Key facts about Tanzania

About Tanzania

• It is an African country situated just south of the Equator. 
• Dar es Salaam is the largest city and port city of this country.
• Location
  • The mainland is bounded by Uganda, Lake Victoria, and Kenya to the north.
  • By the Indian Ocean to the east, by Mozambique, Lake Nyasa, Malawi, and Zambia to the south and southwest
  • By Lake Tanganyika, Burundi, and Rwanda to the west.
• Highest mountain: Mount Kilimanjaro which is located in northeastern Tanzania.
• Major Rivers: Ruvuma, Rufiji, Wami, and the Pangani (drain into the Indian Ocean).
• Climate
  • Mainland Tanzania can be divided into four principal climatic and topographic areas.
  • The hot and humid coastal lowlands of the Indian Ocean shoreline
  • The hot and arid zone of the broad central plateau,
  • The high inland mountain and lake region of the northern border,
  • The highlands of the northeast and southwest, the climates of which range from tropical to temperate.
• The majority of Tanzanians are of Bantu descent.
• Tanzania has two official languages namely Swahili (kiSwahili) and English.

Q1) What is the East African Rift?

It is a geological feature in East Africa that extends from the Afar Triangle in the northeastern part of the continent down to Mozambique in the south. The East African Rift is a tectonic plate boundary where the African Plate is splitting into two smaller plates, and it's known for its dramatic geological features, including deep valleys, steep cliffs, and volcanic activity.

Source: IIT Madras opens offshore campus in Zanzibar, Tanzania