Tanzania Country Information

Fact and Figures

Location - Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique

Capital - Dar es Salaam

Population - 41.8 million

People - Native African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European and Arab)

Language - Kiswahili (Swahili), English, Arabic, many local languages

Religion - Mainland: Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar: 99% Muslim

Literacy rate - 69.4%

Life expectancy - 52.49 years

% Living below $1/day - 58%

Tanzania

In 1964 Tanganyika and the island of Zanzibar merged to form the United Republic of Tanzania. Unlike its warring neighbours, Tanzania is one of the few countries in the Great Lakes Region to enjoy relative peace and political stability.

Tanzania is renowned for its abundant wildlife, the Serengeti and Victoria Falls. But despite its obvious tourist attractions, Tanzania remains one of the world’s most resource-poor and impoverished nations. The economy is heavily dependent on agricultural but ironically, geographic and climate conditions limit cultivated crops to only four per cent of total land area.

The single greatest threat to the people of Tanzania is HIV/AIDS. An estimated 1.4 million people are living with HIV/AIDS. An estimated 1.1 million children have been orphaned by the disease and coupled with other healthcare challenges such as malnutrition and the high incidence of low-weight babies communities are left straining to cope in deep-set poverty.

Due to parents being too poor to pay for their children’s education and the growing number of orphaned children, there’s also been an alarming trend towards children engaging in forced labour.

Beginning work in 1999, Compassion’s vision is to see childhood restored to Tanzania’s children. Currently more than 59,780 children are registered in over 229 church-based projects, enabling children to dream big and look forward to the future.

Compassion Tanzania currently has 8 Child Survival Programmes.

Over 59,780 children are currently being assisted in more than 229 Child Sponsorship Programmes in Tanzania.

Compassion Tanzania does not have any Leadership Development Programme students yet.