Facts, statistics and information about Tanzania and Zanzibar
It is not without reason that Tanzania is repeatedly hailed as being the world’s best safari country. The burnt plains and champagne-colored craters hold many of the wild mysteries of wildlife. The amount of wildlife and the variety of flora is absolutely breathtaking and it is all just waiting to be explored by curious travelers.
Tanzania is a country with many opportunities. Every year, thousands of mountaineers travel here with a single goal in mind. All of them will stand on top of Africa’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro, with the entire continent under its feet. The white sandy beaches, the spice island of Zanzibar and The Big Five certainly also attract its share of visitors – and with good reason.
Main facts about Tanzania
| Capital city: | Dodoma |
| Area: | 947,300 km2 |
| Population: | 59.09 million (2017) |
| Language: | English, Swahili, Arabic and some smaller languages |
| Religion: | Christianity (61%), Islam (36%), others (3%) |
| Currency: | Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) 1 DKK = 355.49 TSZ |
Flag
According to thesciencetutor.org, the flag of Tanzania was introduced in the year 1964, when Tanganyika and Zanzibar were united as Tanzania. Tanganyika brought the colors green and black, while Tanzania brought green, black and blue with them from their previous flags. The colors are combined diagonally to symbolize equality between the two states.
The yellow stripes symbolize mineral wealth. Where the green color symbolizes the country, the black for the people and the blue color for both the sea and the island of Zanzibar. The yellow stripes symbolize mineral wealth, while green today represent the country, black stands for the people and blue is for Zanzibar and the sea.
Geography
| Capital city: | Dodoma |
| Area: | 947,300 km2 |
| Continent: | Africa |
| Time zone: | East African Time GMT + 3 |
| Limits to: | Kenya , Uganda, Rwanda , Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique |
| Largest cities: | Dar es Salaam , Mwanza , Arusha , Dodoma and Mbeya |
Demographics
| Population: | 59.09 million (2017) |
| Population density: | 65 people / km2 |
| Population growth: | 3.1% / year |
| Language: | English, Swahili, Arabic and some smaller languages |
| Religion: | Christianity (61%), Islam (36%), others (3%) |
Entry
| Currency: | Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) 1 DKK = 355.49 TSZ |
| Vaccinations: | Diphtheria and Tetanus, Hepatitis A, Malaria Pills (Possible Yellow Fever) |
| Passport & Visa: | Passport must be valid 6 months before. Visas are applied for online before departure |
| Insurance: | Remember travel insurance. Neither yellow nor blue health cards can be used in Tanzania |
| Travel time: | December-February (high season), June-October (secondary high season) |
Mini-phrasebook
| Hi | Habari |
| Goodbye | Kwaheri |
| Yes | Ndiyo |
| No | Hakuna |
| Thanks | Shukrani |
| Welcome | Kufurahia Vinywaji |
| Do you speak English? | Ja, unasema Kiingereza? |
| Excuse me | Nisamehe |
Zanzibar’s history and Stone Town
Zanzibar is an island in the Indian Ocean, located 35 km east of Tanzania. Zanzibar’s capital city is called Zanzibar City, which has a population of 205,000. The history and struggle of Zanzibar goes back a long way, and the city has had a tragic past with much slave trade. From around the year 800, Zanzibar was under Arab rule. Around the 16th century, the Portuguese came to the island and took power. However, the Portuguese rule did not last for many years. As early as 1652, the Arabs returned and took power.
Just over 2000 years later, in 1840, Zanzibar City became the capital of the Sultan of Oman. In 1861, Zanzibar became an independent sultanate. Here Zanzibar began to be used for both the trade of ivory, but especially for the trade of slaves. However, the British came to Zanzibar and in 1873 the slave trade was abolished and in 1890 the island became a British protectorate. In 1963, Zanzibar finally became independent and was no longer under British rule.
Stone Town
All these cultures can be seen on Zanzibar and especially in the town of Stone Town which is part of Zanzibar City. Stone Town comes from Mji Mkongwe which is Swahili and means “old town”. In fact, Stone Town is also an ancient Swahili village. In 2000, Stone Town became part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. The reason for this is that the city shows an incredible number of signs of all the different cultures that throughout history have been in Zanzibar.
The buildings in Stone Town are very fascinating to look at, and date back to the 1800s. However, it can also give an eerie mood when one thinks of the horrific history that has taken place in the city, with many years of slave trade. Stone Town was the largest trading place for slaves in East Africa.
Unique and cultural architecture
The architecture in Stone Town is very special, and is characterized by the many different cultures that have influenced the island. In the first phase, when the Portuguese had disappeared, the architecture was especially characterized by many mosques with tall prayer towers. The so-called minaret towers. In the 19th century, many immigrants came to Zanzibar, which led to some of the original buildings becoming more detailed. A whole new type of building was introduced under Oman’s rule. These were more square buildings, with flat roofs.
In 1870-1888, Sultan Bargash built “The House of Wonders”, which is a huge palace and at the same time the largest building in Stone Town. The last period was under British rule. The buildings during this period are characterized by the architect behind them, who implemented buildings inspired by Istanbul and Morocco.