Countries, Compared

Tanzania

Tanzania is a country in East Africa, grouped by the United Nations under the UN M49 standard with code 834, ISO alpha-2 TZ, and ISO alpha-3 TZA.

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Tanzania

Tanzania is a country in East Africa, grouped by the United Nations under the UN M49 standard with code 834, ISO alpha-2 TZ, and ISO alpha-3 TZA. The UN places Tanzania in the Africa region and the Sub-Saharan Africa subregion, and it is a UN member state. The World Bank lists Dodoma as the capital in its country data. These are statistical and administrative groupings from the UN Statistics Division and the World Bank; they are not political or territorial claims.

This guide gives you the stable facts and shows you how to verify the changing ones. For demographic figures, economic indicators, travel rules, or government structure, always check the named source and reference year before citing a number. If you need to compare Tanzania with another nation, use the country comparison guide.

Classification facts

The following identifiers are maintained by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) and the World Bank. They are structural and change only if the UN or ISO changes its classification system. They do not imply any position on political or territorial claims.

  • UN M49 code: 834
  • ISO alpha-2: TZ
  • ISO alpha-3: TZA
  • UN region: Africa
  • UN subregion: Sub-Saharan Africa
  • UN member state: Yes
  • World Bank capital field: Dodoma

For the formal UN statistical grouping, see the UN M49 overview. For the World Bank capital field, see the World Bank country API.

Note on the capital: the World Bank API lists Dodoma as the capital. This is a statistical field, not a political statement about the location of all government institutions. Tanzania’s official seat of government is Dodoma; some government offices and foreign embassies remain in Dar es Salaam. For current official designations, consult the Government of Tanzania or the UN.

Country basics

What is the official country name? The United Nations lists the nation as “United Republic of Tanzania” (short name: Tanzania) under ISO alpha-3 TZA. The UN M49 code is 834, the ISO alpha-2 code is TZ, and the ISO alpha-3 code is TZA. The UN region is Africa, subregion Sub-Saharan Africa, and Tanzania is a UN member state.

Seat of government, Dodoma is the designated capital as established by the government of Tanzania. Some administrative functions and international representations remain in Dar es Salaam, which is the largest city and former capital. This distinction matters: capital status and de facto seat of government are not always the same place. For the current designation, check the Tanzanian government’s own publications rather than assuming a single city serves every function.

How to verify the resident count

The most recent resident figures for Tanzania come from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which conducted the 2022 Population and Housing Census. The census counted about 61.7 million people resident in Tanzania (including Zanzibar). This is a census count, not a projection.

The United Nations Population Division publishes annual estimates; the UN’s World Population Prospects 2024 revision estimated Tanzania’s residents at roughly 67.4 million for 2024. These two figures are not directly comparable: the census is a count, the UN estimate is a projection between censuses. Always cite the source and reference year. The UN M49 overview is the reference for statistical grouping, not for resident counts.

Resident data changes continuously. The World Bank publishes annual estimates from the United Nations Population Division. For a current figure, query the World Bank API:

  • URL:
  • Indicator: SP.POP.TOTL (total inhabitants)
  • Reference year: the API returns the latest available value, usually with a two-year lag.
  • Definition: de facto inhabitants, including all residents regardless of legal status, excluding tourists and short-term visitors.

The UN Population Division publishes its own estimates and projections (World Population Prospects), which may differ slightly from the World Bank’s because of different vintage and revision dates. When comparing figures across sources, always check the reference year and the definition (de facto vs. de jure). Use the national statistics office for the most recent census.

Currency

The Tanzanian shilling (TZS). Exchange rates fluctuate daily. For current rates, check a reliable foreign exchange source or your bank at the time of transaction. Do not rely on a static conversion from a previous year.

Languages

Tanzania has no single language designated in the constitution; Swahili and English are the two most widely used for government, education, and business. Swahili is the national language. The Ethnologue database and Tanzanian government sources list dozens of additional community languages; for a current count, consult the national statistical office or UNESCO.

Government and economy

The United Republic of Tanzania is a presidential republic. Dodoma is the designated capital per the World Bank; Dar es Salaam remains the largest city and commercial center. The economy is grouped by the World Bank by income group; the current grouping is published annually and should be verified from the World Bank API rather than assumed. Tanzania’s currency is the Tanzanian shilling (TZS), but exchange rates change daily; use the central bank or a reliable market-rate source for the current value.