Map of Tanzania
Tanzania is a country in Africa with its capital at Dodoma, home to about 70.55 million people across 947,303 km². The interactive map below plots 59 cities and towns, 15 rivers, 8 lakes, 4 mountain summits and 6 ports recorded for Tanzania in YearMaps.
- Population
- 70.55 million
- Area
- 947,303 km²
- Capital
- Dodoma
- Continent
- Africa
Interactive Map of Tanzania
Centred on Dodoma at 6.7981° S, 39.2664° E. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Tanzania
Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest, Kenya to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the east, Mozambique and Malawi to the south, Zambia to the southwest, and Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. According to a 2024 estimate, Tanzania has a population of around 67.5 million, making it the most populous African country located entirely south of the equator.
Many important hominid fossils have been found in Tanzania. In the Stone and Bronze Age, prehistoric migrations into Tanzania included Southern Cushitic speakers similar to modern day Iraqw people, who moved south from present-day Ethiopia; Eastern Cushitic people who moved into Tanzania from north of Lake Turkana about 2,000 and 4,000 years ago; and the Southern Nilotes, including the Datoog, who originated from the present-day South Sudan–Ethiopia border region between 2,900 and 2,400 years ago. These movements took place at about the same time as the settlement of the Mashariki Bantu from West Africa in the Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika areas. In the late 19th century, the mainland came under German rule as German East Africa. This was followed by British rule after World War I when it was governed as Tanganyika, with the Zanzibar Archipelago remaining a separate colonial jurisdiction. Following their gaining respective independence in 1961 and 1963, the two entities merged in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania.
Tanganyika joined the Commonwealth on independence, becoming a republic a year later, with Tanzania remaining a Commonwealth member following unification with Zanzibar. Today, the country is a presidential constitutional republic with the federal capital located in Government City (Dodoma); the former capital, Dar es Salaam, retains most government offices and is the country's largest city, principal port, and leading commercial centre. For decades, Tanzania has been ruled by the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) as a de facto one-party state.
Tanzania's population comprises about 120 ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups. Christianity is the largest religion in Tanzania, with substantial Muslim and Animist minorities. Over 100 languages are spoken in Tanzania, making it the most linguistically diverse country in East Africa. The country does not have a de jure official language, although the national language is Swahili.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Tanzania (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Tanzania
Tanzania contains some of Africa’s most iconic national parks and famous paleoanthropological sites, and its diverse cultural heritage reflects the multiple ethnolinguistic groups that live in the country. Its long history of integration into trade networks spanning the Indian Ocean and the African interior led to the development of Swahili as a common language in much of east Africa and the introduction of Islam into the region. A number of independent coastal and island trading posts in what is now Tanzania came under Portuguese control after 1498 when they began to take control of much of the coast and Indian Ocean trade. By 1700, the Sultanate of Oman had become the dominant power in the region after ousting the Portuguese, who were also facing a series of local uprisings. During the next hundred years, Zanzibar -- an archipelago off the coast that is now part of Tanzania -- became a hub of Indian Ocean trade, with Arab and Indian traders establishing and consolidating trade routes with communities in mainland Tanzania that contributed to the expansion of the slave trade. Zanzibar briefly became the capital of the Sultanate of Oman before it split into separate Omani and Zanzibar Sultanates in 1856. Beginning in the mid-1800s, European explorers, traders, and Christian missionaries became more active in the region. The Germans eventually established control over mainland Tanzania -- which they called Tanganyika -- and the British established control over Zanzibar. Tanganyika came under British administration after the German defeat in World War I. Tanganyika gained independence from Great Britain in 1961, and Zanzibar followed in 1963 as a constitutional monarchy. In Tanganyika, Julius NYERERE, a charismatic and idealistic socialist, established a one-party political system that centralized power and encouraged national self-reliance and rural development. In 1964, a popular uprising overthrew the Sultan in Zanzibar and either killed or expelled many of the Arabs and Indians who had dominated the isles for more than 200 years. Later that year, Tanganyika and Zanzibar combined to form the United Republic of Tanzania, but Zanzibar retained considerable autonomy. Their two ruling parties combined to form the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party in 1977, which has since won every presidential election. Tanzania held its first multi-party elections in 1995, but CCM candidates have continued to dominate politics. The ruling party has claimed victory in four contentious elections since 1995, despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities. In 2001, 35 people died in Zanzibar when soldiers fired on protestors. John MAGUFULI won the 2015 and 2020 presidential elections, and the CCM won over two-thirds of the seats in Parliament in both elections. MAGUFULI died in 2021 while in office and was succeeded by his vice president, Samia Suluhu HASSAN.
