Tanzania is in East Africa sitting on the Indian Ocean bordering Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo, Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique. Tanzania is home to a fantastic array of animal species and is one of the most geographically diverse countries on the planet. Tanzania's landscape includes snowcapped Kilimanjaro, the tropical coast, rain forests, and high savannah. Northern Tanzania, where ELI programs are based, experiences two rainy seasons each year: the long rains from March to June and the short rains during October and November.

The Rift Valley which runs north to south through central Tanzania is known as the cradle of humanity. Fossil remains of hominids dating back millions of years have been discovered in the Olduvai Gorge in Northern Tanzania. Over the millennia, TAnzania has been home to hundreds of tribes from all regions of Africa. The migration of tribes through what is now Tanzania has continued up to the 20th century. Today over 100 distinct tribes call Tanzania home. Each tribe is distinguished by their language and unique cultural heritage. Tanzania has also experienced centuries of influence from outside Africa, especially on the coast.

In the 700s A.D., Persian and Arab traders started visiting Tanzania's coast and setting up trading posts. The Arab traders intermarried with the Africans and gave rise to the Swahili culture. The Swahili city-statesalong the east coast of Africa grew wealthy trading spices, ebony, gold, ivory, and sandalwood. Most Swahili people were Muslim. The food, arts, and music reflected the diverse background of the Swahili people. In 1498, the Portuguese arrived and made a brief stop on the Tanzanian coast before continuing on to India. The Portuguese managed to maintain control of the Tanzanian coast until the arrival of the Omani Arabs in the arrival of the Omani Arabs. In the 17^th century, Arabs from Oman arrived and grew very wealthy trading spices and slaves. The Omani Arabs maintained control of the coast until the British and Germans moved in during the 19^th century. Tanzania became a German colony in the late 19^th century around the same time Kenya became a British colony.

Tanzanians chafed under the harsh German administration. Harsh labor and tax policies led to the first local rebellion, the Abushiri Revolt, in 1888. After WWI, the territory fell under British administration and was renamed Tanganyika. The Africans living in the Meru region rebelled in the 1950s when thousands of Meru were forced from their lands to make way for the farms of only a few dozen white settlers. These people turned to the Tanganyika Africa Association (TAA), a nationalist political organization. In 1953, the TAA elected Julius Nyerere, a school teacher, as its president and changed its name to the Taganyika Africa National Union (TANU) and started working toward independence. Tanganiyka gained independence in 1962. In 1963, Zanzibar gained independence from Britain, but within a month the new Zanzibari government was overthrown by John Okello, a Ugandan immigrant. Okello’s group, made up mostly of Africans, massacred or expelled most of the island’s Arab population and installed Abeid Karume as president. In 1964, Nyerere and Karume signed an agreement joining the two states and combining their names to the present day Tanzania. In 1967, the Arusha Declaration committed Tanzania to a policy of socialism. The Socialist policies failed and Nyerere left office in 1985. Economic recovery after Nyerere left office was slow, but the pace of change picked up after communism fell in Europe in the 1990s. Western aid began to pour into Tanzania and multiparty elections. The political situation in Tanzania seems to be stabilizing after several chaotic elections. 36% of Tanzanians live under the poverty line, but the economy is growing steadily.

Quick Facts

Official Country Name: United Republic of Tanzania

Size: 945,087 km², about twice the size of California

Population: 39,384,200

Government: Republic

Currency: Tanzania Shilling, currently US $1 is about 1200 Tanzania Shillings

Official Languages: Kiswahili, Kiunguja, English, and Arabic