population
The population, in 2006, was 37 445 392 inhabitants. The
population density is 38.9 inhab./km2. The
birth and death rates are, respectively, 37.71% and
16.39%. Average life expectancy is 45.64 years. Neither
the value of the Human Development Index (HDI) nor the
value of the Gender-adjusted Development Index (IDG)
have been attributed (2001). It is estimated that, in
2025, the population will be 59 840 000 inhabitants. The
population is spread over several ethnic-linguistic
communities, with emphasis on Nyamwezi and Sukuma (26%),
Swahili (9%), Haya (5%), Hehet and Bena (5%), Chagga (
4%), the Gogo (4%) and the Macondes (4%). At the
religious level, the population is divided between
animists (35%), Muslims (35%) and Christians (30%). The
national language is Swahili, which has contributed
strongly to the country's cultural and social
cohesion. There is even a Swahili literature. English is
also an official language.
History
The Arabs and Persians were the first colonizers of the
territory in the 17th and 18th centuries. The interior
remained unexplored until the 19th century. The first
expeditions for commercial purposes were commanded by
Europeans. Germany practiced a policy of direct
administration. In the First World War, the English and
the Germans fought over the territory. London would come
to dominate the country. A sovereign state was set up on
April 27, 1964 through the union of the states of the
former Tanganyika and the former sultanate of
Zanzibar. Mainland Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika) and
island Tanzania (formerly Zanzibar) maintained separate
institutions. The integration process involved the
creation, in 1977, of a single party, despite the fact
that the President of the Republic was elected by
universal suffrage.
After independence, it was considered one of the
poorest countries in the world. |
