Tanzania is located in East Africa, bordering Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south. Eastern Tanzania faces the Indian Ocean.
The country’s landscape varies from the hot and humid ocean shore of the east coast to the mountainous northeast, dominated by Africa’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro. The country covers large portion of the coasts of Lake Victoria in the North and Lake Tanganyika to the west, and also Lake Malawi on the South. The heart of the country is plated by large plateau, with plains and some arable land.
Tanzania is a safe country to travel in. Tanzanians are warm – hearted and generous people and are eager to help visitors get the most out of their stay. Hotels are safe and have watchmen. Tanzania is a politically stable, multi-democratic country. However, as in all countries, a little common sense goes a long way and reasonable precautions should still be taken, such as locking valuables in the hotel safe and not walking alone at night.
Approximately one third of Tanzania is covered by forests and woodlands, including the coastal forests and thickets, remains of the once extensive lowland forests of East Africa. Within the great wide plains, there is a highest populations of wildlife in all of Africa, including wildebeest, lions, antelope, cheetahs and flamingos thriving in the national parks and game reserves.
In the marine area of the country, you can find mangrove forests to be home to oysters and crabs, graced with many fish species and prawns. There are extensive seagrass areas, which are very important food source for invertebrates, fish, dugong, and green and hawksbill turtles.
Coral reefs are common along the Tanzanian coastline, making them a perfect places for scuba diving and snorkeling, as some of the jewels that Zanzibar archipelago proudly offers as attractions, with many more to see and enjoy.
There are more than 120 ethnic groups that make the population of Tanzania, with majority of Bantu origins. Swahili is the national language for inter tribal communication and for official matters.
On the religious side of Tanzania’s population, one estimate suggests that Muslims account for 35% of the population, Christians 30%, while another 35% follow traditional religions.
Most of Tanzania’s earnings come from agriculture, which yields coffee, tea, cotton, cashew nuts, tobacco and cloves among others. These commodities represent a vast majority of exports and their cultivation employs 90% of the workforce. But because of Tanzania’s climate and topography, less than 5% of the land area is used to grow crops, with economic infrastructure considered to be out of date.
