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COUNTRY INFO - TANZANIA
| Area |
945166 sq km² |
| Population |
31,000,000 |
| Capital |
Dodoma |
| Largest Towns |
Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Tanga, Arusha,
Mbeya, Dodoma, Zanzibar,
Mtwara, Moshi, Tabora, Kigoma, Songea, Lindi, Iringa |
| Head of State |
President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete |
| Official Languages |
Kiswahili & English |
| Tribes and Cultures |
120 including Chagga, Haya, Nyamwezi,
Makonde, Masai |
| Currency |
Tanzanian Shilling |
| When to visit |
June to July - Wildebeest Migration
November to April - Rainy season, best bird watching
March to September - Dry season, best trekking conditions
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| Temperatures |
(day) 23-36°C or 65-95°F |
| Rainy Season |
November to December & March to May
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| International Airport |
Dar es Salaam International Airport |
| Travel Options |
Railway, Flying, Car Rentals, Bus, Taxis,
Ferry, Boats |
Travel Information:
Tanzania is a colourful fusion of peoples and cultures,
a land where ancient coastal kingdom meet with tribal peoples
of the interior. It is a place of stunning contrasts, where
endless stretches of palm fringed beach rise to greet fertile
forested mountains, where mysterious, offshore islands offer
recluse and relaxation from the aches of climbing Africa’s
highest peak.
Tanzania’s geological past spans more than 300 million
years. It is here where hominoid fossils dating back 3 million
years were found, offering exciting glimpses into our past.
It is a country blessed with great natural wealth, where pristine
coral reefs bathe in equatorial waters and millions of hoofed
animals drum along its vast plains. It’s a country of
spectacular beauty, whose cool highland plateau is interrupted
by the deep fractures of the Great Rift Valley, and whose
inland lakes shimmer with the reflected shadows of countless
water birds and the rhythms of the seasons.
Tanzania is home to 30 million people of exceptional diversity
encompassing more than 100 different tribal groups, each with
its own language and customs. It is here where Muslims and
Christians, members of one tribe and those of another, mainlanders
and islanders – have been unified by a shared experience
of nationhood, by a common language (Swahili), and by an ingrained
sense and spirit of moderation.
“For travellers, one of Tanzania’s most notable
characteristics is its warmth and openness. It is a land whose
culture and people are easily accessible for those who take
the time to seek them, and where – in the markets, on
the streets, in homes and in remote villages – you will
be greeted constantly with Karibu, the Swahili word of welcome.”
Source: Fitzpatrick, M. & Else, D. (1st Ed.) Tanzania,
Zanzibar & Pemba. 1999. Lonely Planet Publications, Australia.
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