ARCHIVE // TZ // 2015

Tanzania

2015 Edition — sovereign

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
View Intelligence Dossier Back to 2015 CSV Excel Print All Years
Communications
Broadcast media [time series]
a state-owned TV station and multiple privately owned TV stations; state-owned national radio station supplemented by more than 40 privately owned radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available (2007)
Internet country code [time series]
.tz
Internet users [time series]
total: 7.4 million | percent of population: 15.0% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 51
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
general assessment: telecommunications services are marginal; system operating below capacity and being modernized for better service; small aperture terminal (VSAT) system under construction | domestic: fixed-line telephone network inadequate with less than 1 connection per 100 persons; mobile-cellular service, aided by multiple providers, is increasing rapidly and in 2011 exceeded a subscriber base of 50 telephones per 100 persons; trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being made digital | international: country code - 255; landing point for the EASSy fiber-optic submarine cable system linking East Africa with Europe and North America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean) (2010)
Telephones - fixed lines [time series]
total subscriptions: 150,000 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 139
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
total: 31.9 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 64 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 37
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
3 (1999)
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat, cassava (manioc, tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats
Budget [time series]
revenues: $6.44 billion | expenditures: $8.626 billion (2014 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]
-6% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 184
Central bank discount rate [time series]
8.25% (31 December 2010) | 3.7% (31 December 2009) | country comparison to the world: 34
Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]
17.4% (31 December 2014 est.) | 15.82% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 24
Current account balance [time series]
-$4.868 billion (2014 est.) | -$5.188 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 170
Debt - external [time series]
$15.35 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $13.83 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]
37.6 (2007) | 34.6 (2000) | country comparison to the world: 76
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
Tanzania is one of the world's poorest economies in terms of per capita income, but has achieved high growth rates based on its vast natural resource wealth and tourism. GDP growth in 2009-14 was an impressive 6-7% per year. Tanzania has largely completed its transition to a market economy, though the government retains a presence in sectors such as telecommunications, banking, energy, and mining. The economy depends on agriculture, which accounts for more than one-quarter of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs about 80% of the work force. The World Bank, the IMF, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's aging infrastructure, including rail and port, that provide important trade links for inland countries. Recent banking reforms have helped increase private-sector growth and investment, and the government has increased spending on agriculture to 7% of its budget. The financial sector in Tanzania has expanded in recent years and foreign-owned banks account for about 48% of the banking industry's total assets. Competition among foreign commercial banks has resulted in significant improvements in the efficiency and quality of financial services, though interest rates are still relatively high, reflecting high fraud risk. All land in Tanzania is owned by the government, which can lease land for up to 99 years. Proposed reforms to allow for land ownership, particularly foreign land ownership, remain unpopular. In 2013, Tanzania completed the world's largest Millennium Challenge Compact grant, worth $698 million, and, in December 2014, the Millennium Challenge Corporation selected Tanzania for a second Compact. Dar es Salaam used fiscal stimulus measures and easier monetary policies to lessen the impact of the global recession. In late 2014, a highly publicized scandal in the energy sector involving senior Tanzanian officials resulted in international donors freezing nearly $500 million in direct budget support to the government.
Exchange rates [time series]
Tanzanian shillings (TZS) per US dollar - | 1,647.8 (2014 est.) | 1,600.4 (2013 est.) | 1,583 (2012 est.) | 1,572.1 (2011 est.) | 1,409.3 (2010 est.)
Exports [time series]
$6.084 billion (2014 est.) | $5.258 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110
Exports - commodities [time series]
gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton
Exports - partners [time series]
India 20%, China 13.3%, Japan 4.7%, UAE 4.4%, Kenya 4.2% (2013)
Fiscal year [time series]
1 July - 30 June
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$47.93 billion (2014 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$127.1 billion (2014 est.) | $118.5 billion (2013 est.) | $110.5 billion (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 84
GDP - composition, by end use [time series]
household consumption: 66% | government consumption: 19.8% | investment in fixed capital: 33.2% | investment in inventories: 0.6% | exports of goods and services: 20.6% | imports of goods and services: -40.3% | (2014 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]
agriculture: 26.9% | industry: 25.2% | services: 48% (2014 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$2,700 (2014 est.) | $2,500 (2013 est.) | $2,300 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 204
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
7.2% (2014 est.) | 7.3% (2013 est.) | 5.1% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 17
Gross national saving [time series]
21.6% of GDP (2014 est.) | 14.5% of GDP (2013 est.) | 19.5% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 94
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: 2.8% | highest 10%: 29.6% (2007)
Imports [time series]
$11.95 billion (2014 est.) | $11.03 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96
Imports - commodities [time series]
consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial raw materials, crude oil
Imports - partners [time series]
India 25%, China 24.6%, South Africa 5.1%, Kenya 4.4% (2013)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
8.1% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 22
Industries [time series]
agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine); mining (diamonds, gold, and iron), salt, soda ash; cement, oil refining, shoes, apparel, wood products, fertilizer
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
6.1% (2014 est.) | 7.9% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 184
Labor force [time series]
25 million (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 27
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 80% | industry and services: 20% (2002 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]
$1.803 billion (31 December 2012 est.) | $1.539 billion (31 December 2011) | $1.264 billion (31 December 2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 102
Population below poverty line [time series]
67.9% (2011 est.)
