Area:
Largest Country in East Africa with a total area of 945,087 sq km
Land: 886,037 sq km, Water: 59,050 sq km including the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar.
Climate: varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands.
There are mainly two seasons dry and a rainy season with temperature at the range of 18°C - 34° C.
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m; highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m
Terrain: The country consists of plains, plateaus and mountains with a narrow coastal belt.
The highland plateau is mostly dry grassland (Savannah) and scattered bush, dotted here and there with lakes, and carved by some majestic rivers.
The Rift Valley Escarpment, the magnificent Mt. Kilimanjaro (5895m) and Mt. Meru (4556m) and the volcanic country of the northeast are some of the unique features of Tanzania's landscape.
Most of the country is highland plateau, some of it semiarid desert and the rest grassland (Savannah) and sparse bush.
The grasslands and mountain forests are home to an astounding variety of animals, ranging from the elephant, giraffe, hippopotamus and rhinoceros to predators like lion, leopard, hyena, jackal and wild dogs.
Smaller animals like deer, antelopes, monkeys, baboons, warthogs abound in the bush and forest areas. Tanzania is also one of the few places in the world where chimpanzees can be seen.
The country's narrow coastal belt with several offshore islands encircled by coral reefs, completes the picture of a truly varied landscape.
The warm coastal waters and offshore coral reefs provide a unique environment for a thriving marine life. The islands of Tanzania are famous for their variety and profusion of fish. Giant turtles on annual breeding are also to be found in the sandy beaches of some coral islands.
Places of Interest: Tanzania is one of the unique destinations on the African continent that has yet to be discovered by many. It is a land of many wonders hubbing an un-paralleled diversity of fauna and flora. Kilimanjaro, the highest permanently snow-capped, free standing mountain in Africa, the exotic Islands of Zanzibar, the finest game sanctuaries of Serengeti, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, Ruaha, Selous and the Marine Park of Mafia Island are only but a few of the living examples. The scenery, topography and very friendly people harbor the growth of excellent cultural tourism, beach holidays, game hunting, historical and archaeological ventures - and certainly the best wildlife photographic safaris on the continent.
Languages: Kiswahili is the National language. English is also widely spoken.
