Tanzania

The United Republic of Tanzania is an East African country bordering the Indian Ocean. Its neighbours are Kenya and Uganda, to the North, Rwanda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo, to the West, Zambia, Malawi and to the South, Mozambique.

The country boasts the island of Zanzibar popular for its balmy weather and warm tropical waters. Tanzania is a result of the unification of Tanganyika (the mainland) and the Zanzibar islands. Tanganyika and Zanzibar united on 26th April 1964, forming the United Republic of Tanzania. Tanganyika became independent from the British in December 1961 and Zanzibar became free through a revolution on 12th January 1964.

About 10,000 years ago, Tanzania was populated by hunter-gatherer communities who spoke Khoisan. They were joined by Cushitic-speaking people who came from the North, absorbing their culture, introducing techniques of agriculture, food production, and cattle farming.

Later, Bantus began arriving from Western Africa who further developed iron working skills and introduced different ideas of social and political organisation.