Public debt [time series]
43.8% of GDP (2014 est.) | 41.5% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$4.758 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $4.674 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | note: excludes gold | country comparison to the world: 96
Stock of broad money [time series]
$7.936 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $7.533 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 113
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]
$NA
Stock of domestic credit [time series]
$8.647 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $8.202 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 108
Stock of narrow money [time series]
$4.799 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $4.573 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 102
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
17.6% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 177
Unemployment rate [time series]
NA%
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]
9.295 million Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 104
Crude oil - exports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 195
Crude oil - imports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133
Crude oil - production [time series]
10 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 123
Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]
0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 200
Electricity - consumption [time series]
4.137 billion kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 124
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 208
Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]
33.5% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 174
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]
66.5% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 29
Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 194
Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133
Electricity - imports [time series]
52 million kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 100
Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]
845,000 kW (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 127
Electricity - production [time series]
5.115 billion kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
928.8 million cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 92
Natural gas - exports [time series]
0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 196
Natural gas - imports [time series]
0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 141
Natural gas - production [time series]
928.8 million cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 65
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
6.513 billion cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 85
Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]
52,520 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 99
Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 138
Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]
30,750 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 91
Refined petroleum products - production [time series]
0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 202
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 947,300 sq km | land: 885,800 sq km | water: 61,500 sq km | note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar | country comparison to the world: 31
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 (highest point in Africa)
Environment - current issues [time series]
soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory
International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]
total: 5.18 cu km/yr (10%/0%/89%) | per capita: 144.7 cu m/yr (2002)
Geographic coordinates [time series]
6 00 S, 35 00 E
Geography - note [time series]
Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa and one of only two mountains on the continent that has glaciers (the other is Mount Kenya); 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
Irrigated land [time series]
1,843 sq km (2003)
Land boundaries [time series]
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
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 43.7% | arable land 14.3%; permanent crops 2.3%; permanent pasture 27.1% | forest: 37.3% | other: 19% (2011 est.)
Location [time series]
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique
Map references [time series]
Africa
Maritime claims [time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought | volcanism: limited volcanic activity; Ol Doinyo Lengai (elev. 2,962 m) has emitted lava in recent years; other historically active volcanoes include Kieyo and Meru
Natural resources [time series]
hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel
Terrain [time series]
plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south
Total renewable water resources [time series]
96.27 cu km (2011)
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
30 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, Tabora, Tanga
Capital [time series]
name: Dodoma; note - officially changed in 1996; serves as the meeting place for the National Assembly; the excutive branch offices and diplomatic representation remain in Dar es Salaam, the largest city and commercial capital | geographic coordinates: 6 48 S, 39 17 E | time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Constitution [time series]
several previous; latest adopted 25 April 1977; amended many times, last in 2012; note - a 640-member Constituent Assembly, formed in early 2014, passed a new constitution draft in October; final passage dependent upon outcome of national referendum expected in 2015 (2015)
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania | conventional short form: Tanzania | local long form: Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania | local short form: Tanzania | former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Mark Bradley CHILDRESS (since 22 May 2014) | embassy: 686 Old Bagamoyo Road, Msasani, Dar es Salaam | mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam | telephone: [255] (22) 229-4000 | FAX: [255] (22) 229-4970 or 4971
