After gaining independence from Britain, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the Republic of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule ended in 1995 with the country’s first democratic multi-party elections since the 1970s.
Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. Families depend heavily on agriculture for their income. The rapid spread of HIV/AIDS threatens to destabilise the country’s social and economic fabric. Other major health problems include poor nutrition, malaria, tuberculosis, dysentery and leprosy.
Country Facts
- Region: Africa
- Capital: Dodoma
- Population: 56.8 million
- Area: 947,300 km2
- Religions: Roman Catholic 29.4%, Muslim 29.2%, Protestant 16.8%, ethnic religions 16.1%
- Languages: Swahili, English, Arabic, many local languages
Other countries in this region
