1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 4 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Heliports:
4 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 406 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 1,588 km country comparison to the world: 81 standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 1,093 km 1.067-m gauge; 150 km .762-m gauge
note: the 150 km of .762 gauge track belongs primarily to Taiwan Sugar Corporation and Taiwan Forestry Bureau; some to other entities (2007)
Roadways:
total: 40,262 km country comparison to the world: 88 paved: 38,171 km (includes 976 km of expressways)
unpaved: 2,091 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 102 country comparison to the world: 50 by type: bulk carrier 32, cargo 19, chemical tanker 1, container 24, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 3 (Canada 2, France 1)
registered in other countries: 536 (Bolivia 1, Cambodia 1, Honduras 2, Hong Kong 11, Indonesia 2, Italy 13, Kiribati 5, Liberia 91, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 320, Philippines 1, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 72, Thailand 1, UK 11, unknown 3) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Chilung (Keelung), Kaohsiung, Taichung
Military ::Taiwan
Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast GuardAdministration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined ServiceForces Command, Armed Forces Police Command
Military service age and obligation:
19-35 years of age for male compulsory military service; service obligation 14 months (reducing to 1 year in 2009); women may enlist; women in Air Force service are restricted to noncombat roles; reserve obligation to age 30 (Army); the Ministry of Defense has announced plans to implement an incremental voluntary enlistment system beginning 2010, with 10% fewer conscripts each year thereafter, although nonvolunteers will still be required to perform alternative service or go through 3-4 months of military training (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,283,134
females age 16-49: 6,098,599 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,106,730
females age 16-49: 5,008,563 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 165,738
female: 154,123 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 75
Transnational Issues ::Taiwan
Disputes - international:
involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Paracel Islands are occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003, China and Taiwan became more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting
Illicit drugs:
regional transit point for heroin, methamphetamine, and precursor chemicals; transshipment point for drugs to Japan; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin; rising problems with use of ketamine and club drugs
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Tajikistan (Central Asia)
Introduction ::Tajikistan
Background:
The Tajik people came under Russian rule in the 1860s and 1870s, but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution of 1917. Bolshevik control of the area was fiercely contested and not fully reestablished until 1925. Much of present-day Sughd province was transferred from the Uzbek SSR to the newly formed Tajik SSR in 1929. Ethnic Uzbeks form a substantial minority in Sughd province. Tajikistan became independent in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and experienced a civil war between regional factions from 1992-97. There have been no major security incidents in recent years, although the country remains the poorest in the former Soviet sphere. Attention by the international community since the beginning of the NATO intervention in Afghanistan has brought increased economic development and security assistance, which could create jobs and strengthen stability in the long term. Tajikistan is in the early stages of seeking World Trade Organization membership and has joined NATO's Partnership for Peace.
Geography ::Tajikistan
Location:
Central Asia, west of China
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 143,100 sq km country comparison to the world: 95 land: 141,510 sq km
water: 2,590 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Land boundaries:
total: 3,651 km
border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains
Terrain:
Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m
highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m
Natural resources:
hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold
Land use:
arable land: 6.52%
permanent crops: 0.89%
other: 92.59% (2005)
Irrigated land:
7,220 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
99.7 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 11.96 cu km/yr (4%/5%/92%)
per capita: 1,837 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
earthquakes; floods
Environment - current issues:
inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the Trans-Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast; highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountain in the former USSR
People ::Tajikistan
Population:
7,349,145 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 96
Age structure:
0-14 years: 34.3% (male 1,282,681/female 1,238,607)
15-64 years: 62.1% (male 2,260,552/female 2,303,034)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 112,334/female 151,937) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.9 years
male: 21.5 years
female: 22.4 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.878% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 68
Birth rate:
26.9 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Death rate:
6.83 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 140
Net migration rate:
-1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 129
Urbanization:
urban population: 26% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 41.03 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 64 male: 45.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 35.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.33 years country comparison to the world: 166 male: 62.29 years
female: 68.52 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.99 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 73
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 87
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
10,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 103
