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Africa
Page last updated: July 24, 2024
Tanzania contains some of Africa’s most iconic national parks and famous paleoanthropological sites, and its diverse cultural heritage reflects the multiple ethnolinguistic groups that live in the country. Its long history of integration into trade networks spanning the Indian Ocean and the African interior led to the development of Swahili as a common language in much of east Africa and the introduction of Islam into the region. A number of independent coastal and island trading posts in what is now Tanzania came under Portuguese control after 1498 when they began to take control of much of the coast and Indian Ocean trade. By 1700, the Sultanate of Oman had become the dominant power in the region after ousting the Portuguese, who were also facing a series of local uprisings. During the next hundred years, Zanzibar -- an archipelago off the coast that is now part of Tanzania -- became a hub of Indian Ocean trade, with Arab and Indian traders establishing and consolidating trade routes with communities in mainland Tanzania that contributed to the expansion of the slave trade. Zanzibar briefly became the capital of the Sultanate of Oman before it split into separate Omani and Zanzibar Sultanates in 1856. Beginning in the mid-1800s, European explorers, traders, and Christian missionaries became more active in the region. The Germans eventually established control over mainland Tanzania -- which they called Tanganyika -- and the British established control over Zanzibar. Tanganyika came under British administration after the German defeat in World War I.
Tanganyika gained independence from Great Britain in 1961, and Zanzibar followed in 1963 as a constitutional monarchy. In Tanganyika, Julius NYERERE, a charismatic and idealistic socialist, established a one-party political system that centralized power and encouraged national self-reliance and rural development. In 1964, a popular uprising overthrew the Sultan in Zanzibar and either killed or expelled many of the Arabs and Indians who had dominated the isles for more than 200 years. Later that year, Tanganyika and Zanzibar combined to form the United Republic of Tanzania, but Zanzibar retained considerable autonomy. Their two ruling parties combined to form the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party in 1977, which has since won every presidential election. Tanzania held its first multi-party elections in 1995, but CCM candidates have continued to dominate politics. The ruling party has claimed victory in four contentious elections since 1995, despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities. In 2001, 35 people died in Zanzibar when soldiers fired on protestors. John MAGUFULI won the 2015 and 2020 presidential elections, and the CCM won over two-thirds of the seats in Parliament in both elections. MAGUFULI died in 2021 while in office and was succeeded by his vice president, Samia Suluhu HASSAN.
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique
6 00 S, 35 00 E
Africa
Total : 947,300 km²
Land: 885,800 km²
Water: 61,500 km²
Note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar
More than six times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than twice the size of California
Total: 4,161 km
Border countries (8): Burundi 589 km; Democratic Republic of the Congo 479 km; Kenya 775 km; Malawi 512 km; Mozambique 840 km; Rwanda 222 km; Uganda 391 km; Zambia 353 km
1,424 km
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands
Plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south
Highest point: Kilimanjaro (highest point in Africa) 5,895 m
Lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 1,018 m
Hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones (including tanzanite, found only in Tanzania), gold, natural gas, nickel
Agricultural land: 43.7% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 14.3% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 2.3% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 27.1% (2018 est.)
Forest: 37.3% (2018 est.)
Other: 19% (2018 est.)
1,840 km² (2012)
Fresh water lake(s): Lake Victoria (shared with Uganda and Kenya) - 62,940 km²; Lake Tanganyika (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Zambia) - 32,000 km²; Lake Malawi (shared with Mozambique and Malawi) - 22,490
Salt water lake(s): Lake Rukwa - 5,760 km²
Nile (shared with Rwanda [s], Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt [m]) - 6,650 km
Note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 km²), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 km²)
Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 km²)
The largest and most populous East African country; population distribution is extremely uneven, but greater population clusters occur in the northern half of country and along the east coast as shown in this population distribution map
Flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought
Volcanism: limited volcanic activity; Ol Doinyo Lengai (2,962 m) has emitted lava in recent years; other historically active volcanoes include Kieyo and Meru
Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa and one of only three mountain ranges on the continent that has glaciers (the others are Mount Kenya in Kenya and the Ruwenzori Mountains on the Uganda-Democratic Republic of the Congo border); Tanzania is bordered by three of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) in the southwest
Total: 67,462,121
Male: 33,691,904
Female: 33,770,217 (2024 est.)