- Location
- Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique.
- Climate
- Varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands.
- Terrain
- Plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south.
- Highest point
- Kilimanjaro (highest point in Africa) 5,895 m.
- Lowest point
- Indian Ocean 0 m.
- Coastline
- 1,424 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 4,161 km; border countries: Burundi 589 km; Democratic Republic of the Congo 479 km; Kenya 775 km; Malawi 512 km; Mozambique 840 km; Rwanda 222 km; Uganda 391 km; Zambia 353 km.
- Major rivers
- Nile (shared with Rwanda [s], Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt [m]) - 6,650 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth.
- Major lakes
- Fresh water lake(s): Lake Victoria (shared with Uganda and Kenya) - 62,940 sq km; Lake Tanganyika (shared with Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Zambia) - 32,000 sq km; Lake Malawi (shared with Mozambique and Malawi) - 22,490; salt water lake(s): Lake Rukwa - 5,760 sq km.
- Natural resources
- Hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones (including tanzanite, found only in Tanzania), gold, natural gas, nickel.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 44.6% (2023 est.); arable land: 15.2% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 27.1% (2023 est.); forest: 50.1% (2023 est.); other: 5.3% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought volcanism: limited volcanic activity; Ol Doinyo Lengai (2,962 m) has emitted lava in recent years; other historically active volcanoes include Kieyo and Meru.
- Geographic note
- Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa and one of only three mountain ranges on the continent that has glaciers (the others are Mount Kenya in Kenya and the Ruwenzori Mountains on the Uganda-Democratic Republic of the Congo border); Tanzania is bordered by three of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the world's second-deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) in the southwest.
- Languages
- Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguja (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic, many local languages.
- Religions
- Christian 63.1%, Muslim 34.1%, folk religion 1.1%, Buddhist <1%, Hindu <1%, Jewish <1%, other <1%, unspecified 1.6% (2020 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Mainland - African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, African, mixed Arab and African.
- Economy
- Emerging lower middle-income East African economy; resource-rich and growing tourism; strong post-pandemic recovery from hospitality, electricity, mining, and transit sectors; declining poverty; stable inflation; gender-based violence economic and labor force disruptions.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Tanzania in Numbers
- Population
- 70.55 million
- GDP
- US$90.1 billion
- GDP per person
- US$1,319
- Life expectancy
- 67.2 years
- Population growth
- 2.85% a year
- Population density
- 78 per km²
- Urban population
- 36.9%
- Surface area
- 945,500 km²
- Forest cover
- 49.6%
- Arable land
- 15.5%
- Access to electricity
- 52.4%
- Internet users
- 31.2%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Tanzania in Depth
History
The sequence of rulers arrived at by studying contemporary coins supplements and corroborates the oral traditions recorded in the Kilwa Chronicle as well as descriptions by outsiders. The Moroccan traveller Ibn Baṭṭūṭa reports that 14th-century CE (8th-century AH) sultan al-Ḥasan ibn Sulaimān was called Abuʼl-Mawāhib (Father of Gifts), and that he personally witnessed the sultan give away his own clothes to a poor man who requested them when the sultan was on his way home from the mosque. The same epithet is preserved on the sultan's gold coins and in the oral tradition.
The indigenous populations of eastern Africa are thought to be the linguistically isolated Hadza and Sandawe hunter-gatherers of Tanzania.
Geography
At 947,403 square kilometres (365,794 sq mi), Tanzania is the 13th largest country in Africa and the 31st largest in the world, ranked between the larger Egypt and smaller Nigeria. It borders 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. Tanzania is located on the eastern coast of Africa and has an Indian Ocean coastline approximately 1,424 kilometres (885 mi) long. It also incorporates several offshore islands, including Unguja (Zanzibar), Pemba, and Mafia. The country is the site of Africa's highest and lowest points: Mount Kilimanjaro, at 5,895 metres (19,341 ft) above sea level, and the floor of Lake Tanganyika, at 1,471 metres (4,826 ft) below sea level, respectively.
