Guide Note:

Tanzania is a nation in East Africa with an eastern border on the Indian Ocean. The country shares borders with eight other African nations which from the south, clockwise, are Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya. The country is home to Africa's highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, and contains part of the Serengeti Desert. Tanzania also borders three of the Great Lakes of Africa: Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Nyasa.

Fast Facts:

1. Capital: Dodoma
2. Largest city: Dar es Salaam
3. Government: Republic
4. Current President: Jakaya Kikwete
5. Population: 37,849,133
6. Currency: Tanzanian Shilling (TZS)
7. Exchange Rate: 1 USD 1,174.15TZS
8. Official Language: Swahili
9. HDI: 0.467 (low)

Tanzania was created from the merger of the former British colonies of Tanganyika and Zanzibar in 1964. More than twice the size of California, Tanzania is home to over 120 distinct ethnic groups (with nearly as many languages), and contains some of the most significant natural attractions in all of Africa. While Swahili is the official national language, English is used in universities as a medium of communication between different ethnic languages and dialects. Tanzani remains one of the poorest countries in the world; however, between 2000 and 2006 the nation experienced a phenomenal annual growth rate averaging 5.8%.