TANZANIA



Benjamin William Mkapa
President

Tanzania

(pronounced "em-KA-pa")

"Transparency and accountability must now cease to be a condition [just] to be tolerated, but be perceived as a government's core function, to be cherished as party to a deepening culture of service to the people."

The United Republic of Tanzania was created by the formal union of Tanganyika, on the East African mainland, and the island nation of Zanzibar (comprised of the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba). Tanzania is bordered to the east by the Indian Ocean; to the north by Uganda and Kenya; to the west by Rwanda, Burundi, and Zaire; and to the south by Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique. The national territory occupies a total area of 945,087 sq km (364,898 sq mi); over 99% of which is mainland Tanzania. The population of 37.2 million (July 2002 estimate) is largely rural, with only about 31% of the people living in or near metropolitan areas. The official capital is Dodoma, which is home to 300,000 Tanzanians. Official languages are Kiswahili and English, although numerous indigenous languages are spoken among the nation's more than 120 ethnic groups. The majority of Tanzanians are African; non-Africans make up less than 1% of the population. There is no official religion in Tanzania, where Christian, Muslim, and indigenous beliefs are each professed by roughly one-third of the people. Zanzibar, however, is overwhelmingly Muslim. Agriculture dominates the economy, accounting for 49% of gross domestic product (GDP) and 80% of employment. Cash crops such as coffee, tea, cotton, cashews, sisal, cloves (from Zanzibar), and pyrethrum are important for export earnings. Industry in Tanzania accounts for 17% of GDP. The currency is the Tanzanian shilling . Per capita income was estimated at US $610 in 2001. The country relies heavily on foreign economic assistance.

ADDRESS

Office of the President
State House
Magogoni Road
P.O. Box 9120, Dar es Salaam
United Republic of Tanzania

Also read article about Tanzania from Wikipedia

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