Economy
As of 2021, according to the IMF, Tanzania's gross domestic product (GDP) was an estimated $71 billion (nominal), or $218.5 billion on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. GDP per capita (PPP) was $3,574.
From 2009 through to 2013, Tanzania's per capita GDP (based on constant local currency) grew an average of 3.5% per year, higher than any other member of the East African Community (EAC) and exceeded by only nine countries in Sub-Saharan Africa: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Lesotho, Liberia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Tanzania's largest trading partners in 2017 for its US$5.3 billion in exports were India, Vietnam, South Africa, Switzerland, and China.
Demographics
According to a 2024 estimate, Tanzania has a population of around 67.5 million; according to the 2012 census, the total population of Tanzania was 44,928,923. The under-15 age group represented 44.1% of the population.
The population distribution in Tanzania is significantly uneven. Most people live on the northern border or the coast, with much of the remainder of the country being sparsely populated. Density varies from 12 per square kilometre (31/sq mi) in the Katavi Region to 3,133 per square kilometre (8,110/sq mi) in the Dar es Salaam Region.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Tanzania (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Tanzania: Key Facts
| Currency | Tanzanian shilling |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Swahili, English |
| Head of state | Samia Suluhu Hassan |
| Head of government | Samia Suluhu Hassan |
| Calling code | +255 |
| Internet domain | .tz |
| Highest point | Mount Kibo |
| Lowest point | Indian Ocean |
| Established | 26 April 1964 |
Facts from Wikidata Q924 (CC0).
History of Tanzania: Empires and States
The atlas records 13 polities whose mapped territory included part of Tanzania, from Portuguese Africa in 1507 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| Portuguese Africa | 1507–1581 CE | A small part |
| The Portuguese Empire | 1507–1699 CE | A small part |
| The Spanish Empire | 1582–1639 CE | A small part |
| Yarubid dynasty | 1700–1743 CE | A small part |
| Sultanate of Oman | 1744–1814 CE | A small part |
| Omani Slave Coast | 1814–1855 CE | A small part |
| People's Republic of Zanzibar | 1856–1889 CE | A small part |
| British Colonial Empire | 1890–1913 CE | A small part |
| German Africa | 1890–1917 CE | Most |
| The British Empire | 1890–1962 CE | Most |
| British Africa | 1913–1960 CE | Most |
| British East Africa | 1961–1968 CE | A small part |
| Tanzania | 1961–2024 CE | Most |
Historical Maps of Tanzania
Tanzania on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Tanzania
Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa. From the picture-perfect coasts of Zanzibar to the world-renowned wildlife of the Serengeti, from the snowy slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro to the coral houses of Mikindani, Tanzania is the heart and soul of East Africa. Tanzania has several national parks and game reserves, where you can see some of the finest African flora and fauna.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Tanzania (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Tanzania
59 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dar es Salaam | 2.93 million | Dar-Es-Salaam | National capital |
| 2 | Moshi | 721,018 | Kilimanjaro | Admin-1 capital |
| 3 | Mwanza | 493,944 | Mwanza | Admin-1 capital |
| 4 | Zanzibar | 403,658 | Zanzibar West | Admin-1 capital |
| 5 | Arusha | 341,136 | Arusha | Admin-1 capital |
