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Tanzania

Tanzania, pronounced tan zuh NEE uh or pronounced tan ZAN ee uh, is a large country in eastern Africa that borders the Indian Ocean. Most of Tanzania lies on the mainland of Africa. Several nearby islands make up the rest of the country. Dar es Salaam is Tanzania's capital and largest city. However, the government has announced plans to move the capital to Dodoma, in central Tanzania. The country's official name is the United Republic of Tanzania.

Tanzania's population consists mainly of black Africans. The rest are people of Asian or European descent. Tanzania is one of the world's poorest countries. Most of its people live in rural areas and farm for a living. The government has tried to develop industries, but the economy still depends heavily on agricultural production and imported goods.

Tanzania's fascinating wildlife and spectacular scenery are world famous. Elephants, giraffes, lions, zebras, and many other wild animals roam across the vast Serengeti National Park, Selous Game Reserve, and other areas where hunting is banned or limited. Africa's highest mountain, the majestic, snow-capped Kilimanjaro, rises 19,340 feet (5,895 meters) in northern Tanzania. Lake Tanganyika, the longest freshwater lake in the world, extends 420 miles (680 kilometers) along the country's western border. Part of Lake Victoria, which is the largest lake in Africa, lies within northern Tanzania. The lake covers an area of 26,828 square miles (69,484 square kilometers).

During the 1800's, Germany established a colony on the mainland of what is now Tanzania. Britain ruled a group of nearby islands, known as Zanzibar. The mainland area became the British colony of Tanganyika during the early 1900's. Both Tanganyika and Zanzibar gained independence during the early 1960's. In 1964, they united to form Tanzania.

Government

From 1964 to 1992, Tanzania was a one-party state. The Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) or Revolutionary Party established government policies. In 1992, Tanzania legalized opposition parties. The country's first national multiparty elections were held in late 1995.

National government. Voters throughout Tanzania elect a president, who heads the national government. Voters in Zanzibar also elect their own president. Both presidents serve five-year terms. The president of Tanzania is assisted by a Cabinet, which includes the vice president, a prime minister and other ministers appointed by the president, and the president of Zanzibar.

The National Assembly is the nation's lawmaking body. It has 274 members. Zanzibar also has a 76-member House of Representatives. This body makes laws for Zanzibar, though the national government controls Zanzibar's finances. Voters elect most members of both legislatures. Some members are appointed. Members of both bodies serve five-year terms.

Regional and local government. Tanzania is divided into 25 regions for administrative purposes. Local government has special responsibility in the areas of agriculture, education, and health care.

Politics. The Chama Cha Mapinduzi is Tanzania's largest political party. Other parties include the Civic United Front (CUF) and the National Convention for Construction and Reform-Mageuzi Party (NCCR-Mageuzi).

Courts. The Tanzania Court of Appeals is the country's highest court. Lower courts include district courts and local primary courts.

Armed forces. Tanzania has an army of about 45,000 members. The country also has a small navy and air force. Military service is voluntary.

People

Population and ancestry. More than half of Tanzania's people live in the northern third of the country. Areas near mountains in the north and lakes in the west have especially dense populations. Most of the country's people live in rural areas.

About 98 percent of Tanzania's people are black Africans. Most of the rest are people descended from Arabs, Europeans, and Asians from India and Pakistan.

The black Africans belong to about 120 ethnic groups, including the Sukuma, Chagga, Makonde, and Nyamwezi peoples. No single group is large enough to control the country, and Tanzania has not suffered the ethnic violence that has troubled other African nations. Tanzania's ethnic balance has helped the government develop a sense of national unity.

Way of life. Most rural Tanzanians farm for a living. Some raise livestock, such as chickens, goats, and sheep. Raising cattle is the chief activity of the Masai and other peoples in the interior of Tanzania. Fishing is an important activity for people who live along the Indian Ocean coast, on the nearby islands, and near inland lakes.

Many city dwellers work for the national government. Many others work in trade, tourism, and other service industries.

Under Tanzanian law, women have the same rights as men. In practice, however, women still have lesser rights in such areas as education, marriage, and ownership of property. Women are largely responsible for homemaking and raising children. In rural areas, they often perform more farm work than men.