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 98
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Tajikistani(s)
adjective: Tajikistani
Ethnic groups:
Tajik 79.9%, Uzbek 15.3%, Russian 1.1%, Kyrgyz 1.1%, other 2.6% (2000 census)
Religions:
Sunni Muslim 85%, Shia Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)
Languages:
Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.5%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.2% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years
male: 12 years
female: 10 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 132
Government ::Tajikistan
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan
conventional short form: Tajikistan
local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston
local short form: Tojikiston
former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Dushanbe
geographic coordinates: 38 35 N, 68 48 E
time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa), Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon* [Gorno-Badakhshan] (Khorugh), Viloyati Sughd (Khujand)
note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses
Independence:
9 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)
Constitution:
6 November 1994
Legal system:
based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Emomali RAHMON (since 6 November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January 1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Supreme Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 6 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2013); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Emomali RAHMON reelected president; percent of vote - Emomali RAHMON 79.3%, Olimjon BOBOEV 6.2%, other 14.5%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (34 seats; 25 members selected by local deputies, 8 appointed by the president; 1 seat reserved for the former president; to serve five-year terms) and the Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held 25 March 2005 (next to be held in February 2010); Assembly of Representatives 27 February and 13 March 2005 (next to be held in February 2010)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDPT 29, CPT 2, independents 3; Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 74.9%, CPT 13.6%, Islamic Revival Party 8.9%, other 2.5%; seats by party - PDPT 51, CPT 5, Islamic Revival Party 2, independents 5
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Political parties and leaders:
Agrarian Party of Tajikistan or APT [Amir QARAQULOV]; DemocraticParty or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV (imprisoned October 2005);Rahmatullo VALIYEV, deputy]; Islamic Revival Party [MuhiddinKABIRI]; Party of Economic Reform or PER [Olimjon BOBOEV]; People'sDemocratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMON]; SocialDemocratic Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOYIROV]; Socialist Party orSPT [Mirhuseyn NARZIEV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [ShodiSHABDOLOV]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
splinter parties recognized by the government but not by the base of the party: Democratic Party or DPT [Masud SOBIROV] (splintered from ISKANDAROV's DPT); Socialist Party or SPT [Abduhalim GHAFFOROV] (splintered from NARZIEV's SPT)
unregistered political parties: Agrarian Party [Hikmatullo NASREDDINOV]; Progressive Party [Sulton QUVVATOV]; Unity Party [Hikmatullo SAIDOV]
International organization participation:
ADB, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE,PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdujabbor SHIRINOV
chancery: 1005 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey Ann JACOBSON
embassy: 109-A Ismoili Somoni Avenue, Dushanbe 734019
mailing address: 7090 Dushanbe Place, Dulles, VA 20189
telephone: [992] (37) 229-20-00
Flag description:
three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold, five-pointed stars is located in the center of the white stripe
Economy ::Tajikistan
Economy - overview:
Tajikistan has one of the lowest per capita GDPs among the 15 former Soviet republics. Because of a lack of employment opportunities in Tajikistan, nearly half of the labor force works abroad, primarily in Russia, supporting families in Tajikistan through remittances. The exact number of labor migrants is unknown, but estimated at around 1 million. Less than 7% of the land area is arable. Cotton is the most important crop, but this sector is burdened with debt and obsolete infrastructure. Mineral resources include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry and food processing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in industrial and agricultural production. Tajikistan's economic situation remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural reforms, corruption, weak governance, widespread unemployment, seasonal power shortages, and the external debt burden. A debt restructuring agreement was reached with Russia in December 2002 including a $250 million write-off of Tajikistan's $300 million debt. Completion of the Sangtuda I hydropower dam - built with Russian investment - and the Sangtuda II and Rogun dams will add substantially to electricity output. If finished according to Tajik plans, Rogun will be the world's tallest dam. Tajikistan has also received substantial infrastructure development loans from the Chinese government to improve roads and an electricity transmission network. To help increase north-south trade, the US funded a $36 million bridge which opened in August 2007 and links Tajikistan and Afghanistan. While, Tajikistan has experienced steady economic growth since 1997, nearly two-thirds of the population continues to live in poverty. Economic growth reached 10.6% in 2004, but dropped below 8% in 2005-08, as the effects of higher oil prices and then the international financial crisis began to register - mainly in the form of lower prices for key commodities and lower remittances from Tajiks working in Russia, due to the declining economic conditions in that country.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$13.19 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137 $12.22 billion (2007 est.)
$11.34 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.135 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 7.8% (2007 est.)
7% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,800 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 190 $1,700 (2007 est.)