| 6 | Mbeya | 291,649 | Mbeya | Admin-1 capital |
| 7 | Morogoro | 250,902 | Morogoro | Admin-1 capital |
| 8 | Tanga | 224,876 | Tanga | Admin-1 capital |
| 9 | Dodoma | 218,269 | Dodoma | Admin-0 capital alt |
| 10 | Kigoma | 164,268 | Kigoma | Admin-1 capital |
| 11 | Tabora | 146,495 | Tabora | Admin-1 capital |
| 12 | Musoma | 133,156 | Mara | Admin-1 capital |
| 13 | Tukuyu | 127,570 | Mbeya | Populated place |
| 14 | Songea | 126,449 | Ruvuma | Admin-1 capital |
| 15 | Iringa | 111,820 | Iringa | Admin-1 capital |
| 16 | Shinyanga | 107,362 | Shinyanga | Admin-1 capital |
| 17 | Bukoba | 100,504 | Kagera | Admin-1 capital |
| 18 | Mtwara | 96,602 | Mtwara | Admin-1 capital |
| 19 | Kilosa | 91,889 | Morogoro | Populated place |
| 20 | Sumbawanga | 89,161 | Rukwa | Admin-1 capital |
| 21 | Bagamoyo | 82,426 | Pwani | Populated place |
| 22 | Uvinza | 80,350 | Kigoma | Populated place |
| 23 | Mpanda | 73,338 | Rukwa | Populated place |
| 24 | Singida | 62,432 | Singida | Admin-1 capital |
| 25 | Korogwe | 50,000 | Tanga | Populated place |
The other 34 (population, region, role)
- Chake Chake · 49,959 · Kusini-Pemba · Populated place
- Ifakara · 49,528 · Morogoro · Populated place
- Njombe · 46,724 · Iringa · Populated place
- Lindi · 41,912 · Lindi · Admin-1 capital
- Kasulu · 37,349 · Kigoma · Populated place
- Tunduma · 36,556 · Mbeya · Populated place
- Masasi · 36,032 · Mtwara · Populated place
- Kahama · 36,014 · Shinyanga · Populated place
- Babati · 34,291 · Arusha · Populated place
- Biharamulo · 34,038 · Kagera · Populated place
- Kibiti · 30,163 · Pwani · Populated place
- Sikonge · 27,113 · Tabora · Populated place
- Nzega · 26,584 · Tabora · Populated place
- Wete · 26,450 · Kaskazini-Pemba · Admin-1 capital
- Kakonko · 24,688 · Kigoma · Populated place
- Kibaha · 23,651 · Pwani · Admin-1 capital
- Mpwapwa · 19,806 · Dodoma · Populated place
- Itigi · 19,711 · Singida · Populated place
- Same · 17,455 · Kilimanjaro · Populated place
- Ngara · 16,890 · Kagera · Populated place
- Mikumi · 16,780 · Morogoro · Populated place
- Karema · 16,385 · Rukwa · Populated place
- Nyahanga · 16,092 · Mwanza · Populated place
- Mbulu · 13,430 · Arusha · Populated place
- Kilindoni · 12,409 · Pwani · Populated place
- Ngorongoro · 10,836 · Arusha · Populated place
- Mbamba Bay · 8,997 · Ruvuma · Populated place
- Oldeani · 8,000 · Arusha · Populated place
- Mkokotoni · 2,572 · Kaskazini-Unguja · Admin-1 capital
- Geita · 1,536 · Mwanza · Populated place
- Kipili · 1,533 · Rukwa · Admin-1 capital
- Tunduru · 600 · Ruvuma · Populated place
- Manyoni · 310 · Singida · Populated place
- Kanyato · 232 · Kigoma · Populated place
Highest Mountains in Tanzania
4 mountains recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Kilimanjaro | 5,895 m | 19,341 ft | Africa |
| 2 | Loolmalasin | 3,682 m | 12,080 ft | Africa |
| 3 | Mtorwi | 2,980 m | 9,777 ft | Africa |
| 4 | Kimhandu | 2,653 m | 8,704 ft | Africa |
Largest Lakes in Tanzania
8 lakes recorded. Ranked by mapped surface area. A lake on a border is listed under each country it lies in, with the area of the whole lake.
| # | Name | Surface Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Victoria | 69,385 km² | Lake |
| 2 | Lake Tanganyika | 32,896 km² | Lake |
| 3 | Lake Malawi | 28,974 km² | Lake |
| 4 | Lake Rukwa | 1,946 km² | Lake |
| 5 | Lake Eyasi | 1,077 km² | Alkaline Lake |
| 6 | Lake Natron | 556 km² | Alkaline Lake |
| 7 | Lake Manyara | 444 km² | Lake |
| 8 | Lake Lembeni | 172 km² | Lake |
Rivers in Tanzania
15 rivers recorded. Listed alphabetically. A river is listed where its mapped reach lies, so long rivers appear under more than one country.
