Tanzania Geography:
Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:
6 00 S, 35 00 E
Map references:
Area:
total:
945,087 sq km
land:
886,037 sq km
water:
59,050 sq km
note: Includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar
Area - comparative:
Slightly larger than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:
total: 3,861 km
border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km
Coastline:
1,424 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate:
Varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands
Terrain:
Plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m
Natural resources:
Hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel
Land use:
arable land: 4.52%
permanent crops: 1.08%
other: 94.4%
(2001)
Irrigated land:
1,550 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
Flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought
Environment - current issues:
Soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements 10/24/2005(not ratified)
Geography - Note:
Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest |
