Tanzania is situated south of Equator and covers 947,300 kms² and has a population of about 40 million people. The country is highly populated on the northern, eastern/coastal areas while the southern part is not.

Climate
The climate is tropical and there are two rainy seasons. The longer one being March through May and the shorter one between October and November. The dry season starts from July through October with clear skies and sunshine daily. The weather is ideal for beach holidays. The coastal area is normally hot and humid.

Visas
Coming to Tanzania has been made easy for visitors. It is easy to obtain a Tanzanian visa and there are two ways to obtain one. You can get a visa from a Tanzanian Embassy or High Commission from your country or during your arrival at the port of entry that is, airport or at the border port. The above procedure is applicable for North America and European citizens. For more details about visas please contact the nearest Tanzanian Embassy or High Commission in your area. You must have a yellow fever certificate as well.

Tanzania's International Airport
Tanzania has two international airports, one outside the commercial capital Dar es Salaam (airport code: DAR) and the other near Arusha (and Mount Kilimanjaro) called Kilimanjaro International Airport (airport code: JRO). Charter flights and some international operators fly directly to Zanzibar Island (airport code: ZNZ).

Getting to Tanzania
If you're planning to visit Northern Tanzania, the best airport to arrive at is Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA). KLM has daily flights from Amsterdam. Ethiopian, Kenya Airways, Precision Air, Qatar and Turkish Airlines also all fly into KIA.

If you're planning to visit Zanzibar, southern and western Tanzania, it is ideal to fly to the capital city of Dar es Salaam. European carriers that fly into Dar es Salaam include British Airways, KLM and Swissair (which code shares with Delta). There are long-distance bus services between Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. There is a new domestic, low cost airline called Fastjet which now also offers cheap return flights between Kilimanjaro and Dar Es Salaam.

Attractions
Mountain trekking, wildlife safaris and beach holidays

Social life
The country has more than 120 tribes. Each tribe has its own language. Although there are many languages "Kiswahili" was adopted to be the National Language in 1961 right after independence. The language has spread and is being used in the neighbouring countries of Uganda, Kenya and Central Africa. English is the second official language of the nation. You will find that Tanzanians are very welcoming and friendly.

Political system
Tanzania is perhaps the leading country in the continent of Africa for its political stability, peace and tranquility. The political system is multi-party and the government is democratic. Freedom of speech is encouraged and accommodated. Political and religious conflicts are resolved through dialogue. In short, religious and tribal conflicts are very rare in the country because every citizen is free to worship as he/she please provided that one does not violate the law of the land.

Currency
The National currency of Tanzania is "shilling" (Tshs). Exchange rates vary and are subject to change anytime. Credit cards such as Euro-card, American Express, Master Card, Access and Visa are accepted by most tourists' hotels, carving shops, bureau de change and banks. Also Traveler's Cheques in sterling pounds and US dollars are acceptable. ATMs are to be found in most towns.

Religion
Because of its historical diversity Tanzania is a land of various religions. Nevertheless, major religions are Christianity, Islam, Hindu and African Traditional Religions. In the east coast Dar es salaam, Bagamoyo, Zanzibar and Tanga the dominant religion is Islam and Hindu. This is due to the advent of Arabs and Eastern Indians which led to the spread of the two religions. The mainland is dominantly Christian and this is due to the fact that European colonists like Arabs spread Christian religion to indigenous.

Time: The time zone is GMT + 3 and the electricity is 220 - 240 V AC, 50 Hz using UK style, 3 pin square plugs.