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Liberata Rutageruka MULAMULA (since 17 July 2013) | chancery: 1232 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 | telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125 | FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December 2005); Vice President Mohammed Gharib BILAL (since 6 November 2010); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government | head of government: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December 2005); Vice President Mohammed Gharib BILAL (since 6 November 2010) | 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 31 October 2010 (next to be held on 25 October 2015); prime minister appointed by the president | election results: Jakaya KIKWETE elected president; percent of vote - Jakaya KIKWETE (CCM) 61.2%, Willibrod SLAA (CHADEMA) 26.3%, Ibrahim LIPUMBA (CUF) 8.1%, other 4.4% | note: Zanzibar elects a president as head of government for matters internal to Zanzibar; Ali Mohamed SHEIN (CCM) elected Zanzibar president on 31 October 2010, sworn in 3 November 2010
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; 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
Government type [time series]
republic
Independence [time series]
26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent on 9 December 1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent on 10 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar on 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania on 29 October 1964
International law organization participation [time series]
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation [time series]
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, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch [time series]
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 NA judges) | 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 appointed until mandatory retirement at age 60 but can be extended; High Court of Zanzibar judges appointed by the national president after consultation with the Judicial Commission of Zanzibar; judge tenure NA | subordinate courts: Resident Magistrates Courts; Kadhi courts (for Islamic family matters); district and primary courts
Legal system [time series]
English common law; judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation
Legislative branch [time series]
description: unicameral National Assembly or Parliament (Bunge) (357 seats; 239 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 102 women directly 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 (81 seats; 50 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 15 women directly elected by proportional representation vote, 10 appointed by the Zanzibar president, 5 seats reserved for government appointed regional commissioners, and 1 seat for the attorney general; elected members serve 5-year terms) | elections: last held on 31 October 2010 (next to be held in 2015) | election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CCM 259, CHADEMA 48, CUF 34, NCCR-M 4, other 7, Zanzibar representatives 5; Zanzibar House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CCM 28, CUF 22
National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]
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
National holiday [time series]
Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)
National symbol(s) [time series]
Uhuru (Freedom) torch, giraffe; national colors: green, yellow, blue, black
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Alliance for Chance and Transparency or ACT [Samson MWIGAMBA] | Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy and Development) or CHADEMA [Willibrod SLAA] | Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM (Revolutionary Party) [Jakaya Mrisho KIKWETE] | Civic United Front or CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA] | Democratic Party or DP [Christopher MTIKLA] (unregistered) | National Convention for Construction and Reform - Mageuzi or NCCR-M [Hashim RUNGWE] | Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Mutamwega MUGAHWYA] | United Democratic Party or UDP [Fahma DOVUTWA] | Note: in March 2014, three opposition parties (CUF, CHADEMA, and NCCR-Mageusi) united to form Umoja wa Katiba ya Wananchi (Coalition for the People's Constituion) or UKAWA; during local elections held in October, 2014, UKAWA entered one candidate representing the three parties united in the coalition
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
Economic and Social Research Foundation or ESRF | Free Zanzibar | Tanzania Media Women's Association or TAMWA | Tanzaina Private Sector Foundation or TPSF | Twaweza
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
Shortly after achieving independence from Britain in the early 1960s, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the United Republic of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule ended in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular opposition led to two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling party won despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities. The formation of a government of national unity between Zanzibar's two leading parties succeeded in minimizing electoral tension in 2010.
Military
Manpower available for military service [time series]
males age 16-49: 9,985,445 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service [time series]
males age 16-49: 5,860,339 | females age 16-49: 5,882,279 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]
male: 512,294 | female: 514,164 (2010 est.)
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
Tanzania People's Defense Force (Jeshi la Wananchi la Tanzania, JWTZ): Army, Naval Wing (includes Coast Guard), Air Defense Command (includes Air Wing), National Service (2007)
Military expenditures [time series]
1.13% of GDP (2012) | 1.12% of GDP (2011) | 1.13% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 88
Military service age and obligation [time series]
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 44.34% (male 11,428,872/female 11,205,695) | 15-24 years: 19.59% (male 4,999,410/female 4,999,503) | 25-54 years: 29.61% (male 7,588,196/female 7,524,554) | 55-64 years: 3.49% (male 772,258/female 1,010,744) | 65 years and over: 2.97% (male 648,851/female 867,799) (2015 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
36.39 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 17
Child labor - children ages 5-14 [time series]
total number: 2,815,085 | percentage: 21% | note: data represents children ages 5-17 and does not in (2006 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]
13.6% (2011) | country comparison to the world: 53
Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]
34.4% (2009/10)
Death rate [time series]
8 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 92
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: 93.8% | youth dependency ratio: 87.6% | elderly dependency ratio: 6.2% | potential support ratio: 16.1% (2015 est.)
