Tanzania Facts, Map, Population, GDP

Capital

Dodoma

Population

69,145,464 (2025 est.)

Area

947,300 sq km

Location

Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique

🧭 Background

Tanzania contains some of Africa’s most iconic national parks and famous paleoanthropological sites, and its diverse cultural heritage reflects the multiple ethnolinguistic groups that live in the country. Its long history of integration into trade networks spanning the Indian Ocean and the African interior led to the development of Swahili as a common language in much of east Africa and the introduction of Islam into the region. A number of independent coastal and island trading posts in what is now Tanzania came under Portuguese control after 1498 when they began to take control of much of the coast and Indian Ocean trade. By 1700, the Sultanate of Oman had become the dominant power in the region after ousting the Portuguese, who were also facing a series of local uprisings. During the next hundred years, Zanzibar -- an archipelago off the coast that is now part of Tanzania -- became a hub of Indian Ocean trade, with Arab and Indian traders establishing and consolidating trade routes with communities in mainland Tanzania that contributed to the expansion of the slave trade. Zanzibar briefly became the capital of the Sultanate of Oman before it split into separate Omani and Zanzibar Sultanates in 1856. Beginning in the mid-1800s, European explorers, traders, and Christian missionaries became more active in the region. The Germans eventually established control over mainland Tanzania -- which they called Tanganyika -- and the British established control over Zanzibar. Tanganyika came under British administration after the German defeat in World War I. Tanganyika gained independence from Great Britain in 1961, and Zanzibar followed in 1963 as a constitutional monarchy. In Tanganyika, Julius NYERERE, a charismatic and idealistic socialist, established a one-party political system that centralized power and encouraged national self-reliance and rural development. In 1964, a popular uprising overthrew the Sultan in Zanzibar and either killed or expelled many of the Arabs and Indians who had dominated the isles for more than 200 years. Later that year, Tanganyika and Zanzibar combined to form the United Republic of Tanzania, but Zanzibar retained considerable autonomy. Their two ruling parties combined to form the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party in 1977, which has since won every presidential election. Tanzania held its first multi-party elections in 1995, but CCM candidates have continued to dominate politics. The ruling party has claimed victory in four contentious elections since 1995, despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities. In 2001, 35 people died in Zanzibar when soldiers fired on protestors. John MAGUFULI won the 2015 and 2020 presidential elections, and the CCM won over two-thirds of the seats in Parliament in both elections. MAGUFULI died in 2021 while in office and was succeeded by his vice president, Samia Suluhu HASSAN.

🗺️ Geography

Location

Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique

Geographic coordinates

6 00 S, 35 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area — total

947,300 sq km

Area — land

885,800 sq km

Area — water

61,500 sq km

Area - comparative

More than six times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than twice the size of California

Land boundaries — total

4,161 km

Land boundaries — border countries

Burundi 589 km; Democratic Republic of the Congo 479 km; Kenya 775 km; Malawi 512 km; Mozambique 840 km; Rwanda 222 km; Uganda 391 km; Zambia 353 km

Coastline

1,424 km

Maritime claims — territorial sea

12 nm

Maritime claims — exclusive economic zone

200 nm

Climate

Varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Terrain

Plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south

Elevation — highest point

Kilimanjaro (highest point in Africa) 5,895 m

Elevation — lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

Elevation — mean elevation

1,018 m

Natural resources

Hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones (including tanzanite, found only in Tanzania), gold, natural gas, nickel

Land use — agricultural land

44.6% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 15.2% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 27.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

50.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

5.3% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

1,840 sq km (2012)

Major lakes (area sq km) — fresh water lake(s)

Lake Victoria (shared with Uganda and Kenya) - 62,940 sq km; Lake Tanganyika (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Zambia) - 32,000 sq km; Lake Malawi (shared with Mozambique and Malawi) - 22,490

Major lakes (area sq km) — salt water lake(s)

Lake Rukwa - 5,760 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Nile (shared with Rwanda [s], Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt [m]) - 6,650 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km) — Atlantic Ocean drainage

Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)

Major watersheds (area sq km) — Indian Ocean drainage

Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)

Population distribution

The largest and most populous East African country; population distribution is extremely uneven, but greater population clusters occur in the northern half of country and along the east coast, as shown in this population distribution map

Natural hazards

Flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought volcanism: limited volcanic activity; Ol Doinyo Lengai (2,962 m) has emitted lava in recent years; other historically active volcanoes include Kieyo and Meru

Geography - note

Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa and one of only three mountain ranges on the continent that has glaciers (the others are Mount Kenya in Kenya and the Ruwenzori Mountains on the Uganda-Democratic Republic of the Congo border); Tanzania is bordered by three of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the world's second-deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) in the southwest

👥 People and Society⬆️ Top

Population — total

69,145,464 (2025 est.)

