Tanzania Country & Tourist Information

Location
East Africa.

Area
945,087 sq km (364,900 sq miles).

Population
39.3 million (CIA estimate 2007).

Population Density
41.5 per sq km.

Capital
Dodoma.
Population:  2.4 million (UN estimate 2003).

Government
Federal Republic since 1964. Tanganyika gained independence from the UK in 1961. In 1964, Tanganyika joined with Zanzibar, which had been a British protectorate until 1963, and became Tanzania.

Language
Kiswahili and English are the official languages. The terms Swahili and Kiswahili are used interchangeably, though the term Swahili normally refers to the people while Kiswahili refers to the language. Originating along the coast, Kiswahili is a Bantu language with many words derived from Arabic. Other African languages such as Bantu and those of Nilo-Hamitic and Khoisan origin are also spoken in more remote regions.

Religion
Muslim, Christian, Hindu and traditional beliefs.

Time
GMT + 3.

Electricity
230 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs may be round or square three-pin, fused or unfused. Power cuts can be common in the rainy season, though most hotels and businesses have back-up generators.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Edward Lowassa since 2005 (outgoing).

Head of State
President Jakaya Kikwete since 2005.

Zanzibar is semi-autonomous and has its own parliament and president (President Amani Karume since 2000).

Recent History
Prime Minister Edward Lowassa announced his resignation in February 2008 after being implicated in an energy deal corruption scandal.

Ruling party Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) remains the overwhelmingly dominant force in Tanzanian mainland politics. President Benjamin Mkapa stood down in 2005. He was succeeded by the long-serving foreign minister Jakaya Kikwete. The Civic United Front (CUF), with a strong power base on Zanzibar (most notably the island of Pemba), managed to secure 19 parliamentary seats there. Elections on the island were closely contested between CCM and CUF and marred by violence, intimidation and serious allegations of rigging. These incidents only serve to underscore Zanzibar’s increasing dislocation from the rest of Tanzania and what many perceive as a drive for autonomy amongst some islanders.

Telephone
Country code: 255. In some rural areas, international calls must go through the operator. There are many public call boxes in post offices and main towns.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is limited to main urban areas.

Internet
E-mail can be accessed in Internet cafes in main urban areas, which are affordable and efficient. Those in more remote towns that rely on satellite access are a little more expensive.

Media
Until the 1990s, Tanzania’s media was largely state controlled. Founding president Julius Nyerere believed TV would increase the divide between rich and poor. It was only in 1994 that the first private station was launched, and in 2001 that state-run TV was first broadcast. There are now several channels as well as DSTV (Digital Satellite Television), a South African subscription satellite channel. Numerous private radio stations are on the air. Although liberalization laws were brought into force in 2001, these do not apply to Zanzibar, where there are no private broadcasters or newspapers, though many locals can receive mainland broadcasters and read the mainland press.

Post
Airmail to Europe takes one to two weeks. Courier services take three working days.

Post office hours: Generally Mon-Fri 0800-1300 and 1400-1630; Sat 0900-1200.

Press
• Government-owned Daily News is Tanzania’s oldest newspaper.
• Private English-language newspapers The Guardian and This Day.
• Private Swahili-language newspapers Nipashe and Alasiri.
• Private weeklies Business Times, The Express and Arusha Times.

Radio
• State-run stations include Radio Tanzania Dar es Salaam, Parapanda Radio Tanzania and Voice of Tanzania-Zanzibar.
• There are dozens of private FM radio stations, most of them operating in urban areas.
• Among the private networks are Radio Free Africa, Radio One, Radio Sky, Radio Star and Radio Uhuru.
• News bulletins from international radio stations, including the BBC, Voice of America and Germany’s Deutsche Welle, are carried by many stations.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
12 Jan Zanzibar Revolution Day. 
9 Mar Birth of the Prophet.
10 Apr Good Friday. 
13 Apr Easter Monday.
26 Apr Union Day.
1 May International Labor Day.
7 Jul Saba Saba (Industry's Day).
8 Aug Nane Nane (Farmer's Day).
22 Aug Eid al-Fitr (Ramadan).
14 Oct Nyerere Day.
27-28 Nov Eid al-Adha.
9 Dec Independence and Republic Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
12 Jan Zanzibar Revolution Day. 
26 Feb Birth of the Prophet.
2 Apr Good Friday. 
5 Apr Easter Monday.
26 Apr Union Day.
1 May International Labor Day.
7 Jul Saba Saba (Industry's Day).
8 Aug Nane Nane (Farmer's Day).
11 Aug Eid al-Fitr (Ramadan).
14 Oct Nyerere Day.
16-17 Nov Eid al-Adha.
9 Dec Independence and Republic Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

Note
Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be disrupted slightly, especially along the coast and on the islands. Zanzibar and Pemba are fairly conservative and during this time it is considered highly impolite to eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Kebir (Eid al-Adha) may last anything from two to 10 days, depending on the region.

Contact Information:

Tanzania Tourist Board
IPS Building, Samora Avenue, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Tel: (22) 211 1244/5.
Website: www.tanzaniatouristboard.com

High Commission for the United Republic of Tanzania in the UK
3 Stratford Place, London WC1 1AS, UK
Tel: (020) 7569 1470.
Website: www.tanzania-online.gov.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1230 (visa applications) and 1400-1530 (visa collection only).

Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania in the USA
2139 R Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 939 6125/7.
Website: www.tanzaniaembassy-us.org


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