Tanzania Destinations

• Tanzania Overview

Tanzania is Africa finest destinations, the statistics speaks for themselves; An unparalleled one quarter of its surface area has been set aside for conservations purposes with the world renowned Serengeti National park and incomprehensibly vast selous game reserve heading a rich mosaic of protected areas that collectively harbor an estimated 20 percent of Africa large mammal population.

Located on the eastern coast of Africa, Tanzania is regarded as the 31st largest country in the world and the 13th largest country in Africa: the country is ranked between Egypt and the smaller Nigeria. With 947,303 square kilometer, Tanzania is a land locked country with Kenya and Uganda to the north; Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west; and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country has an Indian Ocean coastline approximately of 800 kilometres (500 mi) long, where you can find several offshore islands, such as Unguja (Zanzibar), Pemba, and Mafia that have been always been the centre of attraction for the people travelling to Tanzania The country is the site of Africa's highest and lowest points: Mount Kilimanjaro, at 5,895 metres (19,341 ft) above sea level, and the floor of Lake Tanganyika, at 352 metres (1,155 ft) below sea level, respectively.

We cannot ignore to some of the other natural highlights such as the Ngorongoro Crater: the largest caldera: said to be the most scenic of all the Parks in Tanzania, The Olduvai Gorge: that holds the earliest evidence of the existence of human ancestors with the million years old Great Rift valley with the miracles in Serengeti.

In the matter of protection to wild life: Tanzania stands at the top of the list in Africa dedicating more than 25 percent of its landscape for conservation areas . An estimate states that over 20 percent of Africa large mammals and 35 percent of antelope, including 1.5 million wildebeest are protected only in Tanzania. Serengeti migration in which the millions of mammals strive for existence is a great way to enjoy the real formidability of Africa. It's possible to see the big 10 animals in Tanzania buffalo, lion, elephant, rhino, cheetah, wild dog, leopard, hippo, zebra, giraffe and chimpanzees on the shores of lakes Tanganyika.

Tanzania has over 1500 bird species with Lake Manyara National park alone being home to more than 400. It is a year round birding destination, but at the height of the winter months some 160 species of migrants add to the variety.The people of Tanzania are courteous, sincere, friendly, honestly sociable, respectfully and hospitable, making tourist feels extremely welcome!!

• Geography of Tanzania and Zanzibar Archipelago

Located on the eastern coast of Africa, Tanzania is regarded as the 31st largest country in the world and the 13th largest country in Africa: the country is ranked between Egypt and the smaller Nigeria. With 947,303 square kilometer, Tanzania is a land locked country with Kenya and Uganda to the north; Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west; and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country has an Indian Ocean coastline approximately of 800 kilometres (500 mi) long, where you can find several offshore islands, such as Unguja (Zanzibar), Pemba, and Mafia that have been always been the centre of attraction for the people travelling to Tanzania. The country is the site of Africa's highest and lowest points: Mount Kilimanjaro, at 5,895 metres (19,341 ft) above sea level, and the floor of Lake Tanganyika, at 352 metres (1,155 ft) below sea level, respectively.

Tanzania is mountainous and densely forested in the northeast, where Mount Kilimanjaro is located. Three of Africa's Great Lakes are partly within Tanzania. To the north and west lie Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake, and Lake Tanganyika, the continent's deepest lake, known for its unique species of fish. To the southwest lies Lake Nyasa. Central Tanzania is a large plateau, with plains and arable land. The eastern shore is hot and humid, with the Zanzibar Archipelago just offshore.

The Kalambo water falls in the southwestern region of Rukwa is the second highest uninterrupted fall in Africa and is located near the southeastern shore of Lake Tanganyika on the border with Zambia. The Menai Bay Conservation Area is Zanzibar's largest marine protected area

• About Tanzania People and Culture

Tanzania is land of superb landscapes and spectacular wildlife, other attractions stands equally tall- the people. Tanzania people are the welcome and approachable on earth with a range of fascinating cultures ready to be shared with visitors, from Wachagga of the slope of Mount Kilimanjaro to the now world famous Maasai culture around Engaruka -the lost city in the shadow of the great rift wall. This cannot end here, enjoy the last hunter-gathers in Africa, the Hadzabe Bushmen have made the area around Lake Eyasi their long time hunting grounds.