$1,600 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 22.7%
industry: 27.1%
services: 50.2% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
2.1 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 118
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 67.2%
industry: 7.5%
services: 25.3% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
2.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 2.4% (2007 est.)
note: official rates; actual unemployment is higher
Population below poverty line:
60% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.3%
highest 10%: 25.6% (2007 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32.6 (2006) country comparison to the world: 99 34.7 (1998)
Investment (gross fixed):
12% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144
Budget:
revenues: $996.8 million
expenditures: $899.6 million (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
20.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 205 13.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 14 15% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
23.1% (31 December 2008)
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$329.2 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$544 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 107 $350.3 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$889 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 109 $NA (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Agriculture - products:
cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats
Industries:
aluminum, zinc, lead; chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers
Industrial production growth rate:
-4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164
Electricity - production:
17.3 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 73
Electricity - consumption:
17.8 billion kWh (2008) country comparison to the world: 69
Electricity - exports:
1 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
4.361 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
238 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108
Oil - consumption:
36,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107
Oil - exports:
348.9 bbl/day country comparison to the world: 126
Oil - imports:
10,100 bbl/day (2008) country comparison to the world: 140
Oil - proved reserves:
12 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 88
Natural gas - production:
15.3 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Natural gas - consumption:
515.3 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 106
Natural gas - imports:
500 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Natural gas - proved reserves:
5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Current account balance:
$47.6 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 -$495.1 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.575 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 $1.557 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles
Exports - partners:
Netherlands 36.7%, Turkey 26.5%, Russia 8.6%, Iran 6.6%, China 5.7%,Uzbekistan 5.1% (2008)
Imports:
$3.699 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131 $3.115 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery and equipment, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Russia 32.3%, China 11.9%, Kazakhstan 8.8%, Uzbekistan 4.7% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$195 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 $328 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.503 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 $1.56 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$102 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 $94.76 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$10.86 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 $8.022 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
Tajikistani somoni (TJS) per US dollar - 3.4563 (2008 est.), 3.4418 (2007), 3.3 (2006), 3.1166 (2005), 2.9705 (2004)
Communications ::Tajikistan
Telephones - main lines in use:
360,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 106
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.5 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 99
Telephone system:
general assessment: foreign investment in the telephone system has resulted in major improvements
domestic: the domestic telecommunications network has historically been under funded and poorly maintained; main line availability has not changed significantly since 1998; mobile cellular use, aided by competition among multiple operators, has expanded rapidly; coverage now extends to all major cities and towns
international: country code - 992; linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth stations - 3 (2 Intelsat and 1 Orbita) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
16 (number of licensed stations with only about 10 broadcasting) (2009)
Television broadcast stations:
24 (number of licensed stations with only about 15 active) (2009)
Internet country code:
.tj
Internet hosts:
987 (2009) country comparison to the world: 161
Internet users:
600,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 103
Transportation ::Tajikistan
Airports:
26 (2009) country comparison to the world: 128
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 18
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 7 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 549 km; oil 38 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 680 km country comparison to the world: 107 broad gauge: 680 km 1.520-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 27,767 km (2000) country comparison to the world: 100
Waterways:
200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2008) country comparison to the world: 99
Military ::Tajikistan
Military branches:
Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Mobile Forces (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,897,356
females age 16-49: 1,911,594 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,428,218
females age 16-49: 1,603,779 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 80,819
female: 78,460 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 31
Transnational Issues ::Tajikistan
Disputes - international:
in 2006, China and Tajikistan pledged to commence demarcation of the revised boundary agreed to in the delimitation of 2002; talks continue with Uzbekistan to delimit border and remove minefields; disputes in Isfara Valley delay delimitation with Kyrgyzstan
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Tajikistan is a source country for women trafficked through Kyrgyzstan and Russia to the UAE, Turkey, and Russia for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; men are trafficked to Russia and Kazakhstan for the purpose of forced labor, primarily in the construction and agricultural industries; boys and girls are trafficked internally for various purposes, including forced labor and forced begging
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Tajikistan is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking, especially efforts to investigate, prosecute, convict, and sentence traffickers; despite evidence of low- and mid-level officials' complicity in trafficking, the government did not punish any public officials for trafficking complicity during 2007; lack of capacity and poor coordination between government institutions remained key obstacles to effective anti-trafficking efforts (2008)
Illicit drugs:
major transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption; Tajikistan seizes roughly 80% of all drugs captured in Central Asia and stands third worldwide in seizures of opiates (heroin and raw opium); significant consumer of opiates
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Tanzania (Africa)
Introduction ::Tanzania
Background:
Shortly after achieving independence from Britain in the early 1960s, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an end in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular opposition have led to two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling party won despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities.