| Name | Type | Also Flows Through |
|---|---|---|
| Gombe | River | — |
| Great Ruaha | River | — |
| Igombe | River | — |
| Kagera | River | Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda |
| Lukuga | River | DR Congo |
| Luwegu | River | — |
| Malagarasi | River | — |
| Pangani | River | — |
| Rufiji | River | — |
| Rungwa | River | — |
Ports in Tanzania
6 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kilwa Kivinje | 38.4 m | Very Small | East & Southern Africa | point_of_interest |
| 2 | Dar Es Salaam | 38.4 m | Minor | East & Southern Africa | large vessels |
| 3 | Zanzibar | 34.7 m | Small | East & Southern Africa | medium vessels |
| 4 | Chake Chake | 27.4 m | Small | East & Southern Africa | medium vessels |
| 5 | Tanga | 20.1 m | Small | East & Southern Africa | medium vessels |
| 6 | Mjimwema Terminal | 5.5 m | Very Small | East & Southern Africa | medium vessels |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Tanzania
5 World Heritage Sites recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 1979 | Mixed | (iv) (vii) (viii) (ix) (x) |
| 2 | Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara | 1981 | Cultural | (iii) |
| 3 | Serengeti National Park | 1981 | Natural | (vii) (x) |
| 4 | Selous Game Reserve | 1982 | Natural | (ix) (x) |
| 5 | Kilimanjaro National Park | 1987 | Natural | (vii) |
Largest Islands of Tanzania
3 islands recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.
| # | Name | Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zanzibar Island | 1,564 km² | Island |
| 2 | Pemba Island | 896 km² | Island |
| 3 | Mafia Island | 424 km² | Island |
Zanzibar Island
Island · 1,564 km²
Zanzibar Island is an island in Africa, covering an estimated 1,564 km².
Unguja (also referred to as "Zanzibar Island" or simply "Zanzibar") is the largest and most populated island of the Zanzibar archipelago, in Tanzania. It is home to Zanzibar City, the capital of the Zanzibar region, which includes the historic Stone Town.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Unguja (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Island
- Mapped extent
- 1,564 km²
- Size rank
- #267 of 445 islands
- Region
- Africa
- Coordinates
- -6.1288°, 39.3216°
- Summits:
- Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 m), Loolmalasin (3,682 m), Mount Kenya (5,199 m)
- Ranges:
- Ruwenzori Range (Africa), Inyanga Mountains (Africa)
- Settlements:
- Zanzibar (14 km), Bagamoyo (59 km), Dar es Salaam (75 km)
More about Zanzibar Island
Geography
Unguja is a hilly island, about 85 kilometres (53 miles) long (north-south) and 30 kilometres (19 miles) wide (east-west) at its widest, with an overall area of about 1,666 square kilometres (643 square miles). It is located in the northern half of the Zanzibar Archipelago, in the Indian Ocean, about 59 kilometres (37 mi) south of the second largest island of the archipelago, Pemba. Unguja and mainland Tanzania are separated by the Zanzibar Channel.
Unguja is surrounded by a number of smaller islands and islets, with only two of them, Tumbatu and Uzi, being inhabited. Other minor islands around Unguja include Bawe, Chapwani, Changuu, Chumbe, Kizingo, Kwale, Latham, Mautani, Miwi, Mnemba, Mwana wa Mwana, Nianembe, Popo, Pungume, and Ukanga.
Ecology
Notable mammal species on the island include the Zanzibar servaline genet, African palm civet, and Zanzibar red colobus. In June 2018, a leopard was caught on camera here, despite previously being considered extinct in Zanzibar for the past 25 years.
Economy
Unguja is the island of the Zanzibar Archipelago that has the most developed tourism industry. This accounts for a substantial part of Unguja's economy. Agriculture (including the production of spices such as cloves) and fishing are other relevant activities. All along the east coast, most villages also rely on seaweed farming.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Unguja (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Zanzibar Island: Key Facts
| Area | 1,575 km² |
|---|---|
| Population | 896,721 (2012) |
| Surrounded by | Indian Ocean |
Facts from Wikidata Q7332301 (CC0).
Visiting Zanzibar Island
Zanzibar is an island off the coast of Tanzania famous for its history, culture, archeological sites, and stunning white sand beaches.
Zanzibar Province includes Pemba Island to the north as well as many smaller islands in the Zanzibar archipelago. To distinguish the main island from the larger province, the island alone is sometimes referred to as Unguja or "Zanzibar Island".
