Tanzania - At a GlanceCapital: Dar es SalaamArea: 945,087 sq. km Population: 36.8 million Adult literacy: 85.9% male, and 70.7% female Per capita: US$ 700 Languages: Mainland: Kiswahili or Swahili (official), English (official), many local languages; Zanzibar: Kiunguja (Swahili), Arabic Religion: Mainland: Indigenous beliefs 35%, Muslim 35%, Christian 30%; Zanzibar: Muslim 99% Life expectancy: 45.2 years Beginning in 1891 Tanganyika was a German protectorate, until post-WWI, when the League of Nations named Tanganyika a British protectorate. Under the leadership of Julius Nverere and Oscar Kambona, the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) won elections in 1958-1960. In 1964 Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged, becoming Tanzania, and was led by President Nverere and vice President Abeid Amani Karume, the previous head of Zanzibar's government. In 1977, the two parties merged to form the Party of the Revolution (CMM) and adopted a new constitution. During the 1980s economic downturns brought on by floods and droughts reduced agricultural production. In 1985 President Ali Hassan Mwinyi was elected and began an economic recovery program that brought improved growth. The first multiparty elections in 1995 brought Benjamin William Mkapa to power; in 2000 he was reelected. Tanzania's economy has traditionally focused on agriculture, livestock, and subsistence farming, which provides 85% of export earnings and 80% of employment, as well as substantial subsistence farming. During the past few decades Tanzania has increased its manufacturing industry, which consists of agricultural processing and consumer goods, and has substantially boosted its mining sector, which includes gold and diamond extraction, as well as coal, iron, and tin deposits. Fiscal reforms and sound macroeconomic policy have spurred private sector involvement and donor involvement, and real GDP grew by 6% in 2004. Tanzania's HIV prevalence is 8.8%, with over 1.6 million adults and children living with the disease.
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