Country name:
conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania
conventional short form: Tanzania
former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar
Government type:
republic
Capital:
Dar es Salaam; note - legislative offices have been transferred to
Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital; the National
Assembly now meets there on regular basis
Administrative divisions:
25 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera, Kigoma,
Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pemba
North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida,
Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar
Urban/West
Independence:
26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from
UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent 19
December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April
1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed
United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964
National holiday:
Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)
Constitution:
25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984
Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts
limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November
1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001);
note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23
November 1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July
2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
government
note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for
matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was elected to that
office on 29 October 2000
cabinet: Cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, are
appointed by the president from among the members of the National
Assembly
election results: Benjamin William MKAPA reelected president;
percent of vote - Benjamin William MKAPA 71.7%, Ibrahim Haruna
LIPUMBA 16.3%, Augustine Lyatonga MREME 7.8%, John Momose CHEYO 4.2%
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 29 October
2000 (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister appointed by
the president
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats - 232 elected by
popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the president, five
to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives; members serve
five-year terms); note - in addition to enacting laws that apply to
the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly enacts laws
that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own House of
Representatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the Zanzibar
House of Representatives has 50 seats, directly elected by universal
suffrage to serve five-year terms)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - CCM 244, CUF 16, CHADEMA 4, TLP 3, UDP 2,
Zanzibar representatives 5; Zanzibar House of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CCM 34, CUF 16
elections: last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held NA October
2005)
Judicial branch:
Permanent Commission of Enquiry (official ombudsman); Court of
Appeal (consists of a chief justice and four judges); High Court
(consists of a Jaji Kiongozi and 29 judges appointed by the
president; holds regular sessions in all regions); District Courts;
Primary Courts (limited jurisdiction and appeals can be made to the
higher courts)
Political parties and leaders:
Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy and
Development) or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI]; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM
(Revolutionary Party) [Benjamin William MKAPA]; Civic United Front
or CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]; Democratic Party (unregistered)
[Christopher MTIKLA]; Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine
Lyatonga MREMA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, C, EADB, ECA, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Andrew Mhando DARAJA
chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert V. ROYALL
embassy: 140 Msese Road, Kinondoni District, Dar es Salaam
mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam
telephone: [255] (22) 2666-010 through 2666-015
FAX: [255] (22) 2666-701, 2668-501
Flag description:
divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower
hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the
lower triangle is blue