Comparison rankings: female 23; male 22; total 23
Noun: Tanzanian(s)
Adjective: Tanzanian
Mainland - African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, African, mixed Arab and African
Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguja (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages; note - Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety of sources including Arabic and English; it has become the lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of most people is one of the local languages
Major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, Chanzo cha Lazima Kuhusu Habari ya Msingi. (Kiswahili)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Christian 63.1%, Muslim 34.1%, folk religion 1.1%, Buddhist <1%, Hindu <1%, Jewish <1%, other <1%, unspecified 1.6% (2020 est.)
Note: Zanzibar is almost entirely Muslim
Tanzania has the largest population in East Africa and the lowest population density; more than a third of the population is urban. Tanzania’s youthful population – over 60% of the population is under 25 as of 2020 – is growing rapidly because of the high total fertility rate of 4.4 children per woman, as of 2022. Progress in reducing the birth rate has stalled, sustaining the country’s nearly 3% annual growth rate. The maternal mortality rate has improved since 2000, yet it remains very high because of early and frequent pregnancies, inadequate maternal health services, and a lack of skilled birth attendants – problems that are worse among poor and rural women. Tanzania has made strides in reducing under-5 and infant mortality rates, but a recent drop in immunization threatens to undermine gains in child health. Malaria is a leading killer of children under 5, while HIV is the main source of adult mortality.
For Tanzania, most migration is internal, rural to urban movement, while some temporary labor migration from towns to plantations takes place seasonally for harvests. Tanzania was Africa’s largest refugee-hosting country for decades, hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Great Lakes region, primarily Burundi, over the last fifty years. However, the assisted repatriation and naturalization of tens of thousands of Burundian refugees between 2002 and 2014 dramatically reduced the refugee population. Tanzania is increasingly a transit country for illegal migrants from the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region who are heading to southern Africa for security reasons and/or economic opportunities. Some of these migrants choose to settle in Tanzania.
0-14 years: 41.2% (male 14,039,292/female 13,740,439)
15-64 years: 55.4% (male 18,677,388/female 18,708,390)
65 years and over: 3.4% (2024 est.) (male 975,224/female 1,321,388)
2023 population pyramid:
Total dependency ratio: 87.7
Youth dependency ratio: 81.9
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.9
Potential support ratio: 20.4 (2021 est.)
Total: 19.1 years (2024 est.)
Male: 18.8 years
Female: 19.4 years
2.72% (2024 est.)
32.5 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
The largest and most populous East African country; population distribution is extremely uneven, but greater population clusters occur in the northern half of country and along the east coast as shown in this population distribution map
Urban population: 37.4% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 4.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
262,000 Dodoma (legislative capital) (2018), 7.776 million DAR ES SALAAM (administrative capital), 1.311 million Mwanza, 800,000 Zanzibar (2023)
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
19.9 years (2022 est.)
Note: data represents median age at first birth among women 15-49
238 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Total: 29.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 32.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 26.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Total population: 70.8 years (2024 est.)
Male: 69 years
Female: 72.6 years
4.27 children born/woman (2024 est.)
2.1 (2024 est.)
38.4% (2015/16)
Improved: urban: 95.1% of population
Rural: 59.4% of population
Total: 72% of population
Unimproved: urban: 4.9% of population
Rural: 40.6% of population
Total: 28% of population (2020 est.)
3.8% of GDP (2020)
0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
0.7 beds/1,000 population
Improved: urban: 89.4% of population
Rural: 29.2% of population
Total: 50.4% of population
Unimproved: urban: 10.6% of population
Rural: 70.8% of population
Total: 49.6% of population (2020 est.)
Degree of risk: very high (2023)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, Rift Valley fever, and sexually transmitted diseases: HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B (2024)
Water contact diseases: schistosomiasis
Animal contact diseases: rabies
8.4% (2016)
Total: 7.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Beer: 0.74 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits: 0.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols: 6.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total: 8.7% (2020 est.)
Male: 14% (2020 est.)
Female: 3.4% (2020 est.)
12.1% (2022)
59.5% (2023 est.)
Women married by age 15: 5.2%
Women married by age 18: 30.5%
Men married by age 18: 3.9% (2016 est.)
3.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic
Total population: 81.8%
Male: 85.5%
Female: 78.2% (2021)
Total: 9 years
Male: 9 years
Female: 9 years (2021)
Water pollution; improper management of liquid waste; indoor air pollution caused by the burning of fuel wood or charcoal for cooking and heating is a large environmental health issue; soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory; loss of biodiversity; solid waste disposal
Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands
Agricultural land: 43.7% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 14.3% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 2.3% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 27.1% (2018 est.)
Forest: 37.3% (2018 est.)
Other: 19% (2018 est.)
Urban population: 37.4% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 4.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
Severe localized food insecurity: due to localized shortfalls in staple food production - about 592,000 people are estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance between May and September 2022, mainly located in northeastern regions, reflecting crop losses during the October–December “Vuli” 2021 and March–May “Masika” 2022 seasons due to poor rains; high food prices are also constraining households’ economic access to food (2022)
2.19% of GDP (2018 est.)
0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 15.36 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 11.97 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 59.08 megatons (2020 est.)
Municipal solid waste generated annually: 9,276,995 tons (2012 est.)
Fresh water lake(s): Lake Victoria (shared with Uganda and Kenya) - 62,940 km²; Lake Tanganyika (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Zambia) - 32,000 km²; Lake Malawi (shared with Mozambique and Malawi) - 22,490
Salt water lake(s): Lake Rukwa - 5,760 km²
Nile (shared with Rwanda [s], Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt [m]) - 6,650 km
Note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 km²), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 km²)
Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 km²)
Municipal: 530 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 4.63 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
96.3 billion cubic meters (2019 est.)
Total global geoparks and regional networks: 1
Global geoparks and regional networks: Ngorongoro Lengai (2023)
Conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania
Conventional short form: Tanzania
Local long form: Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania
Local short form: Tanzania
Former: German East Africa, Trust Territory of Tanganyika, Republic of Tanganyika, People's Republic of Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar
Etymology: the country's name is a combination of the first letters of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, the two states that merged to form Tanzania in 1964
Presidential republic
Name: Dodoma; note - Dodoma was designated the national capital in 1996; Dar es Salaam, the original national capital, is the country's largest city and commercial center
Geographic coordinates: 6 48 S, 39 17 E
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: Dodoma, in the native Gogo language, means "it has sunk"; supposedly, one day during the rainy season, an elephant drowned in the area; the villagers in that place were so struck by what had occurred, that ever since the locale has been referred to as the place where "it (the elephant) sunk"
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
26 April 1964 (Tanganyika united with Zanzibar to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar); 29 October 1964 (renamed United Republic of Tanzania); notable earlier dates: 9 December 1961 (Tanganyika became independent from UK-administered UN trusteeship); 10 December 1963 (Zanzibar became independent from UK)
Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)
History: several previous; latest adopted 25 April 1977; note - drafting of a new constitution by the National Assembly in 2014 had stalled, and not until 2021, when President HASSAN expressed the need for broad government reform was there a renewed mandate for a new constitution; a task force drafted and submitted a report in October 2202 with broad government reform recommendations, including a six-pronged approach to a new constitution; the president as recently as mid-2023 reaffirmed her commitment to a new constitution; Tanzania's political opposition in early 2024, called for protests rallying countrywide support for action on this issue
Amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments to constitutional articles including those on sovereignty of the United Republic, the authorities and powers of the government, the president, the Assembly, and the High Court requires two-thirds majority vote of the mainland Assembly membership and of the Zanzibar House of Representatives membership; House of Representatives approval of other amendments is not required; amended several times, last in 2017
English common law; judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation
Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Tanzania; if a child is born abroad, the father must be a citizen of Tanzania
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
18 years of age; universal
Chief of state: President Samia Suluhu HASSAN (since 19 March 2021)
