Overview
The United Republic of Tanzania is located in Central East Africa being bordered by; Kenya and Uganda to the North; Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the West; Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the South; and the Indian Ocean on it’s Eastern borders.
Trips to Tanzania:
Biking Safari & Migration
Empakai to Lake Natron Trek & Migration
Kilimanjaro Machame route 7 days
The United Republic of Tanzania is composed of 26 regions. For the past 12 years, Dodoma has served as the capital city. However, prior to 1996, the coastal city of Dar es Salaam served as the capital, and today most governmental offices are located there. In addition, Dar es Salaam serves as the major seaport for the country and most land-locked neighboring countries.
Tanzania is known as one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on Earth; fossil remains of humans and pre-human hominids have been found dating back over 2 million years. Travelers and merchants from the Persian Gulf and West Africa have visited the East African coast since early in the first millennium AD. Sultans moved into the capital city on Zanzibar in 1840, and this became the center for the Arab slave trade. In the late 19th Century, Imperial Germany conquered what is now known as Tanganyika, Rwanda, and Burundi. Post World War I, this area later became a British Mandate, except for Rwanda and Burundi, which were ceded to Belgium. In 1954, Julius Nyerere helped create the first sovereign political party in Tanganyika and British-administered Tanganyika became truly independent in 1961. During the Presidency, Tanganyika became socialist and all banks and large industries were nationalized. After the Zanzibar Revolution overthrew the Arab dynasty, the independent island of Zanzibar merged with mainland Tanganyika in 1964 to form the nation of Tanzania.
Tanzania is mountainous to the Northeast, where Mt Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak is situated. To the North and West are the Great Lakes of Lake Victoria (Africa’s largest lake) and Lake Tanganyika (Africa’s deepest lake). Central Tanzania comprises of a large plateau with plains and arable land. The Eastern shore is hot and humid, with the island of Zanzibar lying just offshore. Tanzania contains many large and ecologically significant wildlife parks including Serengeti National Park (famous for its Great Migration), Ngorongoro Crater (Africa’s great game-filled caldera), and the Selous Game Reserve (considered Africa’s largest game reserve).