Geography of Tanzania

The History of Tanzania
HIWD 320D01



Geography of Tanzania


The United Republic of Tanzania has a rich and diverse history featuring unique geographical sites. The rich sites include features such as Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Nyasa, and Mount Kilimanjaro.The republic also contains offshore islands such as Pemba, Mafia, and Unguja. The topography of Tanzania varies greatly with large forested areas, high mountainous areas, a vast central plateau, islands and a vast archipelago to the east, and several lakes that help contribute to rich diversity of the country.

The climate of Tanzania varies greatly upon location within in the country. The mountainous areas of the north are typically cooler compared to the rest of country, often dropping by 3.5 degrees F for each 1000ft climbed in altitude. Naturally the hottest and most humid part of the country is located around the coast of the Indian Ocean. The average temperature for the country ranges from the mid 80s to lower 50s, with humidity varying upon location in proximity to water such as the lakes and the coast. The lower and more central part of the country generally is dryer compared to the rest of the country. Due to its proximity to the equator, there is no real season of winter for Tanzania, however there are two seasons which define Tanzania, a dry and wet season. The dry season typically ranges from June through October with temperatures varying between the upper 60s to the lower 80s. The wet season ranges from November-May with temperatures being hotter and more humid due to large amounts of rainfall.

The capital of Tanzania is the city of Dodoma (6° 10′ 23″ S, 35° 44′ 31″ E), a large city located within the central region of Tanzania featuring a population of over 400,000 people. The largest city within Tanzania is the coast city of Dar es Salaam (6° 48′ 0″ S, 39° 17′ 0″ E). It is the financial center for the country and is one of the fastest growing cities on the continent of Africa. Mwanza (2° 31′ 0″ S, 32° 54′ 0″ E) located to the north is a port city located off Lake Victoria and is one of the major shipping cities for the growing nation.

Disease is a major problem within the growing nation of Tanzania. The CDC has rated Tanzania as a major risk for infectious diseases including air, water, and animal contact. The rapidly growing population within the country has to struggle with poor healthcare and medical attention but is working to correct the issue.

The country of Tanzania has a rich and diverse amount of natural resources, featuring robust foresting, agriculture, natural gas, gold, diamonds,fish, uranium, and wildlife. The location off the Indian Ocean and with access to large lakes and rivers helps bring a large amount of trade and commerce to country. The access to large amounts of fishing helps provide food for the growing nation. Tourism is a major part of the economy and is helping the country recover from their recent recession in 2009. Only time will tell if the utilization of their natural resources, tourism, and trade will help country of Tanzania grow in a blossoming nation.

Resources

 "Tanzania." Weather & Climate ( Climate Chart). https://www.safaribookings.com/tanzania/climate Accessed March 23, 2016. 

 "Tanzania." Encyclopedia Britannica. http://www.britannica.com/place/Tanzania. Accessed March 23, 2016.

 "Tanzania Major Infectious Diseases." - Demographics. Accessed March 23, 2016. http://www.indexmundi.com/tanzania/major_infectious_diseases.html. 

 "Tanzania Natural Resources." Natural Resource Governance Institute. http://www.resourcegovernance.org/our-work/country/tanzania. Accessed March 23, 2016.