Country Profile · No. 49

Tanzania

Capital / Admin Capital

Dodoma (official capital) / Dar es Salaam (commercial hub and largest city)Population: ~67.4MIndependence: 1961 (Tanganyika independence in 1961; united with Zanzibar in 1964)

First President

Julius Nyerere (1964–1985, revered founding father Mwalimu)Current President: Samia Suluhu Hassan (Serving since March 2021, Tanzania's first female president)

Geography & Borders

Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Indian Ocean. East African nation boasting majestic wildlife parks, the Great Rift Valley, and the semiautonomous archipelago of Zanzibar.

Demographics & Language

Christianity (~61%), Islam (~35% mainland, nearly 99% in Zanzibar). Official: Swahili language, English language. Major groups: Sukuma (~16%), Nyamwezi (~4%), Chagga (~7%), Haya (~5%), Makonde.

Economy & GDP

Wildlife tourism and safaris, agriculture (coffee, tea, cloves from Zanzibar, cashew nuts), gold and gemstone mining (tanzanite).

Global Diaspora

1. Kenya (~100k), 2. United Kingdom (~50k), 3. United States (~30k). U.S. Hubs (States / Cities): Texas (Dallas/Houston), Georgia (Atlanta), Maryland, Washington D.C.

Major Conflicts

Kagera War (1978–1979, successful military campaign deposing Ugandan dictator Idi Amin), peaceful multi-party transition under Julius Nyerere's unified socialist framework (Ujamaa).

3 Must-See Sites

1. Serengeti National Park (Legendary savanna ecosystem hosting the annual Great Wildebeest Migration), 2. Mount Kilimanjaro (The highest mountain in Africa and the tallest free-standing volcanic mountain in the world at 5,895 meters), 3. Stone Town of Zanzibar (UNESCO-listed historic spice island trading town featuring labyrinthine alleys, carved wooden doors, and palaces).

Quick Facts

Home to Mount Kilimanjaro, the roof of Africa; birthplace of Swahili, which has grown to become one of the most widely spoken lingua francas on the African continent.