Geography ::Tanzania
Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya andMozambique
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 947,300 sq km country comparison to the world: 31 land: 885,800 sq km
water: 61,500 sq km
note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:
total: 3,861 km
border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km
Coastline:
1,424 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands
Terrain:
plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m
Natural resources:
hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel
Land use:
arable land: 4.23%
permanent crops: 1.16%
other: 94.61% (2005)
Irrigated land:
1,840 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
91 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 5.18 cu km/yr (10%/0%/89%)
per capita: 135 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought
Environment - current issues:
soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest
People ::Tanzania
Population:
41,048,532 country comparison to the world: 30 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 8,853,529/female 8,805,810)
15-64 years: 54.1% (male 10,956,133/female 11,255,868)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 513,959/female 663,233) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 18 years
male: 17.8 years
female: 18.3 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.04% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 56
Birth rate:
34.29 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 38
Death rate:
12.59 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 35
Net migration rate:
-1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 131
Urbanization:
urban population: 25% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 69.28 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 26 male: 76.24 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 62.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.01 years country comparison to the world: 203 male: 50.56 years
female: 53.51 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.46 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 40
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
6.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 12
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.4 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 6
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
96,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 7
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Tanzanian(s)
adjective: Tanzanian
Ethnic groups:
mainland - African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, African, mixed Arab and African
Religions:
mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim
Languages:
Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguja (name for Swahili inZanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce,administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken inZanzibar), many local languages
note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety of sources including Arabic and English; it has become the lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of most people is one of the local languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic
total population: 69.4%
male: 77.5%
female: 62.2% (2002 census)
Education expenditures:
2.2% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 164
Government ::Tanzania
Country name:
conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania
conventional short form: Tanzania
local long form: Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania
local short form: Tanzania
former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Dar es Salaam
geographic coordinates: 6 48 S, 39 17 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note: legislative offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital; the National Assembly now meets there on a regular basis
Administrative divisions:
26 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera, Kigoma,Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza,Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida,Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, ZanzibarUrban/West
Independence:
26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent 19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964
National holiday:
Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)
Constitution:
25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984
Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December 2005); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December 2005); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001)
note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was reelected to that office on 30 October 2005
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot by popular vote for five-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 14 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2010); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Jakaya KIKWETE elected president; percent of vote - Jakaya KIKWETE 80.3%, Ibrahim LIPUMBA 11.7%, Freeman MBOWE 5.9%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats; 232 members elected by popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the president, 5 to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives; to serve five-year terms); note - in addition to enacting laws that apply to the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly enacts laws that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own House of Representatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the Zanzibar House of Representatives has 50 seats elected by universal suffrage to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2010)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CCM 206, CUF 19, CHADEMA 5, other 2, women appointed by the president 37, Zanzibar representatives 5 Zanzibar House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CCM 30, CUF 19; 1 seat was nullified with a rerun to take place soon
Judicial branch:
Permanent Commission of Enquiry (official ombudsman); Court of Appeal (consists of a chief justice and four judges); High Court (consists of a Jaji Kiongozi and 29 judges appointed by the president; holds regular sessions in all regions); District Courts; Primary Courts (limited jurisdiction and appeals can be made to the higher courts)
Political parties and leaders:
Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy andDevelopment) or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI]; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM(Revolutionary Party) [Jakaya Mrisho KIKWETE]; Civic United Front orCUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]; Democratic Party [Christopher MTIKLA](unregistered); Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine LyatongaMREME]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Economic and Social Research Foundation or ESRF; Free Zanzibar;Tanzania Media Women's Association or TAMWA
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN,UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO,UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ombeni Yohana SEFUE
chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mark GREEN
embassy: 686 Old Bagamoyo Road, Msasani, Dar es Salaam
mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam
telephone: [255] (22) 266-8001
Flag description:
divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is blue
Economy ::Tanzania
Economy - overview:
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. Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated crops to only 4% of the land area. Industry traditionally featured the processing of agricultural products and light consumer goods. The World Bank, the IMF, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's out-of-date economic infrastructure and to alleviate poverty. Long-term growth through 2005 featured a pickup in industrial production and a substantial increase in output of minerals led by gold. Recent banking reforms have helped increase private-sector growth and investment. Continued donor assistance and solid macroeconomic policies supported real GDP growth of 7.1% in 2008.