| Geography |
Tanzania > Geography |
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Tanzania is in East Africa on the Indian Ocean. To the north are Uganda and Kenya; to the west, Burundi, Rwanda, and Congo; and to the south, Mozambique, Zambia, and Malawi. Its area is three times that of New Mexico. Tanzania contains three of Africa's best-known lakes—Victoria in the north, Tanganyika in the west, and Nyasa in the south. Mount Kilimanjaro in the north, 19,340 ft (5,895 m), is the highest point on the continent. The island of Zanzibar is separated from the mainland by a 22-mile channel.
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| Demographic Facts: |
| Population |
38.4 million (UN, 2005) |
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Capital |
Dodoma |
| Area |
945,087 sq km (364,900 sq miles) |
Major Language |
English, Swahili |
| Major religions |
Christianity, Islam |
| Life expectancy |
46 years (men), 46 years (women) (UN) |
| Monetary unit |
1 Tanzanian shilling = 100 cents |
| Main exports |
Sisal, cloves, coffee, cotton, cashew nuts, minerals, tobacco |
| GNI per capital |
US $330 (World Bank, 2005) |
| Internet domain |
.tz |
| International dialling code |
+255 |
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| Geographic Facts: |
| Location |
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique |
| Geographic coordinates |
6 00 S, 35 00 E |
| Map references |
Africa |
| Area |
Total: 945,087 sq km
Note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar
Water: 59,050 sq km
Lland: 886,037 sq km
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| Area comparative |
Slightly larger than twice the size of California |
| Land boundaries |
Land boundaries total: 3,861 km
Border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km |
| Coastline |
1,424 km |
| Maritime claims |
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm > |
| Climate |
Varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands
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| Elevation extremes |
Climate varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m |
| Natural resources |
Hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel |
| Land use |
Arable land: 4.52%
Permanent crops: 1.08%
Other: 94.4% (2001)
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| Irrigated land |
1,550 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural hazards |
Flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought |
| Environment - current issues |
Soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory |
| Environment - international agreements |
Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note |
Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest |
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- Ekkehart from Germany |
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