The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in central East Africa bordered by 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. The country's eastern borders lie
on the Indian Ocean.

The United Republic of Tanzania is a unitary republic composed of 26 mikoa (regions). The
head of state is President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, elected in 2005. Since 1996, the official
capital of Tanzania has been Dodoma, where parliament and some government offices are
located. Between independence and 1996, the major coastal city of Dar es Salaam served as
the country's political capital. Today, Dar es Salaam remains the principal commercial city of
Tanzania and the de-facto seat of most government institutions. It is the major seaport for
the country and its landlocked neighbours.

The name Tanzania derives from the names of the two states Tanganyika and Zanzibar that
united in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, which later the
same year was renamed the United Republic of Tanzania.
Economy

The economy is mostly based on agriculture, which accounts for more than half of the GDP,
provides 85 percent (approximately) of exports, and employs approximately 80 percent of
the workforce. Topography and climate, though, limit cultivated crops to only 4 percent of
the land area.

The nation has many resources including gold and natural gas. Extraction of natural gas
began in the 2000s. Gas is drawn into the commercial capital, Dar Es Salaam and exported
to various markets overseas. Lack of overall development has hampered the extraction of
these various resources, and even up to the present there has been effort to develop the
natural resource sector but no major quantifiable results.

Industry is mainly limited to processing agricultural products and light consumer goods.
Tanzania has vast amounts of natural resources including gold, diamonds, coal, iron ore,
uranium, nickel, chrome, tin, platinum, coltan, niobium and other minerals. It is the third-
largest producer of gold in Africa after South Africa and Ghana. Tanzania is also known for
the Tanzanite gemstones. Tanzania has dozens of beautiful national parks like the world
famous Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, that generate income with a large
tourism sector that plays a vital part in the economy. Growth from 1991 to 1999 featured a
pickup in industrial production and a substantial increase in output of minerals, led by gold.
Commercial production of natural gas from the Songo Songo island in the Indian Ocean off
the Rufiji Delta commenced 2004, with natural gas being pumped in a pipeline to the
commercial capital Dar es Salaam, with the bulk of it being converted to electricity by the
public utility and private operators. A new gas field is being brought on stream in Mnazi Bay.

Recent public sector and banking reforms, and revamped and new legislative frameworks
have all helped increase private-sector growth and investment. Short-term economic
progress also depends on curbing corruption.
Prolonged drought during the early years of the 21st century has severely reduced
electricity generation capacity (some 60 percent of Tanzania's electricity supplies are
generated by hydro-electric methods). During 2006, Tanzania suffered a crippling series of
"load-shedding" or power rationing episodes caused by a shortfall of generated power,
largely because of insufficient hydro-electric generation. Plans to increase gas- and coal-
fuelled generation capacity are likely to take some years to implement, and growth is
forecast to be increased to seven per cent per year, and perhaps eight or more.

There are 2 major airlines in Tanzania: the Air Tanzania Corporation and Precision Air, both
provide local flights to Arusha, Kigoma, Mtwara, Mwanza, Musoma, Shinyanga, Zanzibar and
regional flights to Kigali, Nairobi and Mombasa. There are also several charter aeroplane
firms, such as Bold Aviation Ltd., Tropical Air and Coastal Aviation Ltd. There are two railway
companies: TAZARA caters for service between Dar-es-Salaam and Kapiri Mposhi, a district
of the Central Province in Zambia. The other one is the Tanzania Railways Corporation,
which provides services between Dar-es-Salaam and Kigoma, a town on the shores of Lake
Tanganyika and between Dar-es-Salaam and Mwanza, a city on the shores of Lake Victoria.
There is also a service across the Indian Ocean between Dar-es-Salaam and Zanzibar by
several modern hydrofoil boats.

Tanzania is part of the East African Community and a potential member of the planned East
African Federation.
Culture
The music of Tanzania stretches from traditional African music to the string-based taarab to
a distinctive hip hop known as bongo flava. Famous taarab singer’s names are Abbasi Mzee,
Culture Musical Club, Shakila of Black Star Musical Group.

Internationally known traditional artists are Bi Kidude, Hukwe Zawose and Tatu Nane.

Tanzania has its own distinct African rumba music, termed muziki wa dansi ("dance music")
where names of artists/groups like Tabora Jazz, Western Jazz Band, Morogoro Jazz, Volcano
Jazz, Simba Wanyika, Remmy Ongala, Marijani Shaabani, Ndala Kasheba, [ NUTA JAZZ,
ATOMIC JAZZ, DDC Mlimani Park, Afro 70 & Patrick Balisidya, Sunburst, Tatu Nane and
Orchestra Makassy must be mentioned in the history of Tanzanian music.

Tanzania has many writers. The list of writers' names includes well-known writers such as
Godfrey Mwakikagile, Mohamed Said, Abdulrazak Gurnah, Prof. Julius Nyang'oro, Prof.
Clement Ndulute, Prof. Frank Chiteji, Prof. Joseph Mbele, Juma Volter Mwapachu, Prof. Issa
Shivji, Jenerali Twaha Ulimwengu, Prof. Penina Mlama, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere,
Adam Shafi, Dr. Malima M.P Bundala and Shaaban Robert.

Tanzania has remarkable position in art. Two styles became world known: Tingatinga and
Makonde. Tingatinga are the popular African paintings painted with enamel paints on
canvas. Usually the motifs are animals and flowers in colourful and repetitive design. The
style was started by Mr. Edward Saidi Tingatinga born in South Tanzania. Later he moved to
Dar Es Salaam. Since his death in 1972 the Tingatinga style expanded both in Tanzania and
worldwide. Makonde is both a tribe in Tanzania (and Mozambique) and a modern sculpture
style. It is known for the high Ujamaas (Trees of Life) made of the hard and dark ebony tree.
Tanzania is also a birthplace of one of the most famous African artists – George Lilanga.