Tanzania

The nation extends across savannas, plateaus, and mountain ranges from the Indian Ocean to the Great Lakes. Tropical forests cover coastal regions, while the central plateau averages 1,200 meters (3,900 feet) in elevation and transitions into volcanic formations in the north.

German colonial rule began in 1885 and was replaced by British mandate after World War I. Tanganyika gained independence in 1961 under Julius Nyerere, who introduced socialist reforms after uniting with Zanzibar in 1964 and governed until 1985.

Swahili culture along the coast merges Arabic, Persian, and African influences in architecture, trade, and daily life. Over 120 ethnic groups maintain distinct languages and traditions, while Kiswahili serves as a common language fostering national unity across diverse communities.

Visas on arrival are available at international airports and border crossings. The best period for wildlife viewing runs from June through October during the dry season. Dodoma serves as the official capital, while Dar es Salaam remains the economic and transport center.

Ngorongoro Crater forms a natural animal enclosure within an extinct volcanic caldera with 600-meter (2,000-foot) walls. Olduvai Gorge contains fossils of 1.8-million-year-old hominids and ranks as a key site for studying human evolution.

Inception: April 26, 1964

Capital city: Dodoma

Part of: East Africa

Shares border with: Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Lake Victoria, Seychelles

Address: Tanzania

Website: https://tanzania.go.tz

GPS coordinates: -6.52471,35.78784

Latest update: November 30, 2025 16:12