The United Republic of Tanzania , formerly known as Tanganyika , is a fascinating and beautiful nation in East Africa. It is blessed with beautiful landscapes, magnificent mountains, dense forests, peaks and many species of fauna and flora. Although the country is not rich, it has successfully attracted strong investors and donors from the international bodies, but this has not translated into noticeable economic growth and development. Regardless, there are quite a few interesting facts about Tanzania that are worth knowing and Buzz Kenya highlights a few Tanzania facts.
Interesting facts about Tanzania for fun lovers
Geographical location of Tanzania
Tanzania is bordered by Uganda and Kenya to the north, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi and Rwanda to the west, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia to the south, and the Indian Ocean to the east. Due to its particular geography, Tanzania is one of the most diverse countries in the world, from mountains, islands, deserts, rivers to tropical rainforests, volcanoes, waterfalls and lakes.
See also: 10 interesting facts about Uganda
Tanzania is one of the largest countries in Africa, encompassing coastal lowlands and volcanic highlands and the Great Rift Valley. The highest point in Africa is also in Tanzania and is the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.
freedom
Tanzania was among the first African countries to gain independence. It was liberated by the British colonial government on December 9, 1961 and Julius Nyerere was the first President.
democracy
Tanzania’s new constitution was created in 1992. It marked the end of a 31-year Marxist dictatorship. This led to a multi-party system. Benjamin Mkapa became the first democratically elected president on November 23, 1995. Since then he has held several democratic multiparty elections.
Ernesto Hemingway
The country rose to fame on the world stage in Switzerland in mid-19302, a famous American author, Ernest Hemingway, Nobel Prize 1954 and Pulitzer Prize 1953, published a famous book “Green Hills of Africa” (“The Snows of Kilimanjaro”).
Diplomatic relations
This country maintains good diplomatic relations with many countries. It has the best diplomatic relations with the United States of America. On August 26, 2000, the then President of the USA, Bill Clinton, visited him.
tourism
The country has various tourist features. These include famous national parks such as Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Mikumi National Park, Selous Game Reserve and Gombe National Park, as well as stunning tropical rainforests and wildlife sanctuaries. In Tanzania there is the highest mountain in Africa and the fourth highest volcano.
Business
The country mainly relies on agriculture. It is a major exporter of products such as coffee, tea, cotton, sisal, tobacco, cashews, seaweed, fish products, cloves, and minerals such as diamond and gold.
Ethnic groups
This African nation has more than 120 ethnic groups. The most important are Sukuma, Hehe Nyamezi, Gogo, Bena and Haya. Christianity and Islam are the main religious groups in Tanzania. The main languages are English and Kiswahili. Kiswahili is the official language. Unlike many other countries, one of the most important facts about Tanzania is that it has never experienced civil war.
Famous people
The famous five people that Tanzania has produced include Julius Nyerere (known as the “Conscience of Africa”), Filbert Bayi (a world-class runner in the mid-1970s), Jane Goodall (naturalist), Gertrude Mongella (President of the UN Women’s Conference late 1995) and Jakaya Kikwete (the current President).
population
This country has a population of 29 million,spread over an area of 945,000 square kilometers. That’s about 50.62 people per km² with 120 African ethnic groups, none of which make up more than 10 percent of the population. The Sukuma is the largest group and lives in the northwest of the country, south of Lake Victoria. The Hadzapi of northern Tanzania established a society based on hunting and food gathering, while the Iraqw live in the central Mbulu highlands and are known for their statuesque, immovable posture and sharply defined features.
entertainment
This nation made a global impact in 2007 when Ms. Tanzania, Flavia Matata, placed sixth in the United Mexican Nation’s “Miss Universe Pageant.” Ms. Matata was among the pretty girls from Africa who took part in the competition.
More interesting facts about Tanzania
Tanzania is the only country that has mapped at least 25% of the total land area to wildlife parks and wildlife sanctuaries. In today’s geographical mapping, the entire protected area is the size of the Federal Republic of Germany and Belgium combined and includes the famous Selous Game Reserve, which measures about 55,000 square kilometers and has the largest game reserve in Africa, larger than Belgium. Costa Rica, Denmark, Burundi, Israel, Lesotho and Kuwait.
These are the top ten facts about Tanzania that can help you understand the country and its people.