Languages. Swahili (also known as Kiswahili) and English are the official languages of Tanzania. Swahili, a blend of Arab and African languages, is more commonly used in everyday speech and serves as the national language. Most blacks also speak at least one tribal language. Almost all the tribal languages are in the Bantu language family.

Housing. Most homes are made of wooden frames plastered with mud and include a garden area nearby. Some homes are round with thatched roofs. Others are rectangular with flat mud roofs. Some homes have metal roofs. In urban areas, some homes are made of cement blocks or baked clay bricks.

Clothing in Tanzania is similar to that worn in other parts of eastern Africa. Traditional clothing among the black Africans includes a colorful, wrap-style garment for women called the kanga, and the kikoi wrap for men. Many Muslim men wear a flowing white robe called the kanzu. Since about 1960, Western-style pants and shirts have become increasingly popular among the men of Tanzania.

Food and drink. Tanzanians prepare a variety of dishes with corn, sorghum, and other grains. One of the most popular meals, called ugali, is a porridge made with corn. Fish is an important part of the diet of Tanzanians who live on the islands and along the coast. Bottled beers and soft drinks are popular. The Chagga people produce a well-known beer called mbege.

Recreation. The most common forms of recreation in Tanzania include dancing and singing. Many Tanzanians also enjoy playing soccer or watching soccer matches. A number of Tanzanians have become world-class long-distance runners.

Religion. About 35 percent of the population are Muslims (followers of Islam). Many of Tanzania's Muslims live on Zanzibar and along the country's coast. Christians make up about 30 percent of Tanzania's population. Most other Tanzanians practice traditional African religions.

Education. Most of the adult population of Tanzania can read and write. For the country's literacy rate, see LITERACY (table: Literacy rates for selected countries). Although Tanzanian law requires seven years of elementary education, only about half of the children go to elementary school. Very few attend high school. Many children who do not attend school come from poor families and are needed to work on family farm plots. Due to economic problems, schools have a shortage of basic school supplies.

The University of Dar es Salaam is Tanzania's chief university. It has about 3,500 students. Many adults attend technical and vocational schools.

The arts. Tanzania's most common artistic expressions include traditional African music and dance. These art forms often tell stories of tribal heroes and local gods. Other notable art forms are associated with various ethnic groups, such as carved figures and masks of the Makonde, carved animal figures of the Zaramo, and leather shields of the Masai.

Land and climate

Lake Nyasa, Lake Tanganyika, and many mountains of Tanzania are part of the Great Rift Valley. This long valley, which runs north and south through eastern Africa, consists of a series of cracks in the earth that form deep, steep-sided valleys. The valley has branches that extend through central Tanzania and along the country's western border. Tanzania's land regions include (1) the coastal lowlands and islands, (2) the plateaus, and (3) the highlands.

The coastal lowlands and islands. The mainland borders the Indian Ocean along a 500-mile (800-kilometer) coast. The coastal strip has many mangrove swamps and coconut palm groves. The northern and southern lowlands extend inland between 10 to 40 miles (16 to 64 kilometers). The central lowlands extend farther into the country.

Zanzibar, the largest coral island off the African coast, covers 640 square miles (1,658 square kilometers). Another Tanzanian island, Pemba Island, lies 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Zanzibar Island. Pemba covers 380 square miles (984 square kilometers).

The coastal lowlands and islands make up the hottest and wettest part of Tanzania. High temperatures average 85 °F. (29 °C). year around. Annual rainfall totals between about 31 and 55 inches (80 to 140 centimeters) on the lowlands and exceeds 40 inches (100 centimeters) on the islands.

The plateaus rise gradually from the coastal lowlands. They include a vast grassland in northeastern Tanzania, called the Masai Steppe, and a grassy central plateau that covers more than a third of the country. The Masai Steppe rises to about 3,500 feet (1,100 meters) above sea level. It is home to the Masai people, who graze cattle there. West of the steppe, the central plateau reaches about 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) above sea level. The central section is usually drier than the coastal lowlands or highlands. It is mostly covered by grasses or barren land, with patches of trees and shrubs. Parts of this region receive less than 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain annually. The plateaus have average daytime highs of 84 °F. (29 °C) and cool nights.

The highlands. Northern Tanzania has some of the country's highest mountain ranges, which include Kilimanjaro. Several other highlands rise in the central and southern regions. Temperatures in the highlands average about 75 °F. (24 °C). Highland regions often receive more than 40 inches (100 centimeters) of rain each year.