Drinking water source [time series]
urban: 77.2% of population | rural: 45.5% of population | total: 55.6% of population | urban: 22.1% of population | rural: 56% of population | total: 46.8% of population (2015 est.)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
6.2% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 37
Ethnic groups [time series]
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
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
4.95% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 13
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
78,300 (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 5
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
1,400,500 (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 7
Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]
7.3% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 81
Hospital bed density [time series]
0.7 beds/1,000 population (2010)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 42.43 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 44.47 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 40.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 49
Languages [time series]
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
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 61.71 years | male: 60.34 years | female: 63.13 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 191
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic | total population: 70.6% | male: 75.9% | female: 65.4% (2015 est.)
Major infectious diseases [time series]
degree of risk: very high | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever | vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and Rift Valley fever | water contact diseases: schistosomiasis and leptospirosis | animal contact disease: rabies (2013)
Major urban areas - population [time series]
DAR ES SALAAM (capital) 5.116 million; Mwanza 838,000 (2015)
Median age [time series]
total: 17.4 years | male: 17.1 years | female: 17.7 years (2014 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Tanzanian(s) | adjective: Tanzanian
Net migration rate [time series]
-0.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 136
Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]
5.9% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 156
Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]
0.03 physicians/1,000 population (2012)
Population [time series]
51,045,882 | note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 26
Population growth rate [time series]
2.79% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 18
Religions [time series]
mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim
Sanitation facility access [time series]
urban: 31.3% of population | rural: 8.3% of population | total: 15.6% of population | urban: 68.7% of population | rural: 91.7% of population | total: 84.4% of population (2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 9 years | male: 9 years | female: 9 years (2012)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.76 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female | total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
4.89 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 17
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]
total: 7.1% (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 31.6% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 5.36% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River; Malawi contends that the entire lake up to the Tanzanian shoreline is its territory, while Tanzania claims the border is in the center of the lake; the conflict was reignited in 2012 when Malawi awarded a license to a British company for oil exploration in the lake
Illicit drugs [time series]
targeted by traffickers moving hashish, Afghan heroin, and South American cocaine transported down the East African coastline, through airports, or overland through Central Africa; Zanzibar likely used by traffickers for drug smuggling; traffickers in the past have recruited Tanzanian couriers to move drugs through Iran into East Asia
Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]
refugees (country of origin): 53,881 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2014); 88,546 (Burundi) (2015)
Trafficking in persons [time series]
current situation: Tanzania is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; the exploitation of young girls in domestic servitude continues to be Tanzania's largest human trafficking problem; Tanzanian boys are subject to forced labor mainly on farms but also in mines, in the commercial service sector, in the sex trade, and possibly on small fishing boats; internal trafficking is more prevalent than transnational trafficking and is usually facilitated by friends, family members, or intermediaries offering education or legitimate job opportunities; trafficking victims from Burundi, Kenya, Bangladesh, Nepal, Yemen, and India are to work in Tanzania's agricultural, mining, and domestic service sectors or may be sex trafficked | tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Tanzania does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; law enforcement made modest anti-trafficking efforts but imposed punishments on offenders that were inadequate for the seriousness of the crimes committed; key victim protection provisions of the 2008 anti-trafficking act remain unimplemented; the government continues to refer child trafficking victims to NGOs for care but has no procedure for the referral of adult victims; the national anti-trafficking action plan has not been implemented; no public awareness campaigns about the dangers of trafficking are conducted (2013)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
166 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 34
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 10 | over 3,047 m: 2 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 | 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 156 | over 3,047 m: 1 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 | 914 to 1,523 m: 98 | 33 (2013)
Merchant marine [time series]
total: 94 | by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 66, carrier 4, chemical tanker 1, container 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 10, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3 | foreign-owned: 42 (Japan 1, Romania 1, Saudi Arabia 1, Syria 23, Turkey 13, UAE 3) | registered in other countries: 3 (Panama 2, UK 1) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 52
Pipelines [time series]
gas 311 km; oil 891 km; refined products 8 km (2013)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
major seaport(s): Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar
Railways [time series]
total: 4,567 km | narrow gauge: 1,860 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,707 km 1.000-m gauge (2014) | country comparison to the world: 47
Roadways [time series]
total: 86,472 km | paved: 7,092 km | unpaved: 79,380 km (2010) | country comparison to the world: 53
Transportation - note [time series]
the International Maritime Bureau reports that shipping in territorial and offshore waters in the Indian Ocean remain at risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships, especially as Somali-based pirates extend their activities south; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen
Waterways [time series]
(Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) are the principal avenues of commerce with neighboring countries; the rivers are not navigable) (2011)