Mysterious Tanzania: Description, Interesting Facts

• Location and Borders: Tanzania is located in East Africa. It is bordered by Uganda and Kenya to the north, Mozambique to the south, Malawi and Zambia to the west, and the Indian Ocean to the east.
• Square: The country covers an area of approximately 945,087 square kilometers.
• National Currency: The currency of Tanzania is the Tanzanian Shilling (TZS).
• Official Languages: The official languages of Tanzania are Swahili and English.

The full name of the country located on the eastern coast of Africa is the United Republic of Tanzania. It shares borders with Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Mozambique, and Malawi. To the east, it is washed by the waters of the Indian Ocean.

The diversity of landscapes, rich flora and fauna, vast sandy beaches, and numerous architectural monuments from different eras have made Tanzania one of the most attractive tourist destinations on the “black continent.”

Geography and Climate

The landscape consists of plateaus and plains. Along the ocean coast lies a small, picturesque lowland. A traveler visiting Tanzania by fate will be enchanted by the cones of extinct volcanoes, mangrove forests, green paradise islands, and the stunning panorama of the Great Rift Valley, where one can feel the true majesty of nature. Africa’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro (5,895 meters above sea level), is located in the northeastern part of the country. Tanzania also includes the continent’s largest lakes: Victoria, Nyasa, and, partially, Tanganyika. Overall, water bodies occupy 6% of its territory.

Tanzania carefully preserves its immense natural wealth. To protect its unique ecosystems, the country has established 13 reserves, 15 vast national parks, and 38 special zones, with large areas covering tens of thousands of square kilometers under protection.

The climate is equatorial-monsoon. The temperature of the warmest month does not exceed +32°C, and in winter, it doesn’t fall below +20°C. Heavy rainfall occurs in spring, and frequent rains fall from September to November. From June to September, there are intense droughts.

How Tanzania Came to Be

The modern name of the country is derived from the first syllables of “Tanganyika” and “Zanzibar” (former colonies incorporated into its territory), with the addition of the suffix “-ia,” typical of geographical names.

The first Europeans settled here in the early 16th century and actively engaged in trade, displacing the local Swahili people. From the 17th century, the slave trade flourished, leading to tragic consequences.

In the 19th century, Tanzania fell under the protectorate of first Germany and later Britain. Tanganyika (the mainland part of the country) gained independence in 1961, while Zanzibar (the island) followed two years later. On April 26, 1964, a treaty was signed, uniting the two free regions. The administrative center of Tanzania is the ancient city of Dar es Salaam, while the official capital is Dodoma. The population is about 60 million, with most speaking Swahili, Arabic, and various ethnic group languages.

More About Tanzania: Top 30 Interesting Facts

1. English is one of the official languages, but tourists may struggle to find someone who speaks it, as very few people know the language of the former colonizers.
2. About 97% of the population is younger than 65 years old. The median age is less than 18.
3. Popular sports include boxing, soccer, and volleyball.
4. The country has left-side road traffic.
5. Seven years of education are mandatory by law, but only half of all school-age children attend school.
6. Tanzania is a multi-ethnic country, home to 120 different ethnic groups.
7. The lead singer of the legendary band Queen, Freddie Mercury, was born on the island of Zanzibar. His family’s house, now a museum, is a popular attraction in Stone Town.
8. Lake Tanganyika is the second-deepest lake in the world (after Baikal), with a maximum depth of 1,470 meters.
9. Lake Victoria is home to 200 species of colorful perch, but most are not suitable for consumption.
10. The world’s largest crater, Ngorongoro, located in the center of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, is protected by UNESCO. It covers an area of 264 km², comparable to the size of small countries.
11. Albinos are born in Tanzania 6-7 times more often than in other parts of the world. Unfortunately, they are often persecuted due to superstitions.
12. In 1962, a mysterious “laughing epidemic” affected a thousand people from several villages in Tanganyika, with symptoms lasting 18 months before subsiding. The illness was accompanied by fainting, rashes, and nervous fits.
13. It is illegal to take Tanzanian shillings out of the country or bring them back in.
14. Lake Natron is covered by a thick salt crust, which changes color from orange to deep red due to cyanobacteria. Its alkaline waters, heated to 50-60°C, are deadly to most birds and animals, except flamingos. Those that contact it die, and their remains turn into eerie mummified statues.
15. The name of the volcano near the deadly lake, “Ol Doinyo Lengai,” translates from the Maasai language as “Mountain of Spirits.” Shamans believe the lake is a creation of the gods and a sacred site.
16. Tanzania is home to about 4 million wild animals, with the highest concentration of wildlife per square kilometer in the world.
17. The country’s national anthem, “God Bless Africa,” partially overlaps with the anthem of South Africa and, in a slightly altered form, is also the anthem of Zambia.
18. The Anglo-Zanzibar War of August 27, 1896, is recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as the shortest war in history, lasting only 38 minutes. The British fleet demolished the palace of the Sultan of Zanzibar, Khalid ibn Bargash, and his defenders. The Sultan managed to escape but lost his throne.
19. The island of Zanzibar successfully eradicated the dangerous tsetse fly population.
20. The ancient African tribe of Hadza continues to live in Tanzania. They remained nomadic until the mid-20th century.
21. The name “Zanzibar” is derived from Persian, meaning “land of black people.”
22. Tanzania owns a small tropical island named Mafia, which has no connection to Italian gangsters. In Swahili, “Mafia” means “healing land.”
23. Serengeti National Park is a region that has existed unchanged for nearly a million years.
24. The coconut crab, found along Tanzania’s coast, is a giant arthropod up to 1 meter long and weighing about 4 kg. It climbs trees and crushes coconut shells with its powerful claws. With a highly developed sense of smell, the crab can detect food from kilometers away.
25. The paradise beaches of Zanzibar are considered some of the best in the world, consistently receiving international awards and ranking high in various competitions.
26. The East African Rift runs through the entire country, forming young lithospheric plates. Mount Kilimanjaro is part of this system.
27. The icy snows of Africa’s highest mountain serve as a freshwater source for residents of Tanzania and neighboring countries.
28. Ol Doinyo Lengai, a carbonatite volcano in the north of the country, is unique in its kind. Its lava is rich in minerals that fertilize the land.
29. In 1967, a Maasai tribesman discovered precious blue stones, later named tanzanites. The valuable mineral is found only in one place on Earth, near Kilimanjaro.
30. The Tingatinga art style, created in Tanzania, is popular. Paintings are done with enamel paint, depicting animals, birds, and everyday scenes. The characteristic features of this style include primitivism and a lack of perspective.