Rivers and lakes. The Rufiji is Tanzania's chief river. It flows from the southern highlands and drains much of southern Tanzania. Other major rivers include the Pangani, the Ruvuma, and the Wami. Lake Victoria lies in northern Tanzania and forms part of its border with Kenya and Uganda. Lakes Tanganyika and Nyasa lie along the country's western border.

Animal life. Tanzania is famous for its millions of large, wild animals that thrive in vast parklands. In northern Tanzania, Serengeti National Park covers about 5,600 square miles (14,500 square kilometers) and is noted for its lions and huge herds of antelopes and zebras. In the south, the Selous Game Reserve--the world's largest animal reserve--covers about 21,000 square miles (54,000 square kilometers). It has about 50,000 elephants--one of the largest populations in Africa. Other animals common to Tanzania include baboons, buffaloes, hippopotamuses, giraffes, monkeys, and rhinoceroses. The government allows limited hunting in some areas. But poachers (people who hunt illegally) remain a problem.

Economy

Tanzania has a developing economy based on agriculture. The country follows a socialist economic system, under which the government controls the nation's banks, major industries, and large farms. Some small businesses are privately owned. Although the government has encouraged industrial development, most industries are small and unprofitable. Tanzania depends on hydroelectric plants and imported petroleum to generate electric power.

Agriculture. Although only about 5 percent of Tanzania's land area is used for farming, agriculture accounts for more than a third of the country's economic production. The richest soil lies in the northern and southern highlands and around Lake Victoria.

Most farming is done by hand with hoes and long-bladed knives. Many farmers can grow only enough food to feed themselves and their families. Chief food crops include bananas, cassava, corn, millet, rice, sorghum, wheat, and vegetables. The Masai and some other peoples raise cattle.

Large, government-operated farms produce many of the crops that Tanzania exports. Most of these farms were private plantations under British rule. The major export crops include coffee, cotton, tea, and tobacco. About two-thirds of Tanzania's export earnings come from these crops. Other important crops produced for foreign trade include cashew nuts, cloves, coconuts, sisal (a plant used in making rope), and sugar cane.

Service industries, taken together, account for about half the total value of Tanzania's economic production. Government and trade are the leading service industries. Other service industries include banking, education, health care, insurance, and tourism.

The government administers many service industries, including banking, education, insurance, and health care. Most of Tanzania's wholesale and retail trade involves the sale of farm products. Tourism benefits many types of establishments, including hotels, national parks, and restaurants. The chief tourist attractions are the wildlife in the national parks. Many tourists also enjoy the palm-shaded coastal beaches.

Manufacturing contributes about 5 percent of the country's economic production. Food processing is Tanzania's chief industry. Other important industries produce fertilizer, textiles, and petroleum products. Tanzania also has factories that produce aluminum, cement, paper, sugar, and steel.

Mining accounts for less than 1 percent of the economic production of Tanzania. Mining operations produce diamonds and other gemstones, coal, and gold.

Foreign trade. Coffee, cotton, tea, and tobacco are Tanzania's main exports. Zanzibar's primary export is cloves. The leading imports include chemicals, construction materials, food, machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, and transportation equipment. Tanzania's main trading partners are Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

Transportation and communication. Tanzania's large area and poor economic conditions have made development of transportation and communication services difficult. The country has about 50,000 miles (80,000 kilometers) of roads. But few roads are paved, and most are poorly maintained. Less than 1 percent of all Tanzanians own a car. Tanzania's main railway links Dar es Salaam with Zambia on the west. Dar es Salaam, which has a fine harbor, is Tanzania's chief port. It handles trade from Burundi, Congo (Kinshasa), Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zambia. International airports operate at Dar es Salaam, near Arusha, and on Zanzibar.

Three daily newspapers are published in Tanzania--two in Swahili and one in English. The country has two radio stations and an average of 1 radio for every 12 people. Television service is available only on Zanzibar.

History

In Tanzania, scientists have found remains of some of the earliest-known human settlements. Anthropologist Louis Leakey and other members of the Leakey family discovered bones, tools, and other signs of early human life in the Olduvai Gorge area of northern Tanzania. Some remains date back more than 1 million years.