Day trips or longer safaris with the Hadzabe Bushmen give visitors a chance to experience way of life. Morning hunts with the hadzabe warriors armed with bows and arrows, arrows offer a fascinating glimpse into an ancient way of life. Honey-gathering walk to find traditional healing plants and food and traditional dances are all part of the Hadzabe cultural tourism experience.

• Agriculture in Tanzania

The Tanzanian economy is heavily based on agriculture, which in 2013 accounted for 24.5 percent of gross domestic product, provides 85% of exports, and accounted for half of the employed workforce; The agricultural sector grew 4.3 percent in 2012, less than half of the Millennium Development Goal target of 10.8 percent 16.4 percent of the land is arable, with 2.4 percent of the land planted with permanent crops.

Maize was the largest food crop on the Tanzania mainland in 2013 (5.17 million tonnes), followed by cassava (1.94 million tonnes), sweet potatoes (1.88 million tonnes), beans (1.64 million tonnes), bananas (1.31 million tonnes), rice (1.31 million tonnes), and millet (1.04 million tonnes).

Sugar was the largest cash crop on the mainland in 2013 (296,679 tonnes), followed by cotton (241,198 tonnes), cashew nuts (126,000 tonnes), tobacco (86,877 tonnes), coffee (48,000 tonnes), sisal (37,368 tonnes), and tea (32,422 tonnes). Beef was the largest meat product on the mainland in 2013 (299,581 tonnes), followed by lamb/mutton (115,652 tonnes), chicken (87,408 tonnes), and pork (50,814 tonnes).

According to the 2002 National Irrigation Master Plan, 29.4 million hectares in Tanzania are suitable for irrigation farming; however, only 310,745 hectares were actually being irrigated in June 2011.

• Prehistory

Tanzania is home to some of the oldest hominid settlements unearthed by archaeologists. Prehistoric stone tools and fossils have been found in and around Olduvai Gorge in northern Tanzania, an area often referred to as "The Cradle of Mankind". Acheulian stone tools were discovered there in 1931 by Louis Leakey, after he had correctly identified the rocks brought back by Hans Reck to Germany from his 1913 Olduvai expedition as stone tools. The same year, Louis Leakey found older, more primitive stone tools in Olduvai Gorge. These were the first examples of the oldest human technology ever discovered in Africa, and were subsequently known throughout the world as Oldowan after Olduvai Gorge. The first hominid skull in Olduvai Gorge was discovered by Mary Leakey in 1959, and named Zinj or Nutcracker Man, the first example of Paranthropus boisei, and is thought to be over 1.8 million years old. Other finds including Homo habilis fossils were subsequently made. At nearby Laetoli the oldest known hominid footprints, the Laetoli footprints, were discovered by Mary Leakey in 1978, and estimated to be about 3.6 million years old and probably made by Australopithecus afarensis.[2] The oldest hominid fossils ever discovered in Tanzania also come from Laetoli and are the 3.6 to 3.8 million year old remains of Australopithecus afarensis—Louis Leakey had found what he thought was a baboon tooth at Laetoli in 1935 (which was not identified as afarensis until 1979), a fragment of hominid jaw with three teeth was found there by Kohl-Larsen in 1938–39, and in 1974–75 Mary Leakey recovered 42 teeth and several jawbones from the site.

Reaching back about 10,000 years, Tanzania is believed to have been populated by hunter-gatherer communities, probably Khoisan-speaking people. Between three and six thousand years ago, they were joined by Cushitic-speaking people who came from the north, in the…whom the Khoisan peoples were slowly absorbed. Cushitic peoples introduced basic techniques of agriculture, food production, and later, cattle farming.

About 2000 years ago, Bantu-speaking people began to arrive from western Africa in a series of migrations. These groups brought and developed ironworking skills and new ideas of social and political organization. They absorbed many of the Cushitic peoples who had preceded them, as well as most of the remaining Khoisan-speaking inhabitants. Later, Nilotic pastoralists arrived, and continued to immigrate into the area through to the 18th century.

One of Tanzania's most important archeological sites is Engaruka in the Great Rift Valley, which includes an irrigation and cultivation system.

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