Population — male

34,597,449

Population — female

34,548,015

Nationality — noun

Tanzanian(s)

Nationality — adjective

Tanzanian

Ethnic groups

Mainland - African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, African, mixed Arab and African

Languages — Languages

Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguja (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic, many local languages

Languages — major-language sample(s)

The World Factbook, Chanzo cha Lazima Kuhusu Habari ya Msingi. (Kiswahili) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

Christian 63.1%, Muslim 34.1%, folk religion 1.1%, Buddhist <1%, Hindu <1%, Jewish <1%, other <1%, unspecified 1.6% (2020 est.)

Age structure — 0-14 years

41.2% (male 14,039,292/female 13,740,439)

Age structure — 15-64 years

55.4% (male 18,677,388/female 18,708,390)

Age structure — 65 years and over

3.4% (2024 est.) (male 975,224/female 1,321,388)

Dependency ratios — total dependency ratio

81.8 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — youth dependency ratio

76 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — elderly dependency ratio

5.8 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — potential support ratio

17.3 (2025 est.)

Median age — total

18.8 years (2025 est.)

Median age — male

18.8 years

Median age — female

19.4 years

Population growth rate

2.85% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

33.45 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

4.96 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

The largest and most populous East African country; population distribution is extremely uneven, but greater population clusters occur in the northern half of country and along the east coast, as shown in this population distribution map

Urbanization — urban population

37.4% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

4.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

262,000 Dodoma (legislative capital) (2018), 7.776 million DAR ES SALAAM (administrative capital), 1.311 million Mwanza, 800,000 Zanzibar (2023)

Sex ratio — at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 15-64 years

1 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 65 years and over

0.74 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — total population

1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.9 years (2022 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

276 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate — total

28.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate — male

32.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant mortality rate — female

26.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth — total population

70.8 years (2024 est.)

Life expectancy at birth — male

69 years

Life expectancy at birth — female

72.6 years

Total fertility rate

4.45 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

2.19 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: urban

Urban: 81.1% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: rural

Rural: 49% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: total

Total: 60.8% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: urban

Urban: 18.9% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: rural

Rural: 51% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: total

Total: 39.2% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

3.4% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

5.1% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

0.13 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Hospital bed density

0.6 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: urban

Urban: 89.6% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: rural

Rural: 27.2% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: total

Total: 50.1% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: urban

Urban: 10.4% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: rural

Rural: 72.8% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: total

Total: 49.9% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.4% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita — total

7.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — beer

0.74 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — wine

0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — spirits

0.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — other alcohols

6.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use — total

6.5% (2025 est.)

Tobacco use — male

11.3% (2025 est.)

Tobacco use — female

2% (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

11.4% (2022 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

59.2% (2022 est.)

Child marriage — women married by age 15

5.2% (2022)

Child marriage — women married by age 18

29.1% (2022)

Child marriage — men married by age 18

3.5% (2022)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% GDP)

3.2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% national budget)

13.4% national budget (2024 est.)

Literacy — total population

78.2% (2022 est.)

Literacy — male

84.2% (2022 est.)

Literacy — female

73.1% (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — total

9 years (2021 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — male

9 years (2021 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — female

9 years (2021 est.)

🌿 Environment⬆️ Top

Environmental issues

Water pollution; improper management of liquid waste; indoor air pollution from burning wood or charcoal for cooking and heating; soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; coral reef destruction; illegal hunting and animal trade, especially ivory; loss of biodiversity; solid waste disposal

International environmental agreements — party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

International environmental agreements — signed, but not ratified

None of the selected agreements

Climate

Varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Land use — agricultural land

44.6% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 15.2% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 27.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

50.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

5.3% (2023 est.)

Urbanization — urban population

37.4% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

4.89% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — total emissions

17.707 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from coal and metallurgical coke

1.687 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from petroleum and other liquids

12.066 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from consumed natural gas

3.954 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

14.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Methane emissions — energy

568.3 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Methane emissions — agriculture

1,176.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Methane emissions — waste

168.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Methane emissions — other

1,226.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste and recycling — municipal solid waste generated annually

9.277 million tons (2024 est.)