The prehistoric human beings who lived in what is now Tanzania were hunters and gatherers. They lived in small groups, catching animals and collecting wild plants for food. By about A.D. 500, people who spoke Bantu languages migrated from the north and from central Africa to eastern Africa.

The development of trade. Arab traders from the Middle East began to settle along the coast of eastern Africa during the 1100's. These traders often married African women. These Arab-African families and their settlements produced the Swahili culture. Major trading centers developed on Zanzibar and other islands.

In the early 1500's, Portuguese traders gained control of Africa's east coast. Local rebellions helped push out the Portuguese in the late 1600's. In 1698, Arabs from Oman, a country on the Arabian Peninsula, took control of Zanzibar and developed trade on the mainland. By this time, the Nyamwezi and Yao ethnic groups had become active in long-distance trade. Their caravans brought gold, ivory, and slaves from the interior to the coast, where they exchanged them for such items as cloth, glassware, and ceramics from Asia.

The Arabs also developed the slave trade. From the mid-1700's to the late 1800's, the Arabs sold thousands of black Africans from the mainland into slavery. Zanzibar was a major slave market. The slave trade caused much conflict and broke up many African communities.

German and British rule. In the 1800's, explorers and Christian missionaries from Europe traveled deep into the mainland of what is now Tanzania. European nations increasingly competed for control of African territory. During the 1880's, Germany took control of the present-day mainland of Tanzania. The Germans forced many Africans to work on plantations. This action contributed to a major uprising in 1905 called the Maji Maji rebellion. German forces killed many thousands of Africans before putting down the revolt.

Britain made Zanzibar and Pemba islands a British protectorate in 1890. The British gradually took over the powers of the Omani sultans in local affairs. After Germany's defeat in World War I (1914-1918), Britain gained control over the mainland and named it Tanganyika. During this period, people from other parts of the British Empire and Europe began to settle in Tanganyika. These immigrants included thousands of Indians who worked as merchants and traders.

Independence. In 1946, Tanganyika became a United Nations trust territory. Britain had the responsibility of preparing it for independence.

In Tanganyika, Britain sought to create a political system with equal representation of Europeans, Asians, and Africans. The Africans argued that such a system denied them their rights as the vast majority. In 1954, the Africans formed the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU). Led by Julius Nyerere and others, TANU won independence with majority rule for Tanganyika in 1961. The next year, Nyerere was elected president. Britain granted Zanzibar independence in 1963.

The united republic. Tanganyika and Zanzibar joined together in April 1964 and adopted the name of the United Republic of Tanzania in October. Nyerere became the country's first president. Under his direction, Tanzania adopted a socialist economic system. Nyerere based the system on ujamaa, a Swahili word for traditional African cooperation and self-reliance. The government took control of many privately owned businesses. It also encouraged farmers to move from small, widely scattered village sites to larger ujamaa villages. These villages were supposed to increase agricultural production and make it easier for the government to provide health and educational services.

At first, families moved voluntarily to ujamaa villages. But during the mid-1970's, police and military forces forced about 5 million others to move. Many farmers disliked the ujamaa villages, which were far from the farmers' plots of land in their former villages.

In foreign affairs, Nyerere worked to increase regional cooperation. In 1967, Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda formed the East African Community. This organization promoted trade and coordinated economic development between the countries. In 1977, however, the East African Community fell apart. The collapse occurred largely because of Kenya's emphasis on private enterprise and Tanzania's commitment to socialism. In addition, Uganda was ruled by a brutal dictator, Idi Amin Dada. Amin's government, which killed thousands of Ugandans, sent troops that invaded Tanzania in 1978. Tanzanian forces soon beat back the invaders and helped Ugandan rebels overthrow Amin. The war was a moral and military triumph for Tanzania. But it cost over $500 million at a time when the country's economy was suffering from the high price of imported oil.

Recent developments. During the 1980's, growing trade deficits and debt contributed to an economic collapse. The economic hard times forced Tanzania to alter its socialist system. The government decreased its control of the economy and opened more areas for private businesses. Some improvements occurred, but the economy still faced serious difficulties.

Nyerere retired as president in 1985 and as CCM chairman in 1990. But he remains a major influence in Tanzania. Ali Hassan Mwinyi succeeded Nyerere as president and as CCM chairman. Mwinyi continued to work for less state control of the economy. Opposition parties were legalized in 1992, and the country's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. Benjamin Mkapa of the CCM was elected president.