Land area

883,749 sq km (881,289 sq km mainland, 2,460 sq km Zanzibar), plus lakes totalling 59,100 sq km

Population

43.7m in 2009 (Economist Intelligence Unit estimate)

Population (2002 census)

Dodoma (political capital): 1,699,000

Dar es Salaam (commercial capital): 2,498,000

Mwanza: 2,942,000

Mbeya: 2,070,800

Tanga: 1,642,200

Arusha: 1,292,700

Zanzibar Town: 391,600

Climate

Tropical on the coast, semi-temperate inland

Weather in Dar es Salaam (altitude 14 metres)

Hottest month, January, 23-32°C; coldest month, July, 18-29°C; driest month, September, 26 mm average rainfall; wettest month, April, 263 mm average rainfall

Languages

Swahili, English

Measures

Metric system

Currency

Tanzanian shilling (TSh)

Fiscal year

July 1st-June 30th

Time

Three hours ahead of GMT

Public holidays

January 12th, Zanzibar Revolution Day; March 5th, Union Day; May 1st, Workers' Day; July 7th, Sabasaba; August 8th, Farmers' Day; December 9th, Independence Day; December 25th, 26th and 27th; Tanzania also observes Eid al-Haj, Mawlid and Eid al-Fitr, which vary according to the Islamic lunar calendar