North: Kenya, Uganda
West: Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo
South: Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique
East: The Indian Ocean
AREA:
Total area including Inland water and Zanzibar: - 945,234 sq. km. 886,040 sq. km is land and 62,050 sq. km is water. Coastline 800 km bordering the Indian Ocean.

POPULATION:
29,646,753 (July 1997 estimates)
34,443,603 (2002 estimates) Source: 2002 Population Census

PEOPLE:
There are 120 tribes on the mainland; none of them exceeds 10% of the population. Tanzania is a multicultural society.

RELIGION:
There are many religions in Tanzania, the main ones being Islam and Christianity.

CURRENCY:
Tanzanian Shillings

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES:
Kiswahili & English

CAPITAL CITY:
Dodoma, Commercial city: Dar es Salaam

CLIMATE:
The climate of the coastal plain is tropical with average rainfall between 500mm and 1000mm; elsewhere the climate is moderately tropical, with average temperatures of around 26C and with annual rainfall varying from 500mm to 1250 mm.

GOVERNMENT:
Mainland Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika) became independent on 9th December 1961 while Zanzibar gained her independence in January 1964 through a revolution. The two countries united to form the United Republic of Tanzania in April. 1964. Until July 1992, Tanzania was a one-party state. Following recommendations by a Presidential Commission, the country has adopted a multi-party political system, and has held a successful General Election in 1995. Tanzania is a member of the United Nations, UNIDO, the World Bank, the IMF, the Commonwealth, the Non-Aligned Movement, SADC, PTA and the ADB. It is also signatory to the Lome Convention.