Tanzania - Environment

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, the Tanzania National Parks Department, and the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development are the government agencies entrusted with environmental responsibilities in Tanzania. One of the nation's major concerns is soil degradation as a result of recent droughts. The nation's land is also affected by the related problem of desertification. Tanzania lost 14.4% of its forest and woodland area between 1983 and 1993. Tanzania has 80 cu km of renewable water resources with 89% used for farming and 2% for industrial activity. About 99% of urban dwellers and 66% of the people living in rural areas have pure drinking water. The nation's cities produce about 1.8 million tons of solid waste per year. As of 2001, 33 of Tanzania's mammal species were in danger of extinction, 30 bird species and 326 plant species are also endangered. The nation's marine habitats are also threatened by damage to its coral reefs caused by the fishing industry's use of dynamite. Endangered species include the Uluguru bush-shrike, green sea turtle, hawksbill turtle, olive ridley turtle, and Zanzibar suni are. Sixteen species of fish have become extinct.