Tanzania Basic Facts:
Tanzania is a popular East African destination for visitors, it has many natural attractions including Zanzibar, Mount Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. Tanzania is a large country and its infrastructure isn't great so it takes time to get around. Tanzanians have a very friendly reputation and other than petty theft, violent crime is quite rare.Location: Tanzania is located in East Africa bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique, see map.Area: 945,087 sq km, a little more than twice the size of California.
Capital City: Dodoma (but the commercial capital and largest city is Dar es Salaam).
Population: Around 39 million people live in Tanzania.
Language: Kiswahili or Swahili (official), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar) and many local languages.
Religion: Mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, and indigenous beliefs 35%. Zanzibar, more than 99% Muslim
Climate: Tanzania lies just south of the equator and on the whole enjoys a tropical climate. There are two rainy seasons, generally the heaviest rains (called Masika) usually fall from mid-March to May and a shorter period of rain (called mvuli) from November to mid-January. The dry season, with cooler temperatures, lasts from May to October. More about Tanzania's weather.
When to Go: The best time to go is January - February and July - October....Read more
Currency: Tanzanian Shilling, click here for currency converter.
Tanzania's Main Attractions:
- Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater -- Part of the "northern circuit" of parks, these two wildlife parks/reserves are the jewels in the crown and arguably offer the best safari experience in Africa. More about safaris in Tanzania.
- Mount Kilimanjaro -- Africa's highest mountain draws hikers from all over the world. It takes about a week to climb and no technical expertise is necessary to summit Uhuru Peak. More about hiking up Kilimanjaro.
- Zanzibar -- Gorgeous beaches, romantic islands as well as a fascinating capital built by Arab slave-traders and spice merchants called Stonetown, make Zanzibar a unique destination. More about Zanzibar.