Country name

conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania
conventional short form: Tanzania
former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Government type

republic

Capital

Dar es Salaam; note - legislative offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital; the National Assembly now meets there on regular basis

Administrative divisions

26 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida, Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar Urban/West

National holiday

Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Location

Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique

Geographic coordinates

6 00 S, 35 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 945,087 sq km
note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar
water: 59,050 sq km
land: 886,037 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than twice the size of California

Land boundaries

total: 3,861 km
border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Coastline

1,424 km

Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions)

territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Climate

varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Terrain

plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

Natural resources

hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel

Land use

arable land: 4.23%
permanent crops: 1.16%
other: 94.61% (2005)

GDP

$57.89 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
$55.19 billion (2008 est.)
$51.37 billion (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

4.9% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
7.4% (2008 est.)
7.1% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita

$1,400 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202
$1,400 (2008 est.)
$1,300 (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 26.4%
industry: 22.6%
services: 50.9% (2009 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 80%
industry and services: 20% (2002 est.)

Industries

agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine); diamond, gold, and iron mining, salt, soda ash; cement, oil refining, shoes, apparel, wood products, fertilizer

Agriculture - products

coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat, cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Exports

$2.976 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
$3.037 billion (2008 est.)

Exports - commodities

gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton

Exports - partners

India 9.1%, Japan 6.5%, China 6.3%, UAE 5.7%, Netherlands 5.5%, Germany 5.1% (2008)

Imports

$5.776 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
$6.44 billion (2008 est.)

Imports - commodities

consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial raw materials, crude oil

Imports - partners

China 13.7%, India 13.4%, South Africa 7.4%, Kenya 6.6%, UAE 5.6% (2008)

Currency

Tanzanian shilling (TZS)

Currency code

TZS

Exchange rates

Tanzanian shillings (TZS) per US dollar - 1,317.5 (2009), 1,178.1 (2008), 1,255 (2007), 1,251.9 (2006), 1,128.93 (2005)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June