General Facts:

Capital: Dodoma (government sits in Dar es Salaam)

Official languages: Swahili, English

Area: 945,090 km² / 364,901 sq mi (roughly twice the size of California)

Population: 39,384,223 (July 2007 est.)

Economy: Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for almost half of the GDP and employs 80% of the work force. Industry consists mainly of the processing of agricultural products and light consumer goods. Tourism is also becoming a major source of national income.

GDP (official exchange rate): Total $12.8 billion, per capita $350

Bordering countries: Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia

Official Website of Tanzania’s National Bureau of Statistics

www.nbs.go.tz

Government:

Tanzania became an independent nation in 1961 under the leadership of Julius Nyerere, who became the first Tanzanian President in 1962. One of the most respected leaders in Africa, he paved the way for stable, democratic rule in the country. In 1964 the two independent countries of Tanganyika and Zanzibar joined to form the United Republic of Tanzania.

From independence through the mid-1980s, Tanzania was a one-party state incorporating a socialist model of economic development. A series of significant economic and political reforms began in the mid-1980s, and in 1994 Tanzania experienced its first-ever multiparty elections.

Since then, the nation has enjoyed more than a decade of political stability amidst a region of conflict. The Tanzanian government has demonstrated its ability to use aid effectively through improved governance and respect for human rights. Key government officials, including President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, have pledged to improve healthcare and increase the number of trained healthcare providers in the country.

In July 2007, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Touch Foundation, offering their full support for our work in addressing these healthcare issues.