Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the independent United Republic of Tanzania in 1964, Africa's largest country. One party rule came to an end in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s. The capital city is Dar es Salaam. However, some government offices have moved to Dodoma which is planned as the new national capital; the National Assembly now meets there on a regular basis.
Tanzania is located on the eastern coast of Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean. It also has borders with Kenya in the north, Mozambique to the south, and Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and Zambia in the west. The total area, including the islands of Pemba, Zanzibar and Mafia, is 945,087 sq km, 59,050 sq km of which is water (lakes Tanganyika, Victoria and Nyasa). The mainland consists of the central highland plateau area ranging between 900 and 1,800m in altitude and situated between the geographical fault known as the Great Rift Valley.
Climate conditions vary from tropical along the coast plains to temperate in the highlands in the north (including Kilimanjaro 5,895m the highest point in Africa) and south. The central plateau bridges the two extremes and frequently floods in the rainy season. At other times it suffers from drought conditions.
Tanzania has natural resources of hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas and nickel spawning industries of diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes, cement, textiles, wood products, fertiliser and salt. However the econmy is dependent upon agriculture which provides 85% of exports and employs 90% of the workforce. Topography and climatic conditions limit cultivated crops to 4% of the land area. Primary agriculture processing includes sugar, beer, cigarettes and sisal twine.
Soil degradation, deforestation and desertification are all current environmental issues.
The official languages are English and Kiswahili and there are many local languages. Arabic is widely spoken in Zanzibar. Kiswahili is the mother tongue of the African Bantu living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal regions although its vocabulary draws on a variety of sources including English and Arabic sources, and it has become the lingua franca of central and eastern Africa. The first language of most people is one of the local languages. The dominant religions are Christianity (45%), Muslim (35%), indigenous beliefs (20%) although Zanzibar is 99% Muslim.
Air services are frequently used both for domestic and regional flights and there are regular services to Dar-es-Salaam and other major towns. Road accidents are probably the greatest safety risk, not least from speeding buses. There is a choice of regular long distance bus services between towns (including Kampala, Uganda) although not over night when buses are not allowed to travel.
For shorter journeys there are buses, minibuses and taxis. 20% of roads are paved but if you are travelling out of town you will need 4WD. Tanzania has two rail lines centred on Dar-es-Salaam and reaching to Moshi but not to Arusha. Passenger ferries operate on the lakes and coast.
