Tanzania Facts

Tanzania for Kids

Here are some interesting Tanzania facts which were chosen and researched by kids especially for kids.

• Population: 62 million people live in Tanzania (2022)
• Capital: Dodoma with 420,000 inhabitants
• Name: United Republic of Tanzania
• Government: Presidential republic
• Languages: Swahili and English 
• Literacy: About 80% of the population aged 15 years and over can read and write
• Religion: Christian 63%, Muslims 34 %
• Currency: 1 Tanzanian shilling = 100 senti
• National Day: 26 April (Union Day) and 9 December (Independence Day)
• National Symbols: giraffe (national animal), African clove (national flower), Uhuru (freedom torch)
• National Colours: green, yellow, blue and black
• National Anthem: “Mungu Ibariki Afrika” (“God Bless Africa”) has the same tune as the South African anthem
• History: Tanzania is considered as one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on our planet. Prehistoric stone tools have been found in Olduvai Gorge in northern Tanzania. Among the indigenous people of the region are the Hadza and Sandawe people, who were hunter-gatherers that settled in the region. Persian explorers and merchants are said to have settled in Tanzania already in 800 BCE. In the 18th century Tanzania and especially Zanzibar became centres of the slavery trade when up to 90% of the Zanzibar residents became enslaved. From 1804 until 1856 the Sultan of Oman ruled over Zanzibar. In 1890 slavery was abolished. 1891 Germany established Tanzania as a German colony, as part of German East Africa until 1919. The region was then governed by the British after World War I. Tanzania became independent from the United Kingdom in 1961 (Tanganyika) and 1963 (Zanzibar). In 1964 these two merged to form the United Republic of Tanzania.
• President: Samia Suluhu Hassan (since 2021)