Tanzania is situated south of Equator and covers 947,300 km²
with the estimated population of about 40 million people. The
country is highly populated on the northern, eastern/coastal areas
while the southern part is not highly populated.
Climate: The climate is tropical and there are
two rain seasons the longer being March through May and the short
between October and November. The dry season starts from July
through October with clear sky and sunshine the whole day. The
weather is suitable for beach vacation. The coastal area is normally
hot and humid.
Visa: Coming to Tanzania has been made easy for
visitors. It is easy to obtain a Tanzanian visa and there are
two ways to obtain: You can get a visa from a Tanzanian Embassy
or High Commission from your country or during your arrival at
the port of entry that is, airport or at the border port. The
above procedure is applicable for North America and European citizens.
For more details about Visas please contact the nearest Tanzanian
Embassy or High Commission in your area.
Tanzania's International
Airport: Tanzania has two international airports, one
outside the commercial capital Dar es Salaam (airport code: DAR)
and the other near Arusha (and Mount
Kilimanjaro) called Kilimanjaro International Airport (airport
code: JRO). Charter flights and some international operators fly
directly to Zanzibar Island (airport code: ZNZ)
Getting to Tanzania: If you're planning to visit
Northern Tanzania, the best airport to arrive at is Kilimanjaro
International Airport (KIA). KLM
has daily flights from Amsterdam. Ethiopian
and Kenya
Airways / Precision Air also fly into KIA.
If you're planning to visit Zanzibar,
southern and western Tanzania, it is ideal to fly to the capital
city of Dar es Salaam. European carriers that fly into Dar es
Salaam include British
Airways, KLM
and Swissair
(which code shares with Delta). There are long-distance bus
services between Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
Attractions: The country has a lot to offer educationally,
historically, leisure and adventures. These adventures are safaris
(game drive in the National Parks), historical sites such as museums,
landscapes, mountains, beaches, lakes, rivers and culture.
Social life: The country has more than 120 tribes.
Each tribe has its own vernacular. Although there are many languages
"Kiswahili" was adopted to be the National Language since 1961
right after independence. The language has spread and is being
used in the neighbouring countries of Uganda, Kenya and Central
Africa. English is the second official language of the nation.
You will find that Tanzanians are very welcoming and friendly.
Political system: Tanzania is perhaps the leading
country in the continent of Africa for its political stability,
peace and tranquility. The political system is multi-party and
the government is democratic. Freedom of speech is encouraged
and accommodated. Political and religious conflicts are resolved
through dialogue. In short, religious and tribal conflicts are
very rare in the country because every citizen is free to worship
as he/she please provided that one does not violate the law of
the land.
Currency: The National currency of Tanzania is
"shilling" (Tshs). Exchange rates vary and are subject to change
anytime. Credit cards such as Euro-card, American Express, Master
Card, Access and Visa are accepted by most tourists' hotels, carving
shops, bureau de change and banks. Also Traveler's Cheques in
sterling pounds and US dollars are acceptable.
Religions: Because of its historical diversity
Tanzania is a land of various religions. Nevertheless, major religions
are Christianity, Islam, Hindu and African Traditional Religions.
In the east coast Dar es salaam, Bagamoyo, Zanzibar and Tanga
the dominant religion is Islam and Hindu. This is due to the advent
of Arabs and Eastern Indians which led to the spread of the two
religions. The mainland is dominantly Christian and this is due
to the fact that European colonists like Arabs spread Christian
religion to indigenous.
Infrastructure & Accesibility: Major roads
are paved and accessible throughout the year. Side roads and those
around and within National Parks are muddy and rough. For this
reason, a 4WD car is required for safaris. Four Wheel cars include:
Toyota Land Cruisers, Land Rovers and Toyota Hiace 4WD. This is
the type of cars commonly used. The Railway is also used mostly
in the eastern, southern, central and western parts of the country.
Time: The
time zone is GMT + 3 and the electricity is 220 - 240 V AC, 50
Hz.