education), Arabic (widely
spoken in Zanzibar), 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, and 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: 67.8%
male: 79.4%
female: 56.8% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania
conventional short form: Tanzania
former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Data code: TZ

Government type: republic

Capital: Dar es Salaam
note: some government offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which
is planned as the new national capital; the National Assembly now
meets there on regular basis

Administrative divisions: 25 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam,
Dodoma, Iringa, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro,
Mtwara, Mwanza, Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma,
Shinyanga, Singida, Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar
North, Zanzibar Urban/West, Ziwa Magharibi
note: Ziwa Magharibi may have been renamed Kagera

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, 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 Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November
1995); Vice President Omar Ali JUMA (since 23 November 1995); note
the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23
November 1995); Vice President Omar Ali JUMA (since 23 November
1995); note--the president is both c