We initiate, develop and guide implementation of commercially viable projects with the private sector.

BASIC DATA

LAND AREA: 945,087 sq. km.

POPULATION: 30 million (1997 estimates).

POPULATION GROWTH: 2.8% per annum.

CURRENCY: Tanzanian Shilling – Tshs 675=US$ 1 (1998). There is no limit on importation of foreign currency.

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Kiswahili and English, but there are more than 120 tribal vernaculars.

VALUE OF EXPORTS: US$ 761.7 million (1996).

VALUE OF IMPORTS: US$ 1,212.6 million (1996).

TRADE BALANCE: US$ 450.9 million (1996).

MAIN EXPORTS: Coffee, Cotton, Sisal, Tea, Tobacco, Cashewnuts and Manufactured Goods.

CAPITAL CITY: Dar es Salaam (population 2.5 million).

GDP: US$ 2,294.0 million (1996).

GDP PER CAPITA: US$ 198 (1996).

THE LAND

The United Republic of Tanzania which includes the Islands of Zanzibar and Pemba lies on the east coast of Africa. It has a common border with eight countries: Kenya and Uganda to the north; Rwanda, Burundi and Zaire to the west; Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south.

Tanzania boasts the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 m above sea level), a highland plateau, several inland water ports on three Great Lakes and a coastline of 800 kilometres bordering the India Ocean.

CLIMATE

The climate of the coastal plain is tropical with average rainfall between 500mm and 1000mm; elsewhere the climate is moderately tropical, with average temperatures of around 26C and with annual rainfall varying from 500mm to 1250 mm.

GOVERNMENT

Mainland Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika) gained independence in December 1961 while Zanzibar gained her independence in January 1964 through a revolution. The two countries united t form the United Republic of Tanzania in April, 1964.

Until July 1992 Tanzania was a one-party state. Following recommendations by a Presidential Commission, the country has adopted a multi-party political system, and has held a successful General Election in 1995.

Tanzania is a member of the United Nations, UNIDO, the World Bank, the IMF, the Commonwealth, the Non-Aligned Movement, SADC, PTA and the ADB. It is also signatory to the Lome Convention.

THE ECONOMY

Although Tanzania was able to achieve a GDP growth rate of 4.8 percent per annum between 1969-1974, by the 1980s. Tanzania began to face serious economic difficulties due to the raid rise in oil prices and the weakening prices of her export crops on the world markets. In 1966 the share of GDP by economic activity was as follows:

An Economic Recovery program (ERP) was launched with the assistance of the World Bank in 1986. It’s main measures included economic and trade liberalization, devaluation of the Tanzanian shilling and the removal of price controls. This first ERP achieved significant results and led to a four percent increase in GDP growth during 1987-9. This success led to the continuation of the programme up to the present time.

Tanzania’s main exports in 1996 were manufactured products, coffee, tea, sisal, tobacco, cotton and cashewnuts while its main imports were machinery and transport equipment, building materials and petroleum products. Main trading partners are the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Japan and India.

Tanzania’s Natural Wealth and Why you should invest in Tanzania

Tanzania enjoys an abundance of natural wealth which offers tremendous investment opportunities for investors. These include an excellent geographical location; (six land locked countries have access to Tanzania ports); arable land; excellent tourist attractions (Ngorongoro, Serengeti, Kilimanjaro and the spicy Islands of Zanzibar); natural resources, a sizeable domestic and sub-regional market (population 300 million), a wide local raw material supply base, inexpensive labour, political stability an a suitable market policy orientation.

Some of the economic advantages of operating in Tanzania include: