View Intelligence Dossier Back to 1998 CSV Excel Print All Years

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture-products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $959 million expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $214 million (FY96/97 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Tanzanian shilling (TSh) = 100 cents

Debt - external (Debt-external) [time series]

$7.9 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic overview (Economy-overview) [time series]

Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy is heavily dependent on agriculture, which accounts for 57% of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 90% of the work force. Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated crops to only 4% of the land area. Industry accounts for 17% of GDP and is mainly limited to processing agricultural products and light consumer goods. The economic recovery program announced in mid-1986 has generated notable increases in agricultural production and financial support for the program by bilateral donors. The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's deteriorated economic infrastructure. Growth in 1991-97 has featured a pickup in industrial production and a substantial increase in output of minerals, led by gold. Natural gas exploration in the Rufiji Delta looks promising and production could start by 2002. Recent banking reforms have helped increase private sector growth and investment.

Electricity - capacity (Electricity-capacity) [time series]

439,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita (Electricity-consumption per capita) [time series]

31 kWh (1995)

Electricity - production (Electricity-production) [time series]

895 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates [time series]

Tanzanian shillings (TSh) per US$1-631.61 (January 1998), 612.12 (1997), 579.98 (1996), 574.76 (1995), 509.63 (1994), 405.27 (1993)

Exports [time series]

total value: $760 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: coffee, manufactured goods, cotton, cashew nuts, minerals, tobacco, sisal (1995) partners: EU, Japan, India, US (1995)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July-30 June Communications

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$21.1 billion (1997 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP-composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 57% industry: 17% services: 26% (1995 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP-per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$700 (1997 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP-real growth rate) [time series]

4.3% (1997 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, crude oil partners: EU, Kenya, Japan, China, India (1995)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

0.4% (1995 est.)

Industries [time series]

primarily agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine), diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes, cement, textiles, wood products, fertilizer, salt

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate-consumer price index) [time series]

15% (1997 est.)

Labor force [time series]

total: 13.495 million by occupation: agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 10% (1995 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 12, FM 4, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

720,000 (1993 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

fair system operating below capacity domestic: open wire, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

137,000 (1989 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

3 (1995 est.); note-all on Zanzibar

Televisions [time series]

55,000 (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 945,090 sq km land: 886,040 sq km water: 59,050 sq km note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar

Area - comparative (Area-comparative) [time series]

slightly larger than twice the size of California

Climate [time series]

varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Coastline [time series]

1,424 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues (Environment-current issues) [time series]

soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture

International environmental agreements (Environment-international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

6 00 S, 35 00 E

Geography - note (Geography-note) [time series]

Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa

Irrigated land [time series]

1,500 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 3,402 km border countries: Burundi 451 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 3% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 40% forests and woodland: 38% other: 18% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

the tsetse fly; flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

25 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida, Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar Urban/West, Ziwa Magharibi note: although some recent maps have referred to Ziwa Magharibi as Kagera, the US Board on Geographic Names has not approved the change

Constitution [time series]

25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires John LANGE embassy: 36 Laibon Road (off Bagamoyo Road), Dar es Salaam mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam telephone: [255] (51) 666010 through 666015

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Mustafa Salim NYANG'ANYI chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November 1995); Vice President Omar Ali JUMA (since 23 November 1995); note the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November 1995); Vice President Omar Ali JUMA (since 23 November 1995); note-the president is both chief of state and head of government note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for matters internal to Zanzibar; Dr. Salmin AMOUR was elected to that office on 22 October 1995 in a popular election cabinet: Cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, are appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 29 October-19 November 1995 (next to be held NA October 2000); prime minister appointed by the president election results: percent of vote-Benjamin William MKAPA 62%, MREMA 28%, LIPUMBA 6%, CHEYO 4%

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (202) 797-7408

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[255] (51) 666701

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent 19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MONUA, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Court of Appeal; High Court, judges appointed by the president

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats-232 directly elected by universal adult suffrage, 37 allocated to women nominated by the president, five to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives; members serve five-year terms); note-in addition to enacting laws that apply to the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly enacts laws that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own House of Representatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the Zanzibar House of Representatives has 50 seats, directly elected by universal suffrage to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 29 October-19 November 1995 (next to be held NA October 2000) election results: National Assembly: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-CCM 186, CUF 24, NCCR-Mageuzi 16, CHADEMA 3, UDP 3;

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Dar es Salaam note: some government offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital by the end of the 1990s; the National Assembly now meets there on regular basis

National holiday [time series]

Union Day, 26 April (1964)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM (Revolutionary Party) [Benjamin William MKAPA]; Civic United Front or CUF [Seif Sharif HAMAD]; National Convention for Construction and Reform or NCCR [Lyatonga (Augustine) MREMA]; Union for Multiparty Democracy or UMD [Abdullah FUNDIKIRA]; Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo or CHADEMA [Edwin I. M. MTEI, chairman]; Democratic Party (unregistered) [Reverend MTIKLA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Legislative branch (Zanzibar House of Representatives) [time series]

percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-CCM 26, CUF 24

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Tanzanian People's Defense Force or TPDF (includes Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary Police Field Force Unit, Militia

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures-dollar figure) [time series]

$69 million (FY94/95)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures-percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

Military manpower - availability (Military manpower-availability) [time series]

males age 15-49: 6,935,184 (1998 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service (Military manpower-fit for military service) [time series]

males: 4,014,130 (1998 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 45% (male 6,804,194; female 6,844,815) 15-64 years: 53% (male 7,835,705; female 8,236,949) 65 years and over: 2% (male 408,827; female 478,279) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

40.75 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate [time series]

16.71 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

mainland-native African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab) note: Zanzibar- Arab, native African, mixed Arab and native African

Infant mortality rate [time series]

96.94 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages [time series]

Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguju (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 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, and it has become the lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of most people is one of the local languages

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 46.37 years male: 44.22 years female: 48.59 years (1998 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic total population: 67.8% male: 79.4% female: 56.8% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Tanzanian(s) adjective: Tanzanian

Net migration rate [time series]

-2.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population [time series]

30,608,769 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.14% (1998 est.)

Religions [time series]

mainland-Christian 45%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 20% note: Zanzibar-more than 99% Muslim

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.49 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes-international) [time series]

dispute with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi); Democratic Republic of the Congo-Tanzania-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it has been informally reported that the indefinite section of the Democratic Republic of the Congo-Zambia boundary has been settled

Illicit drugs [time series]

growing role in transshipment of Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for European and US markets and of South Asian methaqualone bound for Southern Africa THAILAND

Transportation

Airports [time series]

123 (1997 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports-with paved runways) [time series]

total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports-with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 112 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 60 under 914 m: 35 (1997 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 88,200 km paved: 3,704 km unpaved: 84,496 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 30,371 GRT/41,269 DWT ships by type: cargo 3, oil tanker 2, passenger-cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1997 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 982 km

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Bukoba, Dar es Salaam, Kigoma, Kilwa Masoko, Lindi, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pangani, Tanga, Wete, Zanzibar

Railways [time series]

total: 3,569 km (1995) narrow gauge: 2,600 km 1.000-m gauge; 969 km 1.067-m gauge note: the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gauge track between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia (of which 969 km are in Tanzania and 891 km are in Zambia) is not a part of Tanzania Railways Corporation; because of the difference in gauge, this system does not connect to Tanzania Railways

Waterways [time series]

Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, Lake Nyasa