Religions:
mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%;
Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim
Languages:
Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguju (name for Swahili in
Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce,
administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in
Zanzibar), many local languages
note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people
living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili
is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety
of sources, including Arabic and English, and it has become the
lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of
most people is one of the local languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili),
English, or Arabic
total population: 78.2%
male: 85.9%
female: 70.7% (2003 est.)
Government Tanzania
Country name:
conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania
conventional short form: Tanzania
former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar
Government type:
republic
Capital:
Dar es Salaam; note - legislative offices have been transferred to
Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital; the National
Assembly now meets there on regular basis
Administrative divisions:
26 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera, Kigoma,
Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza,
Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida,
Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar
Urban/West
Independence:
26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from
UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent 19
December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April
1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed
United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964
National holiday:
Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)