Information

Main Towns
Dar-es-Salaam (commercial capital, population 1,651,900)
Dodoma (capital designate 1,052,000).
Mwanza (2,280,000).
Tanga (1,590,000).
Zanzibar Town(254,600),
Zanzibar North & Central (118,000)
Zanzibar South & West (254,000)
Mbeya (1,790,800).
Arusha (1,640,700).
Pemba north(167,000)
Pemba South(155,000) [figures from 1995 census].

Administrative Divisions
There are 27 regions (Mikoa); 1. Arusha, 2. Dar-es-Salaam, 3. Dodoma, 4. Iringa, 5. Kagera, 6. Kigoma, 7. Kilimanjaro, 8. Lindi, 9. Mafia, 10. Mara, 11. Mbeya, 12. Morogoro, 13. Mtwara, 14. Mwanza, 15. Pemba North, 16. Pemba South, 17. Pwani, 18. Rukwa, 19. Ruvuma, 20. Shinyanga, 21. Singida, 22. Tabora, 23. Tanga, 24. Zanzibar Central\Sotuh, 25. Zanzibar North, 26. Zanzibar Urban\West & 27. Ziwa Magharibi.

Most of the people are of Bantu origin representing 95%, with some 120 tribes on the mainland, none of which exceeds 10% of the population, others are of Asian, Arab and Afro-Arab and European. The biggest African group is the Sukuma: others include Masai, Haya, Gogo, Nyamwezi. Chagga. There are people of mix blood in the coastal area known as Swahilis as well as Asian, Arabs and expatriate minorities.

Religion
Traditional beliefs (30%) Islam (35%) and Christianity (35%) est.

Language
The official language is Kiswahili, which is universally spoken, in addition to various local languages, and is the medium of instruction in all primary schools. English is second official language, the country?s commercial language and also the main teaching language for all scientific subjects in secondary schools and higher education institutions, Arabic (widely spoken in coastal areas, particularly Zanzibar).

Currency
The basic unit is the Tanzanian shilling. It is advisable to carry American dollars. Moneys changers also accept the major convertible currencies. Travellers cheques are exchangeable in some places. Major credit cards are accepted in the larger hotels but it is advisable to carry cash.

Visitors can take in any amount of foreign currency and no currency declaration is required. But import and export of Tanzanian currency is illegal. Foreign currency in cash or travellers' cheques may be exchanged at any branch of the commercial banks or through authorised dealers and at Bureaux de Change ("forex bureaux"), at the international airports, major towns, and border posts.

Electricity
230 volts AC, 50hz: round or square 3-pin plugs, fused or unfused.

Local Time
GMT + 3 hours.

Public Holidays
Zanzibar Revolutionary Day - 12 January
Easter - 10 - 13 April
Union Day - National Day - 26 April
International Labour Day - 1 May
Industrial Day - 7 July
Farmers' Day - 8 August
Independence Day and Republic Day - 9 December
Christmas Day - 25 December
Boxing Day - 26 December
New Years Day - 1 January
End of Ramadan - 2 days
Eid El-Hajj - 1 day
Maulidi Day - 1 day - Prophet Muhammad's birthday

[The dates of Muslim festivals are determined according to local sighting of the phases of the moon and may vary]

Office Hours
0800-1200hr and 1400-1630hr Monday to Friday,
0800-1230hr some private businesses Saturdays.