8 Interesting Facts About Tanzania
Eight fun and interesting fast facts for kids about Tanzania's wildlife, geography, and history.
The country's economy is driven mainly by agriculture, which employs around 65% of the workforce. Major crops include coffee, tea, cotton, and cashew nuts. Tanzania is also renowned for its mineral wealth, particularly in gold and tanzanite, a gemstone found only in the Mererani Hills near Mount Kilimanjaro. The mining sector significantly contributes to the nation's economy.
Tanzania is a country with amazing diversity, both culturally and geographically. The nation is home to over 120 different ethnic groups, each with its own unique traditions and languages. Swahili and English are the official languages. Tanzania's unique culture is also reflected in its music and dance, with traditional styles like Taarab and Ngoma holding significant cultural importance.
Tanzania's natural beauty is preserved in its many national parks and game reserves, which cover about one-third of the country's land area. The Serengeti National Park is famous for the annual migration of over 1.5 million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles.
Another major attraction is the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its dense population of wildlife, including the Big Five: lions, elephants, leopards, buffaloes, and rhinoceroses. Additionally, Tanzania's coastline along the Indian Ocean features stunning beaches and coral reefs, particularly around the Zanzibar Archipelago.
8 More Interesting Facts About Tanzania
After achieving independence from Britain in 1961, Tanganyika and Zanzibar joined forces in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania. This new nation chose Dodoma as its capital city. By 2013, Tanzania's population had grown to over 49 million, showcasing its significant growth since independence.
Tanzania is the 13th largest country in Africa, covering an area more than six times the size of Georgia and slightly larger than twice the size of California. This vast land is home to Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, located in the country's northeastern part.
Kilimanjaro is Africa's highest point and one of the only two mountains on the continent with glaciers, the other being Mount Kenya.
Tanzania boasts rich natural resources, with over 37% of its land area covered in forests and about 38% dedicated to protected conservation areas.
The country also features notable bodies of water, including Lake Victoria, the world's second-largest freshwater lake, and Lake Tanganyika, the world's second-deepest lake. Travel and tourism play a vital role in Tanzania's economy, contributing 13% to the gross domestic product and providing employment for 11% of the population.