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Zanzibar (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Pemba Island
Island · 896 km²
Pemba Island is an island in Africa, covering an estimated 896 km².
Pemba Island (Arabic: الجزيرة الخضراء, al-Jazīra al-khadrāʔ; Swahili: Kisiwa cha Pemba) is a Tanzanian island forming part of the Zanzibar Archipelago, lying within the Swahili Coast in the Indian Ocean.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Pemba Island (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Island
- Mapped extent
- 896 km²
- Size rank
- #302 of 445 islands
- Region
- Africa
- Coordinates
- -5.0432°, 39.7732°
- Summits:
- Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 m), Loolmalasin (3,682 m), Mount Kenya (5,199 m)
- Ranges:
- Ruwenzori Range (Africa), Inyanga Mountains (Africa)
- Settlements:
- Wete (6 km), Chake Chake (22 km), Tanga (76 km)
More about Pemba Island
Geography
With a land area of 988 square kilometres (381 sq mi) it is situated about 50 kilometres (25 nautical miles) north of Unguja, the largest island of the archipelago.
Surrounded by relatively deep water, the island of Pemba is thought to have been a part of the mainland which split off along the Pemba rift approximately 10 million years ago.
In 1964, Zanzibar was united with the former colony of Tanganyika to form Tanzania. It lies 50 kilometres (25 nmi) east of mainland Tanzania, across the Pemba Channel. Together with Mafia Island (south of Unguja), these islands form the Spice Islands (not to be confused with the Maluku Islands of Indonesia).
Most of the island, which is hillier and more fertile than Unguja, is dominated by small scale farming.
History
According to the Arab geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi, two independent sultans in the mid-13th century ruled over parts of Pemba Island.
On 24 June 2016, the Australian Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Darren Chester, said that a piece of aircraft debris was found on Pemba Island, possibly being from the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
Climate
Pemba has a tropical climate, yet somewhat milder than Tanzania's mainland and milder than in Unguja island. This climate is classified as "Aw" by the Köppen-Geiger system. The average temperature in Chake Chake is 25.5 °C (77.9 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,364 mm. The monthly average temperatures are usually between 24 and 27.4 °C (75.2 and 81.3 °F). There are two rain seasons, with most rainfall coming between April and May and smaller rain season coming between November and December. Drier months are January and February, and a longer drier season between June and October.
Economy
Pemba is also famous for its rich fishing grounds. Between the island and the mainland there is the deep 50 kilometre wide Pemba Channel, which is one of the most profitable fishing grounds for game fishing on the Swahili Coast.
Pemba is (with the exception of a strip of land along its eastern coast) highly fertile for agriculture which serves the global farming industry.
A large segment of Zanzibar export earnings comes from cloves. The greatest concentration of clove trees in Zanzibar is found on Pemba (3.5 million trees), as growing conditions on the island are superior to those on Unguja island. Clove trees grow to a height of approximately 10 to 15 metres and can be harvested for sometimes over 50 years.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Pemba Island (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Pemba Island: Key Facts
| Area | 890 km² |
|---|---|
| Population | 406,808 |
| Surrounded by | Indian Ocean |
Facts from Wikidata Q208664 (CC0).
Visiting Pemba Island
Pemba Island is an island forming part of the Zanzibar Archipelago in Tanzania, located approximately 50 km north of Zanzibar, the largest island in the archipelago and main visitor destination. Visitors to Pemba however with find a dramatically different experience from the increasingly touristy and resort-developed Zanzibar, as Pemba has managed to maintain a strong sense of traditional identity within relative isolation.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Pemba Island (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Mafia Island
Island · 424 km²
Mafia Island is an island in Africa, covering an estimated 424 km².