Waste and recycling — percent of municipal solid waste recycled

12.3% (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — municipal

527 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — industrial

25 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — agricultural

4.632 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total renewable water resources

96.27 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Geoparks — total global geoparks and regional networks

1

Geoparks — global geoparks and regional networks

Ngorongoro Lengai (2023)

🏛️ Government⬆️ Top

Country name — conventional long form

United Republic of Tanzania

Country name — conventional short form

Tanzania

Country name — local long form

Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania

Country name — local short form

Tanzania

Country name — former

German East Africa, Trust Territory of Tanganyika, Republic of Tanganyika, People's Republic of Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Country name — etymology

The country's name is a combination of the first letters of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, the two states that merged to form Tanzania in 1964

Government type

Presidential republic

Capital — name

Dodoma

Capital — geographic coordinates

6 48 S, 39 17 E

Capital — time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Capital — etymology

The name comes from the name of a nearby mountain; the origin of the mountain's name is unclear

Administrative divisions

31 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Geita, Iringa, Kagera, Kaskazini Pemba (Pemba North), Kaskazini Unguja (Zanzibar North), Katavi, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Kusini Pemba (Pemba South), Kusini Unguja (Zanzibar Central/South), Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Mjini Magharibi (Zanzibar Urban/West), Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Njombe, Pwani (Coast), Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Simiyu, Singida, Songwe, Tabora, Tanga

Legal system

English common law; judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation

Constitution — history

Several previous; latest adopted 25 April 1977

Constitution — amendment process

Proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments to constitutional articles including those on sovereignty of the United Republic, the authorities and powers of the government, the president, the Assembly, and the High Court requires two-thirds majority vote of the mainland Assembly membership and of the Zanzibar House of Representatives membership; House of Representatives approval of other amendments is not required

International law organization participation

Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship — citizenship by birth

No

Citizenship — citizenship by descent only

At least one parent must be a citizen of Tanzania; if a child is born abroad, the father must be a citizen of Tanzania

Citizenship — dual citizenship recognized

No

Citizenship — residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch — chief of state

President Samia Suluhu HASSAN (since 19 March 2021)

Executive branch — head of government

President Samia Suluhu HASSAN (since 19 March 2021)

Executive branch — cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president from among members of the National Assembly

Executive branch — election/appointment process

President and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president

Executive branch — most recent election date

29 October 2025

Executive branch — election results

2025: Samia Suluhu HASSAN reelected; percent of vote - Samia Suluhu HASSAN (CCM) 97.7%, others 2.3%

Executive branch — expected date of next election

October 2030

Legislative branch — legislature name

National Assembly (Bunge)

Legislative branch — legislative structure

Unicameral

Legislative branch — number of seats

403 (272 directly elected; 120 indirectly elected; 10 appointed; 1 other)

Legislative branch — electoral system

Plurality/majority

Legislative branch — scope of elections

Full renewal

Legislative branch — term in office

5 years

Legislative branch — most recent election date

10/29/2025

Legislative branch — parties elected and seats per party

Revolutionary Party of Tanzania (CCM) (383); ACT-Wazalendo (2)

Legislative branch — percentage of women in chamber

39.5%

Legislative branch — expected date of next election

October 2030

Judicial branch — highest court(s)

Court of Appeal of the United Republic of Tanzania (consists of the chief justice and 14 justices); High Court of the United Republic for Mainland Tanzania (consists of the principal judge and 30 judges organized into commercial, land, and labor courts); High Court of Zanzibar (consists of the chief justice and 10 justices)

Judicial branch — judge selection and term of office

Court of Appeal and High Court justices appointed by the national president after consultation with the Judicial Service Commission for Tanzania, a judicial body of high-level judges and 2 members appointed by the national president; Court of Appeal and High Court judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 60, but terms can be extended; High Court of Zanzibar judges appointed by the national president after consultation with the Judicial Commission of Zanzibar; judges can serve until mandatory retirement at age 65

Judicial branch — subordinate courts

Resident Magistrates Courts; Kadhi courts (for Islamic family matters); district and primary courts

Political parties

Alliance for Change and Transparency (Wazalendo) or ACT-Wazalendo Civic United Front (Chama Cha Wananchi) or CUF Party of Democracy and Development (Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo) or CHADEMA Revolutionary Party of Tanzania (Chama Cha Mapinduzi) or CCM

Diplomatic representation in the US — chief of mission

Ambassador Elsie Sia KANZA (since 1 December 2021)

Diplomatic representation in the US — chancery

1232 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037

Diplomatic representation in the US — telephone

[1] (202) 884-1080

Diplomatic representation in the US — FAX

[1] (202) 797-7408

Diplomatic representation in the US — email address and website

Ubalozi@tanzaniaembassy-us.org https://us.tzembassy.go.tz/

Diplomatic representation from the US — chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Andrew LENTZ (since January 2025)

