About a third of the inhabitants of the mainland of the country are adherents of local traditional beliefs, the same number are Muslims, the rest are Catholics. In Zanzibar, 99% of believers profess Islam.
Transport in Tanzania
You can get to Tanzania by plane. The country has three international airports – in Dar es Salaam, in Arusha and in Zanzibar.
Inside the country there is an extensive network of airlines that connect the main major cities, there are also small airfields through which tourists reach national parks. The cost of plane tickets is high.
You can travel between cities by a local form of transport called “Dala-Dala”. These are small buses, which are cheap to travel, however, most often they are not very comfortable and are crowded with passengers. Also in Tanzania developed rail transport. The best way to travel long distances is by second class or luxury train. Ferries run from Dar es Salaam to the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba.
Urban transport in Tanzania is represented by outdated buses, fixed-route taxis and rickshaws.
In Tanzania, you can rent a car, however, it is not recommended for a tourist to travel by car around the country alone. In order to rent a car, you must have an international driver’s license, be over 21 years old and have a driving experience of at least 2 years.
Plant and Animal World in Tanzania
About 30% of the territory of Tanzania is occupied by dry deciduous forests – miombo. They are found in the central, southwestern and southeastern regions. Woody vegetation with thickets of bushes and glades of low-growing grasses predominates here. At the foot of the East African Plateau, moist equatorial forests grow, where mahogany and camphor laurel predominate, savannas begin above, which are replaced by tropical steppes. The coastal plains are dominated by parkland savannah and grasslands, while the estuaries are dominated by mangroves.
Many monkeys live in the equatorial forests – gorillas, monkeys, chimpanzees and dog-headed baboons. Antelope, zebra, elephant, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, giraffe, lion, leopard, cheetah are found in the savannas. There are hippos and crocodiles along the rivers. The world of birds is unusually rich and diverse. Especially a lot of waterfowl. In the elevated regions of the country, ostriches can occasionally be observed. Of the poisonous snakes, the black mamba and the African viper stand out. The tsetse fly is found in the interior of Tanzania.
Minerals in Tanzania
In Tanzania, deposits of diamonds, gold, nickel, copper, cobalt, rock salt, coal, iron and uranium ores, and phosphorites were discovered.
Banks in Tanzania
Banks are open on weekdays from 08:30 to 16:00, on Saturday – from 08:30 to 13:00.
Money in Tanzania
The official currency of Tanzania is the Tanzanian shilling. 1 Tanzanian shilling is equal to 100 cents. In circulation there are banknotes of 10,000, 5,000, 1,000, 500 and 200 shillings, as well as coins of 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 shillings and 50, 20, 10 and 5 cents.
Currency can be exchanged at banks, exchange offices and registered dealers. Before leaving the country, you must keep the exchange receipts.
Credit cards are accepted only by major banks and supermarkets.
Traveler’s checks are best purchased in US dollars and pounds sterling to avoid high fees. They can be cashed out at exchange offices and registered dealers.
Rate: 10000 Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) = 4.03 USD
Political State in Tanzania
According to politicsezine, Tanzania is a democratic republic. The head of state and government is the president. He is elected by popular vote for a term of 5 years. Executive power is concentrated in the hands of the government, legislative power – in the hands of the government and parliament (National Assembly). The prime minister shares the functions of the head of government with the president. Zanzibar elects its own president, who is responsible for the internal affairs of the island, and also has its own House of Representatives, which passes laws that are applicable only to the territory of Zanzibar.
Population in Tanzania
About 99% of the country’s population belongs to the Bantu peoples, which include more than 130 tribes (the largest of them is the Sukuma), and the Nilotic peoples (Masai). 1% of the population are Arabs and Europeans.
Language:
There are two official languages in the country – Swahili and English. There are also about 100 local dialects.
Cuisine in Tanzania
The cuisine of Tanzania is based on dishes from various types of meat of wild animals and birds.
The first is usually served with chicken soup with green peas or bean soup with coconut milk. After the first course, there are traditional appetizers. A traditional snack in Tanzania are unsweetened bananas, which are fried, stewed, baked or simmered in the oven along with meat and peanuts. Of the meat dishes, be sure to try the antelope fillet, elephant stew, crocodile meat with banana salad, fried warthog side, “nyama-nkombe” (fried beef), “nyama-kuku” (chicken), “nyama-na-ndisi” ( meat with stewed bananas), duck stewed in coconut milk with duckling dar es salaam rice, ostrich roast with fruit sauce, game fried in dough, buffalo steak, veal stewed with vegetables. As a side dish, they offer “ugali” (fried porridge from various cereals), corn.
Seafood is very popular on the coast – fried shrimp with lemon, lobster, octopus stew, grilled sea fish with spices, grilled fish in banana leaves, oysters and seaweed salad. Of the delicacies in Tanzania, it is worth highlighting fried termites or locusts.
Flatbreads from various grain crops, naan bread, and in coastal areas – Indian chapati bread are served at the table.
For dessert, you can try pancakes with various fillings, cakes with banana custard, maandasi sweets and fresh fruit.
It is customary to finish the meal with a cup of tea with milk and sugar, coffee or juices with ice. The country produces many alcoholic beverages. Local brands of beer are very popular – “Safari”, “Kibo-Gold”, “Kilimanjaro” and “Tasker” (usually Kenyan). Also in Tanzania, strong gin “cognacs”, liquors “Afrikoko” and “Amarula”, wines “Dodoma” are made.
