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Tanzania

✨ The land of equatorial snows

Tanzania is a country in East Africa, bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south and southwest. Its eastern coast faces the Indian Ocean and includes the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia. Tanzania covers about 945,000 square kilometres and has varied landscapes, from coastal plains and savannas to highlands and mountain areas.

Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain at 5,895 metres, rises in the northeast near the Kenyan border. The country also contains part of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake by surface area, as well as Lake Tanganyika, one of the world’s deepest freshwater lakes. The Serengeti and Ngorongoro areas support large populations of wildlife, including wildebeest, zebras, elephants and lions. Tanzania has tropical conditions along the coast, while temperatures and rainfall vary with altitude and region.

Tanzania was formed in 1964 through the union of Tanganyika and the Zanzibar archipelago. Dodoma is the official capital, while Dar es Salaam remains the country’s largest city and an important economic centre. Swahili and English are widely used, with Swahili serving as the main national language and an important language of public life. Agriculture employs many people and includes crops such as maize, rice, coffee, tea, cotton and cloves. Mining, manufacturing, tourism and services also contribute to the economy.

Tanzania is known for its protected natural areas, including Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which combine wildlife conservation with important landscapes and archaeological evidence of human history. The country is also home to diverse communities and cultural traditions. Zanzibar has a long history of trade across the Indian Ocean, reflected in the architecture and culture of Stone Town. Tanzania’s geography, wildlife and cultural heritage make it an important country in East Africa.

💡 Did you know?

Did you know that Kilimanjaro is a 'giant with warm feet and a cold head'? Although it is very close to the equator, where the sun shines brightest, its summit is covered in eternal snow. To climb to the very top, you cross all the Earth's climates: starting in the humind tropical forest to finish in the frozen Arctic! It is one of the few places in the world where you can see glaciers a few kilometers from the burning savannah.

Imagine an ancient volcano whose summit collapsed to form a giant bowl 20 kilometers wide: this is the Ngorongoro Crater. It is one of the largest natural enclosures in the world! Inside the crater, thousands of wild animals, from lions to black rhinoceroses, live together year-round. The volcano walls are so high that the animals almost never leave, creating a secret and magnificent world.

Every year in Tanzania, an incredible spectacle takes place: the 'Great Migration.' More than two million wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles run together across the Serengeti plains to find fresh grass. They form a ribbon of animals so long that it can be seen from space! It is a dangerous journey because they must cross rivers full of hungry crocodiles to reach their goal.