Diplomatic representation from the US — embassy

686 Old Bagamoyo Road, Msasani, P.O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam

Diplomatic representation from the US — mailing address

2140 Dar es Salaam Place, Washington, DC 20521-2140

Diplomatic representation from the US — telephone

[255] (22) 229-4000

Diplomatic representation from the US — FAX

[255] (22) 229-4721

Diplomatic representation from the US — email address and website

DRSACS@state.gov https://tz.usembassy.gov/

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, EAC, EADB, EITI, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Independence

26 April 1964 (Tanganyika united with Zanzibar to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar); 29 October 1964 (renamed United Republic of Tanzania); notable earlier dates: 9 December 1961 (Tanganyika became independent from UK-administered UN trusteeship); 10 December 1963 (Zanzibar became independent from UK)

National holiday

Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)

Flag

Description: divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band, from the lower left corner to the upper right corner; the upper triangle (left side) is green, and the lower is blue meaning: colors come from the flags of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; green stands for natural vegetation, gold for rich mineral deposits, black for the Swahili people, and blue for lakes and rivers, as well as the Indian Ocean

National symbol(s)

Uhuru (freedom) torch, giraffe

National color(s)

Green, yellow, blue, black

National anthem(s) — title

"Mungu ibariki Afrika" (God Bless Africa)

National anthem(s) — lyrics/music

Collective/Enoch Mankayi SONTONGA

National anthem(s) — history

Adopted 1961; the anthem, which is also a popular African popular song in Africa, shares the melody of Zambia's anthem and is part of South Africa's anthem

National heritage — total World Heritage Sites

7 (3 cultural, 3 natural, 1 mixed)

National heritage — selected World Heritage Site locales

Ngorongoro Conservation Area (m); Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara (c); Serengeti National Park (n); Selous Game Reserve (n); Kilimanjaro National Park (n); Stone Town of Zanzibar (c); Kondoa Rock-Art Sites (c)

💹 Economy⬆️ Top

Economic overview

Emerging lower middle-income East African economy; resource-rich and growing tourism; strong post-pandemic recovery from hospitality, electricity, mining, and transit sectors; declining poverty; stable inflation; gender-based violence economic and labor force disruptions

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$246.706 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$233.786 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$222.506 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2024

5.5% (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2023

5.1% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2022

4.6% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2024

$3,700 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2023

$3,600 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2022

$3,500 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$78.78 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

3.1% (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

3.8% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

4.4% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — agriculture

23.4% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — industry

28.7% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — services

28.4% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — household consumption

52.9% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — government consumption

9.2% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in fixed capital

41.4% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in inventories

-1.6% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — exports of goods and services

19.8% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — imports of goods and services

-21.7% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

Maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, bananas, milk, sugarcane, rice, vegetables, beans, sunflower seeds (2023)

Industries

Agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine); mining (diamonds, gold, and iron), salt, soda ash; cement, oil refining, shoes, apparel, wood products, fertilizer

Industrial production growth rate

5.2% (2024 est.)

Labor force

32.983 million (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2024

2.6% (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2023

2.6% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2022

2.6% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — total

3.3% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — male

2.6% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — female

4.2% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

26.4% (2018 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income — Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

40.5 (2018 est.)

Average household expenditures — on food

26.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Average household expenditures — on alcohol and tobacco

1.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share — lowest 10%

2.9% (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share — highest 10%

33.1% (2018 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2023

1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2022

0.9% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2021

0.8% of GDP (2021 est.)

Budget — revenues

$11.716 billion (2024 est.)

Budget — expenditures

$13.583 billion (2024 est.)

Public debt — Public debt 2016

38% of GDP (2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

11.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2023

-$2.958 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2022

-$5.482 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2021

-$2.374 billion (2021 est.)

Exports — Exports 2023

$13.98 billion (2023 est.)

Exports — Exports 2022

$11.986 billion (2022 est.)

Exports — Exports 2021

$9.874 billion (2021 est.)

Exports - partners

India 15%, UAE 14%, Uganda 12%, South Africa 10%, China 6% (2023)

Exports - commodities

Gold, refined petroleum, dried legumes, refined copper, coal (2023)

Imports — Imports 2023

$16.059 billion (2023 est.)

Imports — Imports 2022

$16.674 billion (2022 est.)

Imports — Imports 2021

$11.61 billion (2021 est.)

