Dar es Salaam

Dar es Salaam is a large port on the Indian Ocean coast in Tanzania and formerly served as the country's administrative center. It spreads along the waterfront with broad streets lined by low residential and commercial structures, while palms alternate with older colonial buildings near the shore.

Sultan Majid bin Said of Zanzibar founded the settlement in 1865 as a port for ivory traders working along the coast. German administrators took control in 1891 and developed it into the colonial administrative center.

At Kariakoo Market, residents shop for fresh fish, spices and handwoven cloth while street vendors sell grilled corn and sugarcane along the nearby sidewalks. After sunset, families and friends gather at Coco Beach to share food, listen to recorded music, and walk along the sand.

Julius Nyerere Airport sits roughly 12 kilometers (seven and a half miles) west of the center and handles both regional and international flights. The harbor handles cargo that continues onward by road and rail to neighboring inland countries.

The Tingatinga Arts Cooperative Society operates studios where painters create detailed animal images on canvas using enamel bicycle paint. This method appeared in the late sixties and has since become widely recognized among collectors and visitors.

Location: Dar es Salaam Region

Inception: 1862

Elevation above the sea: 12 m

Website: http://dcc.go.tz

GPS coordinates: -6.81608,39.28036

Latest update: December 2, 2025 20:00