Tanzania At A Glance

Welcome to Tanzania Safari Tours. Let’s perceive Tanzania At A Glance to get a better understanding of the country.

Basic Information

• Official Name: United Republic of Tanzania
• Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Mozambique and Kenya.
• Population: 48.3 million

Area

• Total Area: 947,300 sq km
• Land: 886,037 sq km.
• Water: 59,050 sq km. (including the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar)

Borders

• Total: 3,861 km.
• Border countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo 459 km, Kenya 769 km, Rwanda 217 km, Burundi 451 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km.

Time Zone

GMT +3 all year-round. Tanzania maintains a constant 12 hours of daylight. Sunrise is typically 06.30 and sunset at 18.45.

Capital City

• Administrative capital: Dodoma.
• Commercial capital: Dar es Salaam.

Largest Cities, With Population

• Dar es Salaam: 4,364,541
• Mwanza: 706,543
• Arusha: 416,442
• Dodoma: 410,956

Languages

• Official Language: Kiswahili, English
• Other Languages Spoken: Nilotic languages (Maasai, Datooga, Ngasa, Ogiek, Kisankasa, and Pare), Bantu (Bemba, Safwa, Digo, Hehe, Makonde, Nyamwezi, Yao, and Luguru), and Arabic in Zanzibar.
• Business Language: English and Swahili

Ethnic make-up

Tanzania has more than 120 ethnic groups.

Mainland - African 99% (95% are Bantu of more than 130 tribes)

Other 1%

Tanzania Climate

Tanzania mostly experiences a tropical climate due to such close proximity to the equator. Generally, October to February is the warmest time of the year and the coolest is from June to October.

Tanzania has two rainy seasons;

• October to November: small rains, and
• March to May: Longer rains.

Temperature

The average temperature ranges less than five degrees throughout the year. However, in some places in the interior, the temperature can be as high as 40°C. The coastal area and the islands of Zanzibar are warmer with temperatures between 22 and 30°C and humidity between 75 and 80% almost year-round. In mountainous areas, including Mt. Kilimanjaro, the northern and southern highlands, and the Usambara Mountains, the temperature gets below 12°C with regular frost during May-August.

Currency

• Domestic Currency: Tanzanian Shilling
• ISO Code: TZSTo

The Tanzania shilling, Tsh, or TZS is divided into 100 cents.

Currency Exchange

Most hotels and all airports offer forex facilities. But it is wiser to compare the rates and commissions before exchanging money.

Banking

• Banking hours: Monday - Friday 8.30 am - 3.00 pm, Saturdays 8.30 am - 1.30 pm.
• A few branches in the major towns are open until 4.00 pm.

ATMs & Credit cards

Only major lodges, hotels, and travel agents accept credit cards (Access, MasterCard, Visa, American -Express, and Euro card).

ATM and 24-hour cash machines are available in most of the major cities.

Travelers’ cheques

Cheques of pounds sterling or US dollars are recommended. Mind you it might be difficult to exchange them outside the main cities.

Tipping

Tipping is widely appreciated. But bear in mind, most hotels and restaurants include a 10% service charge.

Tanzania Entry Requirements

• Up to date and valid Passport
• Three-month single-entry tourist visas (can be issued from embassy, airports, or border posts)

Security

All in all, Tanzania is a very safe country to travel to. The locals are warm-hearted and generous people and are always eager to help. Tanzania is a multi-democratic country and is politically stable.

Tanzania Safari; Do's and don'ts

It is an offense to:

• deface a Tanzanian banknote;
• urinate in public;
• sunbath topless;
• hire a prostitute;
• buy or take drugs;
• remove wildlife products from Tanzania,
• Export products made from elephant, rhino, or sea turtle derivatives, or to remove coral.
• Swearing and blasphemy are inadvisable.

For more information about Tanzania Safaris and information regarding travel insurance or any other necessary details, visit Gazelle Safaris Africa today.