Head of government: President Samia Suluhu HASSAN (since 19 March 2021); Prime Minister Kassim MAJALIWA (since 20 November 2015) has authority over the day-to-day functions of the government, is the leader of government business in the National Assembly, and is head of the Cabinet
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among members of the National Assembly
Elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 October 2020 (next to be held in October 2025); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results:
2020: John MAGUFULI reelected president; percent of vote - John MAGUFULI (CCM) 84.4%, Tundu LISSU (CHADEMA) 13%, other 2.6%; note - President MAGUFULI died on 17 March 2021 and his Vice President, Samia Suluhu HASSAN, assumed the office of the President on 19 March 2021
2015: John MAGUFULI elected president; percent of vote - John MAGUFULI (CCM) 58.5%, Edward LOWASSA (CHADEMA) 40%, other 1.5%
Note 1: Zanzibar elects a president as head of government for internal matters; elections were held on 28 October 2020; Hussein MWINYI (CCM) 76.3%, Maalim Seif SHARIF (ACT-Wazalendo) 19.9%, other 3.8%
Note 2: the president is both chief of state and head of government
Note 3: following the death of President John MAGUFULI in March 2021, then Vice President Samia Suluhu HASSAN assumed the presidency
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Parliament (Bunge) (393 seats; 264 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 113 women indirectly elected by proportional representation vote, 5 indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the Zanzibar House of Representatives, 10 appointed by the president, and 1 seat reserved for the attorney general; members serve 5-year terms); note - in addition to enacting laws that apply to the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the National Assembly enacts laws that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own House of Representatives or Baraza La Wawakilishi (82 seats; 50 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 20 women directly elected by proportional representation vote, 10 appointed by the Zanzibar president, 1 seat for the House speaker, and 1 ex-officio seat for the attorney general; elected members serve a 5-year term)
Elections: Tanzania National Assembly and Zanzibar House of Representatives - last held on 28 October 2020 (next to be held in October 2025)
Election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CCM 350, Chadema 20, ACT-Wazalendo 4, CUF 3; composition - men 246, women 147, percentage women 37.4%
Zanzibar House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CCM 69, ACT-Wazalendo 6, TADEA 1, other 1; composition - men 48, women 29, percentage women 37.7%
Highest court(s): Court of Appeal of the United Republic of Tanzania (consists of the chief justice and 14 justices); High Court of the United Republic for Mainland Tanzania (consists of the principal judge and 30 judges organized into commercial, land, and labor courts); High Court of Zanzibar (consists of the chief justice and 10 justices)
Judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and High Court justices appointed by the national president after consultation with the Judicial Service Commission for Tanzania, a judicial body of high level judges and 2 members appointed by the national president; Court of Appeal and High Court judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 60, but terms can be extended; High Court of Zanzibar judges appointed by the national president after consultation with the Judicial Commission of Zanzibar; judges can serve until mandatory retirement at age 65
Subordinate courts: Resident Magistrates Courts; Kadhi courts (for Islamic family matters); district and primary courts
Alliance for Change and Transparency (Wazalendo) or ACT-Wazalendo [Zitto Zuberi KABWE]
Civic United Front (Chama Cha Wananchi) or CUF [Ibrahim Haruna LIPUMBA]
Party of Democracy and Development (Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo) or CHADEMA [Freeman Aikael MBOWE]
Revolutionary Party of Tanzania (Chama Cha Mapinduzi) or CCM [Samia Suluhu HASSAN]
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, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is blue; the banner combines colors found on the flags of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; green represents the natural vegetation of the country, gold its rich mineral deposits, black the native Swahili people, and blue the country's many lakes and rivers, as well as the Indian Ocean
Uhuru (Freedom) torch, giraffe; national colors: green, yellow, blue, black
Name: "Mungu ibariki Afrika" (God Bless Africa)
Lyrics/music: collective/Enoch Mankayi SONTONGA
Note: adopted 1961; the anthem, which is also a popular song in Africa, shares the same melody with that of Zambia but has different lyrics; the melody is also incorporated into South Africa's anthem
Total World Heritage Sites: 7 (3 cultural, 3 natural, 1 mixed)
Selected World Heritage Site locales: Ngorongoro Conservation Area (m); Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara (c); Serengeti National Park (n); Selous Game Reserve (n); Kilimanjaro National Park (n); Stone Town of Zanzibar (c); Kondoa Rock-Art Sites (c)
Emerging lower middle-income East African economy; resource-rich and growing tourism; strong post-pandemic recovery from hospitality, electricity, mining, and transit sectors; declining poverty; stable inflation; gender-based violence economic and labor force disruptions
$234.05 billion (2023 est.)
$222.506 billion (2022 est.)
$212.79 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars
5.19% (2023 est.)
4.57% (2022 est.)
4.32% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
$3,600 (2023 est.)
$3,500 (2022 est.)
$3,500 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars
$79.158 billion (2023 est.)
Note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
3.8% (2023 est.)
4.35% (2022 est.)
3.69% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Moody's rating: B2 (2020)
Note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Agriculture: 23.4% (2017 est.)
Industry: 28.6% (2017 est.)
Services: 47.6% (2017 est.)
Comparison rankings: services 190; industry 88; agriculture 35
Household consumption: 62.4% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 12.5% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 36.1% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: -8.7% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 18.1% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -20.5% (2017 est.)
Cassava, maize, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, bananas, milk, rice, vegetables, beans, sunflower seeds (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine); mining (diamonds, gold, and iron), salt, soda ash; cement, oil refining, shoes, apparel, wood products, fertilizer
3.9% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
31.219 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
2.61% (2023 est.)
2.61% (2022 est.)
2.81% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment
Total: 4.6% (2021 est.)
Male: 3.7%
Female: 5.5%
26.4% (2018 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line
40.5 (2018 est.)
Note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
On food: 27.4% of household expenditures (2021 est.)
On alcohol and tobacco: 1.6% of household expenditures (2021 est.)
Lowest 10%: 2.9% (2018 est.)
Highest 10%: 33.1% (2018 est.)
Note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
0.42% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.92% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.79% of GDP (2021 est.)
Note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Revenues: $8.968 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $10.017 billion (2019 est.)
-1.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
37% of GDP (2017 est.)
38% of GDP (2016 est.)
11.47% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
-$5.384 billion (2022 est.)
-$2.388 billion (2021 est.)
-$1.459 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
$11.986 billion (2022 est.)
$9.874 billion (2021 est.)
$8.555 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
India 27%, UAE 11%, South Africa 9%, Kenya 5%, Rwanda 5% (2022)
Note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Gold, raw copper, refined copper, copper ore, coconuts/Brazil nuts/cashews (2022)
Note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
$16.674 billion (2022 est.)
$11.61 billion (2021 est.)
$9.151 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
China 30%, India 18%, UAE 11%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 5%, Saudi Arabia 2% (2022)
Note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Refined petroleum, refined copper, garments, fertilizers, plastics (2022)
Note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
$5.05 billion (2018 est.)
$5.888 billion (2017 est.)
$4.351 billion (2016 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
$22.054 billion (2019 est.)
$20.569 billion (2018 est.)
Tanzanian shillings (TZS) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
2,297.764 (2021 est.)
2,294.146 (2020 est.)
2,288.207 (2019 est.)
2,263.782 (2018 est.)
2,228.857 (2017 est.)
Electrification - total population: 45.8% (2022 est.)
Electrification - urban areas: 74.7%
Electrification - rural areas: 36%
Installed generating capacity: 1.677 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 7.931 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 148.53 million kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.238 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 109; imports 108; consumption 114; installed generating capacity 126
Fossil fuels: 67.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Solar: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Hydroelectricity: 31.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Biomass and waste: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Production: 2.511 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Consumption: 802,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 1.71 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 100 metric tons (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 1.41 billion metric tons (2022 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 58,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Production: 1.808 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Consumption: 1.808 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 6.513 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
12.804 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 1.762 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 7.494 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 3.547 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
3.221 million Btu/person (2022 est.)
Total subscriptions: 85,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
Total subscriptions: 60.192 million (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 92 (2022 est.)
General assessment:
Tanzania’s telecom sector enjoys effective competition, particularly in the mobile segment; the government has encouraged foreign participation to promote economic growth and social development, and policy reforms have led to the country having one of the most liberal telecom sectors in Africa; the government has sought to increase broadband penetration by a range of measures, including the reduction in VAT charged on the sale of smartphones and other devices, and reductions in the cost of data; the MNOs became the leading ISPs following the launch of mobile broadband services based on 3G and LTE technologies; operators are hoping for revenue growth in the mobile data services market, given that the voice market is almost entirely prepaid; the MNOs have invested in network upgrades, which in turn has supported m-mobile data use, as well as m-money transfer services and banking services. Together, these have become a fast-developing source of revenue; the landing of the first international submarine cables in the country some years ago revolutionized the telecom market, which up to that point had entirely depended on expensive satellite connections; following the signing of infrastructure investment agreements with mobile network operators, the government plans to extend its national ICT broadband backbone to 99 or 185 districts by 2024 and to all districts by 2030
(2022)
Domestic: fixed-line telephone network is 2 connections per 100 persons; mobile-cellular service is 92 telephones per 100 persons (2022)
International: country code - 255; landing points for the EASSy, SEACOM/Tata TGN-Eurasia, and SEAS fiber-optic submarine cable system linking East Africa with the Middle East; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean) (2019)
According to statistics from the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), Tanzania had 45 television stations as of 2020; 13 of those stations provided national content services (commercially broadcasting free-to-air television); there are 196 radio stations, most operating at the district level, but also including 5 independent nationally broadcasting stations and 1 state-owned national radio station; international broadcasting is available through satellite television which is becoming increasingly widespread; there are 3 major satellite TV providers (2020)
.tz
Total: 20.48 million (2021 est.)
