Country Facts: Tanzania

 

Location & Area:

Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa, with a surface of 945,087 km². Situated just south of the equator, Tanzania is bordered by the Indian Ocean and eight other countries – Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.

​

Dar es Salaam is Tanzania’s largest city, with over 6 million, and it is its former capital, serving as the country's economic hub. Dodoma is their current capital, which contains about 410.000 people, and although it maybe less developed, it plays a crucial role in the country's political landscape as the seat of government.

​

Other key cities in Tanzania are Arusha, which has approximately 500.000 inhabitants and is located at the base of Mount Meru, and Stone Town, the capital of Zanzibar, whose historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Both cities have about the same amount of people living there, which is quite remarkable, due to the fact that Arusha City is about 267 km², as Stown Town is only 15 km².

​

​Tanzania's coastline stretches over 800 kilometers along the Indian Ocean, featuring beautiful beaches, coral reefs, and mangroves. The country also includes several significant islands, such as Zanzibar, Pemba, and Mafia Island, each with its own unique ecosystems and cultural heritage.

 

Climate:

The coastal regions and islands have a tropical climate with warm temperatures year-round and significant rainfall, as the highland areas, including regions around Mount Kilimanjaro and the Usambara Mountains, experience more temperate conditions with cooler temperatures and a distinct dry season.

 

Sightings:

This beautiful country is home to Mount Kilimanjaro, a dormant volcano with its highest point at 5,895 meters (19,341 feet) above sea level, which makes it the highest peak in Africa and the tallest freestanding mountain in the world.

It is a dormant volcano and the mountain’s glaciers and snow-capped summit provide a striking contrast to the surrounding savannah.

​

Besides Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania is home to Mount Meru, which is located approximately 80 km from the Kilimanjaro. Mount Meru is number 9 of Africa's tallest mountains and when climbing it you can enjoy a view on Mount Kilimanjaro's, and vice versa.

the tallest mountain in Africa and three of the largest lakes on the continent – Lake Victoria in the north, Lake Tanganyika in the west and Lake Nyasa in the southwest.

​

The eastern part of Tanzania is dominated by the Great Rift Valley, a tectonic depression that stretches from the Red Sea to Mozambique. This geological feature has created a series of lakes, including Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyasa, which are among the deepest and oldest freshwater lakes in the world. Also Lake Victoria, the biggest lake in Africa and the third biggest lake in the world, is located in Tanzania, as parts of its surface belong to Uganda and Kenya.

​

To the west of the Great Rift Valley lies the Serengeti Plain, a vast, open savannah renowned for its incredible wildlife migrations. The Serengeti is part of a larger ecosystem that includes the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Masai Mara in Kenya.

 

The Ngorongoro Crater is a volcanic caldera, formed after a massive eruption, which is one of the world’s largest intact volcanic craters. It provides a unique habitat for a wide range of wildlife and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.​

 

Natural Resources:

​The country is a significant producer of minerals such as gold, tanzanite (a gemstone found only in Tanzania), diamonds, and other precious stones.

​

Tanzania's forests, such as the Eastern Arc Mountains and the Usambara Mountains, are home to diverse flora and fauna. The country's protected areas and national parks, including Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and Selous, are crucial for wildlife conservation and eco-tourism.

​​

​

​