Tanzania Facts

Map from the Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection.

• Tanzania borders the Indian Ocean between Kenya and Mozambique and, including the islands of Mafia, Pemba and Zanzibar, is roughly twice the size of California.

• The nation’s population is 95 percent ethnic Bantu, which is comprised of more than 130 distinct groups.

• Literacy Rate: 70%

• HIV Infection Rate: 8.8%

• TB Prevalence per 100,000: 479

• Population: 41 million

• Median Age: 18

• Urbanization: 25%

• Infant Mortality Rate: 69 per 1,000 births

• Life Expectancy: 52 years

• Fertility Rate: 4.46 children born/woman

• Religion: 30% Christian, 35% Muslim, 35% indigenous beliefs

• Tanzania is in the bottom ten percent of the world's economies in terms of per capita income. The economy depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for more than 40% of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 80% of the work force.

• Agriculture accounts for half of Tanzania’s GDP, despite the fact that only four percent of the land is suitable for farming.

* These facts and figures were taken in 2009 from the CIA Factbook and the World Health Organization site.