Mafia Island or Chole Shamba (Kisiwa cha Mafia, in Swahili) is an island of the Mafia Archipelago located in Mafia District in the southern Pwani Region of Tanzania across the Mafia Channel. The island is the third largest in Tanzanian ocean territory, but is not administratively included within the semi-autonomous region of Zanzibar, which has been politically separate since 1890. Mafia Island forms the largest part of Mafia District, one of the six administrative districts in the Pwani Region. As the Mafia Archipelago's main island, it is sometimes called Chole Shamba, meaning Chole farmlands in Swahili. This is in opposition to the historic settlement of Chole Mjini (Chole town) on Chole Island inside Mafia Bay. The island's population is over 65,000. The economy is based on fishing, subsistence agriculture and the market in Kilindoni. The island attracts some tourists, mainly scuba divers, birdwatchers, game fishermen, and people seeking relaxation.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Mafia Island (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Island
- Mapped extent
- 424 km²
- Size rank
- #343 of 445 islands
- Region
- Africa
- Coordinates
- -7.8642°, 39.7585°
- Summits:
- Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 m), Loolmalasin (3,682 m), Benara (660 m)
- Ranges:
- Inyanga Mountains (Africa), Ruwenzori Range (Africa)
- Settlements:
- Dar es Salaam (130 km), Kibaha (153 km), Bagamoyo (185 km)
More about Mafia Island
Geography
Mafia Island, (394 km2 (152 sq mi)), lies off the east coast of Tanzania opposite the delta of the Rufiji River. The 20 kilometres (12 mi) wide stretch of water between the delta and the island is called the Mafia Channel. Mafia Island is part of a small archipelago with several much smaller islands, some of which are inhabited. The main town on Mafia is Kilindoni on the west coast. On the east coast is Chole Bay, Mafia's protected deep-water anchorage and original harbour. The bay is studded with islets, sandbanks and beaches, and is protected from the east by reefs and Juani Island.
The northernmost point on the island is a coral cliff rising approximately 4.5 metres (15 ft) above the sea called Ras Mkumbi, beyond the cliff the land gradually rises to 24 metres (79 ft).
History
Mafia Island is mentioned at least as early as the 8th century. The island once played a major role in ancient trade between the people of East Asia and East Africa. It was a regular stop for Arab boats. On the tiny island of Chole Mjini, just offshore in Chole Bay, once stood a settlement, which constituted one of the most important towns controlling trade from the silver mines of eastern Zimbabwe, which reached the town via the old ports of Kilwa and Michangani. In the mid-1820s, the town of Kua on Juani Island was attacked by Sakalava cannibals arriving from Madagascar with 80 canoes, who ate many of the locals and took the rest into slavery. A 3D documentation of the Kua Ruins on Juani Island was carried out in 2018 by the Zamani Project.
Ecology
The main ecosystems on the island are mangrove swamps, coastal forests, scrublands, and grasslands. A 115,000 ha area, encompassing Chole Bay, the southern coastline of Mafia and its associated smaller islands, along with the intervening marine waters, has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports populations of western reef egrets, Terek sandpipers and crab plovers. Mafia Island is home to fruitbats (flying foxes) of the genus Pteropus.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Mafia Island (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Mafia Island: Key Facts
| Area | 435 km² |
|---|---|
| Population | 40,801 |
| Surrounded by | Indian Ocean |
Facts from Wikidata Q713391 (CC0).
Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Tanzania
6 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.
| # | Name | Area | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Africa | 29.41M km² | Continent | Africa |
| 2 | Iwembere Steppe | 284,281 km² | Plain | Africa |
| 3 | Great Rift Valley | 163,247 km² | Valley | Africa |
| 4 | Masai Steppe | 140,357 km² | Plain | Africa |
| 5 | Serengeti Plains | 99,080 km² | Plain | Africa |
| 6 | Great Rift Valley | 96,671 km² | Valley | Africa |
States and Provinces of Tanzania
5 first-level divisions with their own map.
Countries Bordering Tanzania
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in Africa
Tanzania: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Tanzania?
- The capital of Tanzania is Dodoma.
- What is the population of Tanzania?
- Tanzania has a population of about 70.55 million, the #21 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Tanzania?
- Tanzania covers 947,303 km², ranking #32 by area, with about 74 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Tanzania in?
- Tanzania is in Africa.
- Which countries border Tanzania?
- Tanzania shares a land or maritime border with Kenya, Zambia, Burundi, DR Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, Rwanda, Seychelles.
- What is the largest city in Tanzania?
- Dar es Salaam is the largest city in Tanzania, with a metropolitan population of about 2.93 million.
- What is the highest mountain in Tanzania?
- The highest summit recorded for Tanzania in YearMaps is Mount Kilimanjaro at 5,895 m (19,341 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.
- What is the largest lake in Tanzania?
- The largest lake recorded in or bordering Tanzania is Lake Victoria, at roughly 69,385 km².