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United Republic of Tanzania
Capital city: Dodoma
Gained Independence: 1961 (Tanganyika gained independence from Great Britain, and combined with Zanzibar in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania)
Joined Commonwealth: 9 December 1961
United Nations HDI Ranking (2023): 0.555
Official Languages: Swahili and English; Swahili is the national language, while English remains widely used in administration, higher education, foreign trade and higher courts.
Timezone: GMT +3 hr
Currency: Tanzanian shilling (TZS)
Doing Business Rankings: 141 (2020; this was the last available ranking, as the World Bank discontinued the Doing Business project in 2021)
Population: 68,560,157 (2024 World Bank estimate)
Legal system: English common law, legislation, customary law and Islamic law in applicable personal-status matters
Main industries: Mining, electricity, natural gas, agriculture and agro-processing, construction, manufacturing, tourism, transport and telecommunications
Principal exports: Gold, tourism services, cashew nuts, tobacco, coffee, horticultural products, manufactured goods and cotton.
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The United Republic of Tanzania, one of the most populous countries in East Africa, sits directly south of the Equator and shares its borders with Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi to the northwest, Kenya to the northeast, Mozambique to the southeast, Malawi directly south and Zambia to the southwest. It is bordered by Lake Victoria, Lake Nyasa, Lake Tanganyika and the Indian Ocean. Tanzania’s approximately 947,303 km² territory holds an array of diverse landscapes.
Northwestern Tanzania is home to massive mountain landforms including Mount Kilimanjaro, a popular attraction for hikers and the highest mountain in Africa, as well as the world’s highest free-standing mountain. Contrarily, the lowest point in Africa is at the floor of Lake Tanganyika, the westernmost region of Tanzania. Towards the center is where the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area are situated, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and among Africa’s leading safari destinations.
Other than Tanzania’s geological wonders, archaeological sites and historical records confirm that it is one of the origins of humanity; its rich culture and diverse ethnicity have lasted until this day, spreading their indigenous art and wisdom through agricultural activities, fishing, mining and tourism.
Demographics
Tanzania’s population, as at the 2022 Population and Housing Census, was 61,741,120. The World Bank’s 2024 estimate was 68,560,157. Tanzania remains one of the most populous countries in East Africa.
The high total fertility rate and a youthful age structure have contributed to its population growth. The country’s high dependency ratio is mainly attributable to its youthful population, with a substantial majority of Tanzanians below the age of 25. About 38% of Tanzania’s population lives in urban residences, and the nation has amongst the fastest rates of urbanisation in the region.
Ethnic compositions in the Mainland and Zanzibar differ. The great majority of Mainland Tanzanians are of African descent, predominantly Bantu-speaking peoples, comprising more than 120 ethnic groups. The population in Zanzibar consists of Arabs, Africans and mixed Afro-Arabs.
Overall, the main religion practiced in Tanzania is Christianity and Islam; however, reliable official nationwide religious-composition data are limited, and the 2022 census did not publish a religion breakdown. Almost the entire Zanzibar population are Muslims. Christianity is more prevalent in much of the Mainland, while Islam is especially prominent in Zanzibar and coastal areas.
Among the hundreds of languages used in Tanzania, Swahili is the national language while English is widely used for administration, foreign trade and higher education. Other languages used include Arabic, Kiswahili—which is the same language as Swahili—and more than 100 local languages and dialects.
History
Tanzania is one of the principal regions associated with early human ancestry, with archaeological evidence dating back millions of years, including at Olduvai Gorge. Its modern history started with Portuguese exploration and occupation of the island of Zanzibar in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries respectively. Their occupation, however, did not last long as Omani Arabs ousted them in 1699.
During the nineteenth century, the Germans began to acquire territory on mainland Tanzania and formed a colony called German East Africa in the 1880s. The German colonisation was replaced by British administration following Germany’s defeat in the First World War, when Britain received a mandate from the League of Nations over Tanganyika in 1919, today’s mainland Tanzania.
Following public campaigns for independence and majority rule, Tanganyika became independent in 1961 and a republic one year later. Subsequently, Zanzibar achieved independence in 1963. In 1964, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to become the United Republic of Tanzania.
Tanzania’s then president, Julius Nyerere, established diplomatic relations with Britain in the 1960s and subsequently with China in the 1970s, which largely contributed to financing the construction of a railway link between Dar es Salaam and Zambia. After Nyerere’s socialism policy faced major economic difficulties, Ali Hassan Mwinyi took over as president in 1985 and strived to repair Tanzania’s economy by combating corruption and encouraging foreign investment.
Thereafter, the Constitution of Tanzania was amended in 1992 to allow multiple political parties. Tanzania’s first multi-party elections were held in 1995 and concluded with the win of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi party, which has remained the governing party. President Samia Suluhu Hassan became Tanzania’s first female President in 2021 and was re-elected in 2025.
Key Dates
1498 The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama explores the East African coast, including the Tanzanian coast.
1506 The Portuguese occupied Zanzibar.
1884 Germans began seizing mainland Tanzanian territory.
1919 League of Nations gives Britain a mandate over Tanganyika.
1961 Tanganyika gains independence on 9 th December and joins the British Commonwealth.
1963 Zanzibar becomes independent.
1964 The United Republic of Tanzania is established with the union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar on 26 th April.
1967 President Nyerere codifies socialism in the Arusha Declaration, nationalising banks and important commercial companies.
1985 President Nyerere retires from the Presidential position and is replaced by Ali Hassan Mwinyi.
1992 The Constitution is amended to allow multiple political parties.
1995 Tanzania holds its first multi-party elections and Benjamin Mkapa from the Chama Cha Mapinduzi party is elected as President of Tanzania.
2021 Samia Suluhu Hassan becomes Tanzania’s first female President.
2025 Samia Suluhu Hassan is re-elected President.
Legal System and Government
The Tanzanian government is a presidential republic based on multiparty parliamentary democracy following the amendment to the Constitution. The president, representing a registered political party, is elected by direct popular vote to serve a five-year term and a maximum of two terms. The president appoints a prime minister to perform the role of government leader in the National Assembly, which is the unicameral legislature.
Most of the members of the Assembly are directly elected, while some are indirectly elected and a minority are appointed. To promote gender equality in political participation and representation, the Constitution requires that women hold not less than 30% of all categories of Members of Parliament, including through special seats allocated to political parties.
Following the 2025 general election, 264 Members of Parliament were directly elected to represent constituencies, 113 special seats were allocated for women, five members were elected by the Zanzibar House of Representatives and up to 10 members may be appointed by the President.