Tanzania Geography 1997

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

Geographic coordinates 6 00 S, 35 00 E

Map references Africa

Area
total : 945,090 sq km
land: 886,040 sq km
water: 59,050 sq km
note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar

Area - comparative slightly larger than twice the size of California

Land boundaries
total : 3,402 km
border countries: Burundi 451 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Coastline 1,424 km

Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Terrain plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south

Elevation extremes
lowest point : Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

Natural resources hydropower potential, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones,gold, natural gas, nickel

Land use
arable land: 3%
permanent crops : 1%
permanent pastures: 40%
forests and woodland: 38%
other: 18% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land 1,500 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards the tsetse fly; flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season

Environment - current issues soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coralreefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture

Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Desertification

Geography - note Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa

NOTE: The information regarding Tanzania on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Tanzania Geography 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Tanzania Geography 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.