• Tanzania:
• Geography

Tanzania - Geography

The United Republic of Tanzania borders the Indian Ocean to the east, and has land borders with eight countries: (anti-clockwise from the north) Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (across Lake Tanganyika), Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique. The country includes Zanzibar (consisting of the main island Unguja, plus Pemba and other smaller islands).

Area: 945,090 sq km

Main towns: Dar es Salaam (commercial capital, pop. 2,805,500 in 2006), Dodoma (administrative capital, 188,200), Mwanza (458,100), Zanzibar Town (422,300), Arusha (362,900), Mbeya (304,200), Morogoro (261,400), Tanga (230,400), Kigoma (171,200), Moshi (161,200), Tabora (148,700), Songea (132,800), Musoma (125,600), Iringa (113,500), Shinyanga, Katumba, Mtwara.

Topography: The country comprises several distinct zones: a fertile coastal belt; the Masai Steppe and mountain ranges to the north (with Mt Kilimanjaro rising to 5,895m); and a high plateau in the central and southern regions. There are over 61,000 sq km of inland water. Unguja Island (36km from the mainland) is fertile, hilly and densely populated on the west side, low and thinly peopled in the east.

Climate: Varies with geographical zones: tropical on the coast, where it is hot and humid (rainy season March–May); semi-temperate in the mountains (with the Short Rains in November–December and the Long Rains in February–May); and drier in the plateau region with considerable seasonal variations in temperature.

Environment: The most significant environmental issues are drought, soil degradation, deforestation, desertification and destruction of coral reefs.

Vegetation: Lush tropical at the coast; the rest of the country, apart from urban areas, is savannah and bush. Forest and woodland cover 40% of the land area, having declined at 1% p.a. 1990–2005. Arable land comprises 4.5% and permanent cropland 1.2% of the total land area.

Wildlife: The national parks and game reserves cover 16% of the country and include Serengeti National Park (famous for its vast migratory herds of plains animals, notably wildebeest, zebra, eland and kudu). Small bands of chimpanzees are found in the Gombe National Park along Lake Tanganyika. The steep mountain walls of Ngorogoro Park’s volcanic crater have provided protection and a natural enclosure for animals in an environment of great natural beauty. Rhino and elephant populations are still being depleted by poaching despite government protective measures.

Transport: There are 78,890km of roads, 8.6% paved. There are also two railway systems, running on different gauges. One links Dar es Salaam with central, western and northern Tanzania and Kenya (Tanzania Railways Corporation, gauge 1m, extending to 2,600km); the other links Dar es Salaam to Zambia (Tanzania–Zambia Railways Authority, or Tazara).

The main ports are at Dar es Salaam, Mtwara, Tanga and Zanzibar. Regular boat services carry passengers and freight between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. Ferries provide freight and passenger transport on Lake Victoria.

There are three international airports (Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar) and more than 50 local airports and airstrips. Because of the size of the country and scattered population, air services have become the most significant form of internal transport for official and business travel.