Percent of population: 32% (2021 est.)
Total: 1,135,608 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2020 est.)
Number of registered air carriers: 11 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 91
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,481,557 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 390,000 (2018) mt-km
5H
206 (2024)
311 km gas, 891 km oil, 8 km refined products (2013)
Total: 4,097 km (2022)
Standard gauge: 421 km (2022)
Narrow gauge: 969 km (2022) 1.067 m gauge
Broad gauge: 2,707 km (2022) 1.000 m guage
Total: 145,203 km
Paved: 11,201 km
Unpaved: 134,002 km (2022)
1,594 km (2022) (Lake Tanganyika 673 km, Lake Victoria 337 km, and Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) 584 km are the principal avenues of commerce with neighboring countries; the rivers are not navigable)
Total: 381 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 4, container ship 17, general cargo 170, oil tanker 58, other 132
Total ports: 8 (2024)
Large: 0
Medium: 1
Small: 3
Very small: 4
Ports with oil terminals: 4
Key ports: Chake Chake, Dar Es Salaam, Tanga, Zanzibar
Tanzania People's Defense Forces (TPDF or Jeshi la Wananchi la Tanzania, JWTZ): Land Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force, National Building Army (Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa, JKT), People's Militia (Reserves)
Ministry of Home Affairs: Tanzania Police Force (2024)
Note 1: the National Building Army (aka National Services) is a paramilitary organization under the Defense Forces that provides six months of military and vocational training to individuals as part of their two years of public service; after completion of training, some graduates join the regular Defense Forces while the remainder become part of the People's (or Citizen's) Militia
Note 2: the Tanzania Police Force includes the Police Field Force (aka Field Force Unit), a special police division with the responsibility for controlling unlawful demonstrations and riots
1.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.1% of GDP (2021 est.)
1.2% of GDP (2020 est.)
1.1% of GDP (2019 est.)
Approximately 25,000 active-duty personnel (21,000 Land Forces; 1,000 Naval Forces; 3,000 Air Force) (2023)
The TPDF's inventory includes mostly Soviet-era and Chinese equipment; in recent years, China has been the leading supplier of arms and equipment (2023)
18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 6-year commitment (2-year contracts afterwards); selective conscription for 2 years of public service (2024)
520 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 850 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO; note - the MONUSCO mission is in the process of drawing down forces); 125 Lebanon (UNIFIL); approximately 300 Mozambique (under bi-lateral agreement to assist with combatting an insurgency) (2024)
The TDPF’s primary concerns are maritime piracy and smuggling, border security, terrorism, animal poaching, and spillover from instability in neighboring countries, particularly Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); it participates in multinational training exercises, regional peacekeeping deployments, and has ties with a variety of foreign militaries, including those of China and the US; it has contributed troops to the UN’s Force Intervention Brigade in the DRC and to the Southern African Development Community intervention force in Mozambique; since 2020, the TPDF has deployed additional troops to its border with Mozambique following several cross-border attacks by fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham operating in Mozambique (2023)
Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Mozambique (ISIS-M)
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide
Refugees (country of origin): 89,163 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 112,779 (Burundi) (2024)
Significant transit country for illicit drugs in East Africa; international drug trafficking organizations and courier networks transit illicit drugs through mainland Tanzania to markets in within Africa, Europe and North America; cultivates cannabis and khat for domestic consumption and regional and international distribution; domestic drug use continues increasing including methamphetamine heroin use (2023)