Tanzania: Quick Facts


Facts

Also Known As Jamhuri ya Mwungano wa Tanzania • United Republic of Tanzania
Head Of State And Government President: Samia Suluhu Hassan
Capital Dodoma
Population (2026 est.) 70,551,000
Form Of Government unitary multiparty republic with one legislative house (National Assembly [4031])
Official Languages Swahili; English
Official Religion none
Official Name Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania (Swahili); United Republic of Tanzania (English)
Total Area (Sq Km) 945,500
Total Area (Sq Mi) 365,059
Monetary Unit Tanzanian shilling (TZS)
Population Rank (2026) 20
Population Projection 2030 71,992,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi (2026) 193.3
Density: Persons Per Sq Km (2026) 74.6
Urban-Rural Population Urban: (2022) 34.9% • Rural: (2022) 65.1%
Life Expectancy At Birth Male: (2021) 65.2 years • Female: (2021) 68.4 years
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000) (2024) 80,245
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$) (2024) 1,210
1Includes 115 seats reserved for women, 5 for Zanzibar (including 2 for women), up to 10 seats appointed by the president (including 5 for women), and a seat for the attorney general serving ex officio. The speaker may be chosen from outside the body.

Did You Know?

  • A little more than two of the U.S. state of California can fit within Tanzania, as it is the largest country in East Africa.
  • Tanzania is home to the famed Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa, with its summit at 19,340 feet (5,895 meters).
  • Tanzania experiences some of the most luminescent moons in the world, often so bright that flashlights are not necessary for people to see at night.
  • Tanzania is divided roughly into thirds between practitioners of folk religion, Christians, and Muslims (many of whom live on the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar). Currently, the largest religious denomination in Tanzania is Roman Catholic Christianity, followed by Protestant Christianity, Sunni Islam, and Shia Islam.
  • Tanzania has the largest animal population density out of any country in the world. That is, there are more animals per square mile of land in Tanzania than in any other country.

Photos and Videos

national anthem of Tanzania

Topics

Julius Nyerere
Julius Nyerere
president of Tanzania
Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan, wearing a lavender hijab and glasses, stands at a microphone with blurred lights in the background.
Samia Suluhu Hassan
president of Tanzania
default image
Godfrey Wilson
British anthropologist
default image
Hermann von Wissmann
German explorer

A map of the continent of Africa, including its countries, boundaries, and capital cities. It also shows parts of Europe and Asia and surrounding bodies of water, including the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean.
Africa
continent
Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro
mountain, Tanzania
Map of East Africa showing political boundaries, major cities, and capitals, overlaid with shaded elevation zones. Higher elevations are concentrated in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania, while lower elevations follow the coastal regions along the Indian Ocean and extend into Somalia and Mozambique. Major lakes such as Victoria, Tanganyika, and Rudolf are also marked.
Eastern Africa
region, Africa
default image
Tanga
Tanzania
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
national administrative capital, Tanzania
Tanzania: Parliament Building
Dodoma
national capital, Tanzania
Arusha town, Tanzania
Arusha
region, Tanzania
Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Tanzania
default image
Tabora
Tanzania
default image
Bagamoyo
Tanzania
default image
Pangani
Tanzania
default image
Gombe Stream National Park
national park, Tanzania
default image
Kilimanjaro National Park
national park, Tanzania
Map showing the island of Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania in East Africa, including major towns such as Zanzibar City, Bububu, and Chwaka, as well as nearby islands, reefs, and key geographic features. An inset locates Zanzibar along the eastern coast of Africa.
Zanzibar
island, Tanzania
Olduvai Gorge
Olduvai Gorge
archaeological site, Tanzania