Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:
6 00 S, 35 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 947,300 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 885,800 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 61,500 sq km
note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
32
Area - comparative:
more than six times the size of Georgia; slightly larger than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:
total: 4,161 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (8):
Burundi 589 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 479 km, Kenya 775 km, Malawi 512 km, Mozambique 840 km, Rwanda 222 km, Uganda 391 km, Zambia 353 km
Coastline:
1,424 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12
nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200
nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
Climate:
varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands
Terrain:
plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south
Elevation:
mean elevation: 1,018 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Kilimanjaro (highest point in Africa) 5,895 m
Natural resources:
hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel
Land use:
agricultural land: 43.7%
(2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 14.3%
(2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 2.3%
(2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 27.1%
(2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 37.3%
(2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 19%
(2011 est.)
[see also: Land use country ranks ]
Irrigated land:
1,840 sq km
(2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
Population distribution:
the largest and most populous East African country; population distribution is extremely uneven, but greater population clusters occur in the northern half of country and along the east coast
Natural hazards:
flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought
volcanism: limited volcanic activity; Ol Doinyo Lengai (2,962 m) has emitted lava in recent years; other historically active volcanoes include Kieyo and Meru
Environment - current issues:
water polution; improper management of liquid waste; indoor air pollution caused by the burning of fuel wood or charcoal for cooking and heating is a large environmental health issue; soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory; loss of biodiversity; solid waste disposal
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
Geography - note:
Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa and one of only three mountain ranges on the continent that has glaciers (the others are Mount Kenya [in Kenya] and the Ruwenzori Mountains [on the Uganda-Democratic Republic of the Congo border]); Tanzania is 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 (Lake Malawi) in the southwest
