T A N Z A N I A
Tanzania is a large East African country which borders the Indian Ocean, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, Burundi, Malawi, Rwanda, and Uganda. Dar es Salaam is the capital and largest city in Tanzania. The country is about the size of two Californias and includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar.
Tanzania's climate varies from tropical along the coast of the Indian Ocean to temperate in the highlands. Landforms include plains along the coast, a central plateau, and highlands in the north and south. Africa's highest mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro, is located in northern Tanzania. Africa's largest lake, Lake Victoria, extends into northern Tanzania. The world's largest freshwater lake, Lake Tanganyika, is located in western Tanzania.
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The population of Tanzania is about 35 million people. Most of the people are Africans who belong to the Bantu tribe. English and Swahili are the country's official languages. About six out of ten Tanzanians can read and write either Swahili, English, or Arabic. Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. Most people in Tanzania are farmers. They raise cassava, corn, beans, sugar cane, rice, and tobacco. Plantations produce coffee, tea, sisal, and cotton. Cloves and coconuts are raised on the island of Zanzibar. Tanzania has one of the most important diamond deposits in the world. Miners also dig for gold, salt, silver, and tin. Many Tanzanians fish for a living.
Tanzania was once ruled by Great Britain. It gained its independence in 1964 when Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to become Tanzania. Wildlife and beautiful scenery are found in Tanzania. The country is known for its buffaloes, giraffes, leopards, elephants, lions, zebras, and antelopes. Hunting expeditions called safaris attract many tourists to Tanzania.
SOURCES: World Book
Encyclopedia and Yahooligans Reference World Factbook
PHOTOS: www.danciprari.com www.muskova-tours.com news.bbc.co.uk
Sites to help you "visit" Tanzania
Map
of Tanzania Exploring
Tanzania Field
Trip to Tanzania
PBS
- Kids' Africa Swahili
Language
LIZ HUNT VISITS TANZANIA
Mrs. Hunt's daughter, Liz, is currently doing volunteer work in Longido, Tanzania. Through Mondo Challenge, which is based in London, Liz is spending three months in Longido teaching English to thirteen year-old students. There are 80 students in the class to which Liz has been assigned. Liz and Tom, another volunteer from England, are living in the village with the Elias family. Liz walks twenty minutes to reach the school each day. Sometime she goes to the town of Arusha which you can find on the map of Tanzania. Liz will return to the United States in March.