Imports - partners

China 32%, India 13%, UAE 9%, Saudi Arabia 5%, Japan 4% (2023)

Imports - commodities

Refined petroleum, plastics, garments, fertilizers, wheat (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2018

$5.05 billion (2018 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017

$5.888 billion (2017 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016

$4.351 billion (2016 est.)

Debt - external — Debt - external 2023

$17.513 billion (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Currency

Tanzanian shillings (TZS) per US dollar -

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2024

2,597.9 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2023

2,383.043 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2022

2,303.034 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2021

2,297.764 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2020

2,294.146 (2020 est.)

⚡ Energy⬆️ Top

Electricity access — electrification - total population

45.8% (2022 est.)

Electricity access — electrification - urban areas

74.7%

Electricity access — electrification - rural areas

36%

Electricity — installed generating capacity

1.818 million kW (2023 est.)

Electricity — consumption

9.109 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — imports

157.688 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — transmission/distribution losses

2.039 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — fossil fuels

74.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — solar

0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — hydroelectricity

24.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — biomass and waste

0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal — production

2.341 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — consumption

740,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — exports

1.602 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — imports

21 metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — proven reserves

1.41 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum — refined petroleum consumption

85,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Natural gas — production

2.016 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — consumption

2.016 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — proven reserves

6.513 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita — Total energy consumption per capita 2023

4.091 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

📡 Communications⬆️ Top

Telephones - fixed lines — total subscriptions

76,000 (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2023 est.) less than 1

Telephones - mobile cellular — total subscriptions

86.8 million (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

127 (2024 est.)

Broadcast media

About 45 TV stations, with 13 national that broadcast free-to-air TV; 196 radio stations, most operating at the district level, but also including 5 independent national stations and 1 state-owned national radio station; international broadcasts widely available through satellite TV; 3 major satellite TV providers (2020)

Internet country code

.tz

Internet users — percent of population

29% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — total

1.66 million (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

2 (2023 est.)

🚚 Transportation⬆️ Top

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

5H

Airports

206 (2025)

Railways — total

4,097 km (2022)

Railways — standard gauge

421 km (2022)

Railways — narrow gauge

969 km (2022) 1.067 m gauge

Railways — broad gauge

2,707 km (2022) 1.000 m guage

Merchant marine — total

381 (2023)

Merchant marine — by type

Bulk carrier 4, container ship 17, general cargo 170, oil tanker 58, other 132

Ports — total ports

8 (2024)

Ports — large

0

Ports — medium

1

Ports — small

3

Ports — very small

4

Ports — ports with oil terminals

4

Ports — key ports

Chake Chake, Dar Es Salaam, Tanga, Zanzibar

🛡️ Military and Security⬆️ Top

Military and security forces

Tanzania People's Defense Forces (TPDF or Jeshi la Wananchi la Tanzania, JWTZ): Land Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force, Nation Building Army (Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa, JKT), Reserve Forces Ministry of Home Affairs: Tanzania Police Force (Jeshi la Polisi Tanzania) (2025)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2024

1.3% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2023

1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2022

1.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2021

1.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2020

1.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

Approximately 25,000 active Defense Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

The TPDF's inventory includes mostly British, Chinese, and Russian/Soviet-era armaments (2025)

Military service age and obligation

Generally 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women, but may go up to 35 years of age depending on education levels and for medical specialists; no conscription (2026)

Military deployments

520 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); more than 1,000 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO and Southern African Development Community regional force); 125 Lebanon (UNIFIL); approximately 300 Mozambique (under bi-lateral agreement to assist with combatting an insurgency) (2025)

Military - note

The chief concerns of the Tanzania Defense Forces (TDPF) are maritime piracy and smuggling, border security, terrorism, animal poaching, and spillover from instability in neighboring countries, particularly Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); it participates in multinational training exercises, regional peacekeeping deployments, and has ties with a variety of foreign militaries, including those of China, India, and the US; it has contributed troops to the UN’s Force Intervention Brigade in the DRC; the TPDF also participated in the former Southern African Development Community intervention force in Mozambique, which assisted the Mozambique military in combating fighters affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); the regional force withdrew in 2024, but the TPDF continues to maintain troops in Mozambique as part of a separate bilateral security agreement; since 2020, the TPDF has reinforced the border with Mozambique following several cross-border attacks by ISIS fighters (2025)

🚨 Terrorism⬆️ Top

Terrorist group(s)

Al-Shabaab; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

🌐 Transnational Issues⬆️ Top

Refugees and internally displaced persons — refugees

218,123 (2024 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons — IDPs

75,117 (2024 est.)